Director and film maker 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗷𝗮𝘀 ‘𝟵𝟭 was recently honored with the AFP's Meritorious Achievement Award for his work on the Philippine Army Documentary/Reality series titled "Life in the OCS."

This award highlights his outstanding contribution to film, particularly in portraying the rigorous training within the Officer Candidate School, which has significantly raised awareness and understanding of military life.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication, Mike has established a prolific career as an award-winning filmmaker and film educator.

In 2006. Mike wrote, produced and directed his first film “Tulad ng Dati” that won Best film in Cinemalaya that year and went on to be the first Filipino entry into the New Currents Competition in the Pusan Int’l Film Festival.

His second film “Dinig Sana Kita” won the Cinemalaya Audience Award and was selected to the prestigious Toronto Int’l Film Festival. In 2010, he was hailed as one of the top 25 Indie Filmmakers by the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Indie Bravo awards. Mike is a member of Asia Society, Inc where he was recognized for his advocacy for PWDs and for the local film industry. Mike currently runs the Sandejas Film Lecture Room, an online school where he teaches film techniques and film theory.

Mike is a former president of the Directors' Guild of the Philippines, and his work continues to influence and inspire the film industry. His passion for storytelling is evident in his dedication to teaching and his continuous contribution to Philippine cinema.

source: Upsilon Sigma Phi Facebook page and ubuntustudios.com