Literacy and Disability Inclusion Advocate Zacarias Mansing Jr Named as Cebuana Lhuillier’s 2025 Happiest Pinoy
In Photo: Zacarias Mansing Jr. bested more than 500,000 contenders for the Happiest Pinoy 2025 title, winning ₱500,000 tax-free.
Cebuana Lhuillier has officially named Zacarias Mansing Jr., a passionate literacy and disability inclusion advocate, as the 2025 Happiest Pinoy. His inspiring journey—from personal adversity to a nationwide mission for children’s literacy—resonated deeply across the country. Selected from more than 500,000 entries, his win stands as one of the most remarkable moments in the history of Cebuana Lhuillier’s flagship advocacy.
The awarding ceremony, held on December 2, 2025 at Dusit Thani Manila, showcased the depth of this year’s competition. Zacarias first became one of the ten national category winners before advancing to the final round, where he stood alongside exceptional finalists representing youth and senior citizens, entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, OFWs, the workforce, the LGBTQIA+ community, creatives, indigenous peoples, and Cebuana Lhuillier clients.
A distinguished panel of judges from public service, media, social innovation, sports, and past Happiest Pinoy honorees evaluated the finalists through a rigorous process anchored on four criteria: resilience; optimism and genuine happiness; championing hope and impact; and an X-factor that reflects authenticity.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier Inc., highlighted the importance of Zacarias’s win:
“Zacarias reminds us that true strength is not the absence of hardship but the courage to lift others as we rise. His life—rooted in faith, grit, and service—captures exactly what the Happiest Pinoy seeks to celebrate: joy that transforms communities and inspires lasting change.”
A distinguished panel of judges from public service, media, social innovation, sports, and past Happiest Pinoy honorees evaluated the finalists through a rigorous process anchored on four criteria: resilience; optimism and genuine happiness; championing hope and impact; and an X-factor that reflects authenticity.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier Inc., highlighted the importance of Zacarias’s win:
“Zacarias reminds us that true strength is not the absence of hardship but the courage to lift others as we rise. His life—rooted in faith, grit, and service—captures exactly what the Happiest Pinoy seeks to celebrate: joy that transforms communities and inspires lasting change.”
Zacarias’s story reflects that strength. Following an accident abroad in 2012 that left him paralyzed, he returned home determined to turn his challenges into purpose. Guided by his DRISO values—Determination, Resilience, Inspiration, Service, and Optimism—he launched the Books for Kids Project in 2017. From his wheelchair, he has visited more than 300 remote public schools and reached over 50,000 students, championing literacy, disability inclusion, and hope across Negros Oriental.
“Being a Happiest Pinoy is about having a spirit that trusts God in all circumstances and hands that are always ready to reach out to those in need,” he shared.
Zacarias’s triumph is more than a personal victory. It is a powerful reminder that purpose can grow out of pain, and that one person’s resolve can spark lasting change. His work continues to uplift young learners, empower communities, and strengthen the movement Cebuana Lhuillier began: a celebration of joy that endures, heals, and transforms. #
