HFSE International School’s principal, Christina Bacolod Labrador, recalls walking into a modest shophouse in Upper Thomson nearly a decade ago and feeling the promise of what the school could one day become. Today, she leads that same institution—now operating at 223 @Mountbatten—as both Principal and Head of Academics, guiding a community that has grown in size, confidence, and cultural presence.
Labrador, 42, has been working abroad for 17 years. She joined HFSE in 2016 and has played a central role in its evolution into the first Filipino-run international school in Singapore. Her leadership was recently recognized when she was named HoneyKids Asia’s Best Principal of the Year – Primary School 2025, an honor she described simply as “deeply humbled and grateful.”
Instead of treating the accolade as a personal milestone, Labrador views it as a reflection of the school community she serves. “This recognition is not just about me—it reflects the collective heart and effort of the entire HFSE International School community,” she shared with TGFM. She often credits teachers, staff, students, and parents for shaping the school’s nurturing atmosphere, emphasizing that the award affirmed the importance of leading with sincerity and purpose.
HFSE’s identity as a Filipino-led institution shapes its approach, but the school welcomes children from various backgrounds. Labrador explains that HFSE draws from the warmth and resilience of Filipino culture while remaining globally oriented. Students who come from migrant families or face the complexities of living abroad often find comfort in the school’s environment. Many children arrive coping with homesickness or major life changes, and Labrador notes that HFSE aims to be a place where those emotional transitions are understood and supported. The school’s foundation is rooted in values such as faith, integrity, discipline, and respect—principles she believes give the campus its “sense of home” for families.
Her work as an OFW educator has brought moments that extend far beyond the classroom. Labrador has witnessed families endure separation, reunification, illness, and sudden loss, and she has seen the HFSE community respond with solidarity and compassion. These experiences, she says, shaped her approach to leadership as much as any formal training. “Education is not just about academics—it is about presence, empathy, and creating a community where heart shows up in everything we do,” she said.
Leading a steadily expanding school has also meant navigating challenges ranging from cultural adjustment to academic standard-building. But Labrador says the most difficult moments have been the personal ones—supporting grieving families or recognizing when a student is struggling privately. She credits faith, the support of colleagues, and a sense of calling as the tools that carried her through. Leadership, she believes, is not about projecting flawlessness but about “showing up with courage, humility, and compassion.”
For Filipinos working in education overseas, Labrador offers a message shaped by her own journey as an OFW principal in Singapore. She encourages them to honor the traits they bring from home—resilience, empathy, faith, and an instinct to care for others—while remaining grounded in integrity and purpose. “Carry the heart of being Filipino wherever you go,” she said. “Whether you are teaching, assisting, counselling, or leading, your presence makes a difference.”
Her work continues at HFSE, where she remains committed to ensuring that every child feels known and supported—a principle she has carried since the school’s earliest days. Her recent award may recognize her leadership, but for Labrador, the deeper achievement lies in the community that grew around the values she works to uphold.
