Philippine Nazarene College announced the election of Marcos Eugenio as its new president, effective June 1.

Eugenio is still overwhelmed with the recent announcement.

“I did not dream of becoming president,” he said.

Eugenio remembers when he applied for a teaching position at PNC back in 1999. At the time, a theology professor told him,  “Why are you applying for a teaching position? Apply for presidency!”

PNC has always been a home to Eugenio. He is an alumnus of the college (formerly Luzon Nazarene Bible College), where he finished a degree in theology. He also worked there as an instructor in Bible and theology for eight years.

His passion for education and discipleship became more evident in his chosen ministries. He served as a pastor at three churches and took the role of a teacher when he became an instructor at PNC and a part-time assistant professor at University of Eastern Pangasinan and World Citi College Aeronautical & Technological College.

In 2012, Eugenio began serving at the Church of the Nazarene's Philippine Field Office as the field education coordinator for a program called Philippine Theological Education by Extension for Nazarenes. As education coordinator, he represented the Philippine Field in the Regional Course of Study Advisory Committee in 2013, where the goal was to develop the regional Sourcebook on Ordination and establish validation procedures for the ministerial educational programs in the region.

He was also appointed district superintendent for Southern Tagalog in 2013. He brought significant changes to the district, strengthening district fellowship, reorganizing district auxiliaries, and realigning local and district activities. He developed leaders, sending pastors to workshops and training seminars to improve and modernize their methods of running their respective churches.

Eugenio empowered other pastors by reviving the zone system led by coordinators, functioning as “little D.S.s.”  He continued to challenge local pastors to create and focus on continuous discipleship programs, not just one-time events that have little or no opportunity of follow-through. He started the very first camp meeting, which focuses on passion for God and the Church and for redemption of lost souls. Workshops included Integrity, Nazarene Integrity, Nazarene Identity, Youth, and Worship.

While serving as Southern Tagalog D.S., Eugenio was the chairman of the Board of Trustees at PNC in 2014. To combine these responsibilities to effectively serve the church, he promoted Ministry Exposure to PNC students, a project that he spearheaded this year. The project aims to have PNC students be more involved in their local churches and other district churches during their summer break. Pastoral ministry students were assigned to churches without a resident pastor, and education students were grouped to teach from one church to another.

Eugenio's official term as district superintendent ends in January 2016; however, due to his new responsibility at PNC, he will step down as D.S. by the end of June. His successor as D.S. is expected to be named soon.

"I consider my election as president of PNC as a great privilege, twinned with enormous responsibility," Eugenio said. "Imagine leading an institution with the vision of being 'an outstanding educational center of various Christian ministries' and to produce pastors, teachers, and Christian leaders, who will, in turn, make Christlike disciples in all nations! I admit, it is overwhelming and scary! But I trust the Lord, and I pray that my previous ministry and leadership experiences would be of help to the college.

"I am thankful to the Board of Trustees, Rev. Stephen Gualberto, Dr. MKR, Mark Louw, and the Board of General Superintendents for their trust and confidence in me. Above all, I give God all the glory!"

Mark is married to Jasmin, who is also serving in the Philippine Field Office. They have two children, Josiah Kent and Maeve Lane.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region