The 2025 recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award for the Philippines is Dr Noel Reyes.

In the Philippines, practical leadership is modernising mental health care at the national level. At the helm of the National Center for Mental Health, Dr Noel Reyes blends clinical expertise with system reform, making services faster, safer, and smarter.

Having built frontline units such as psychiatric emergency rooms and detox services, he went on to help shape the implementing rules of the Mental Health Act. Today, he is steering digital transformation across the sector.

Under his leadership, the hospital has launched electronic medical records, hospital information systems, and the national Mental Health Information System, now integrated into the Department of Health’s digital infrastructure. He is also driving the shift from direct service delivery to becoming a national hub for training, research, and innovation.

Dr Noel Reyes exemplifies leadership that turns policy into practice and vision into infrastructure, demonstrating significant impact on national mental health care.

Congratulations to Dr Noel Reyes.