Zion Mhar Kaezer Corpuz

A nine-day education roadshow by the New Zealand government is set to begin in the Philippines on May 30, aiming to promote New Zealand’s higher education to Filipinos.


The roadshow is set to take place in Manila, Bacolod, and Cebu from May 31 to June 7, 2025.

At least 10 New Zealand education providers, including Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), are partnering with local education agents to organize the initiative.

“We obviously want to expose our young Kiwi students to different cultures, different religions — students who just bring completely different perspectives to their own. Hence, we are encouraging certainly more students from here in the Philippines," Ben Burrowes, the Regional Director for Asia of ENZ, explained. 

As part of the roadshow, ENZ will conduct two workshops for school counselors and two seminars for education agents, with the goal of giving students a sneak peek at New Zealand’s way of life and study opportunities. 

Moreover, Burrows added that the campaign not only intends to showcase New Zealand’s education but also to promote ‘study pathways that can lead to long-term residency in NZ.’

However, he reiterated that residency is not “promised” because further requirements and a more detailed application are needed to pass the green list.

Other than the showcase, Catherine McIntosh, the New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines, publicized that the government scholarship allotment for Filipino students increased; 44 slots will be given to Filipino students in 2026, more than half of the 16 slots provided in 2024. 

“It really is a significant increase in support of our foreign policy objectives in the region, but also the comprehensive partnership, which has been agreed to bilaterally between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Christopher Luxon,” the ambassador said. 

In 2024, 1,983 Filipino students flew to New Zealand to study according to ENZ.