US-based Filipino Tourism Specialist To Receive Amerika Prestige Award

LOS ANGELES, California—US-based and self-made Filipino entrepreneur Rogelio “Hajjie” M. Alejandro, Jr. is grateful to be one of the recipients of the 2025 Amerika Prestige Awards (APA).

The awarding will held at Celebrity Centre International Pavilion in Hollywood on November 8, 2025. APA is premier awards program recognizing outstanding achievements in business, leadership, and innovation across the World. The prestigious awards organization is dedicated to celebrating excellence and promoting best practices in various industries in the US.

“In every organization, there are those who manage and those who lead.
But once in a while, someone comes along who does both — a leader who demands excellence not out of pride, but out of genuine belief in what people can become,” says Alejandro, in an interview with TFCN.

Alejandro, who is currently Director for Wholesale Distribution and Contracting at Uni Orient Travel, Inc. in the Philippines and Sales Manager at Big Bus Tours Los Angeles in the United States, also believes that his roles span continents, but what truly defines him is not his title — it’s his ability to lead people with both firmness and heart.

“I’ve always believed in pushing people beyond what they think they can do,” Alejandro shares. “But I never forget that leadership is about compassion. You can be tough, but still kind. You can set high expectations, but still care deeply for the people who help you reach them.”

Before the boardrooms, business proposals, and global partnerships, Alenjandro’s story began in Manila — a young working student determined to change his life through perseverance and education.

While juggling jobs and studies, he emerged as a natural leader. He was elected President of the Junior Philippine Computer Society, became one of the editors of the school newspaper, served as an officer in several student organizations, and was also a proud officer of the Rotaract Club of Makati Northwest.

“These early experiences shaped not only his discipline but his values — time management, teaching him teamwork, responsibility, and the importance of leading with integrity. “Those days built my foundation,” he recalls. “I learned how to lead without a title, how to motivate through action, and how to listen before speaking.”

After completing his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from AMA Computer College – Makati in 2000, he began his career in the IT field. Yet destiny had other plans — a calling that would soon merge technology, travel, and leadership.

In 2003, Alejandro moved to Saudi Arabia, where he took his first major step into the tourism industry.

Life abroad was far from easy, says Alejandro. Working under strict management and enduring months without salary, he discovered a kind of resilience that no classroom could teach. “I slept in the office for days to finish reports,” he recalls. “Those were difficult years, but they taught me endurance and humility. I learned that leadership isn’t about being comfortable — it’s about staying committed, even when it’s hard.”

Over the next two decades, his career expanded across the Middle East, the Philippines, and the United States, transforming him from an IT professional into a respected tourism executive. Today, his expertise covers operations, sales, contracting, and digital integration — bridging people and systems across continents.

His leadership continues to inspire both his Uni Orient Travel team, where he oversees hotel contracting and online distribution, and his Big Bus Tours partners in Los Angeles, where he builds tourism collaborations that connect travelers to experiences that matter.

Despite his professional success, he never stopped learning. He recently completed his Master of Business Administration at the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, balancing academic rigor with his international workload.

He believes education is not a destination but a lifelong pursuit — one that grows in value when shared. As a Toastmasters leader, motivational speaker, and published author of five books, he channels his experiences into stories that inspire others to lead, learn, and live with purpose.

His titles — Destination Within, Stardust Odyssey, The Whispers of My Soul, How to Build a Travel Business from Scratch and Building Your Travel Business Empire — reflect a life shaped by resilience and guided by faith.

Across 29 countries, Alejandro has represented the Philippines with pride — building partnerships, attending international travel expositions, and promoting the nation as a destination of beauty and authenticity.

For him, every collaboration is a way to uplift local businesses and showcase Filipino professionalism on the global stage.

“Every partnership I form is more than business,” he says. “It’s a bridge that connects people, cultures, and opportunities. That’s the true essence of tourism.”

Behind every achievement lies a story of perseverance. Alejandro’s journey is proof that challenges can become the greatest teachers.

Each trial — from working nights as a student to leading global teams — has molded him into a leader of conviction and compassion. “You can achieve so much, but what truly matters is how you made others feel in the process,” he reflects. “I lead with firmness, but always with heart. Because strength without compassion is empty.”