Alumni Spotlight: Thea Sheila Ocheda-Alonto

This feature is part of UP CAMP’s Alumni Spotlight Series, highlighting the seven recipients of the CAMP Luminary Awards. Awarded during the College’s Foundation Month celebrations in November 2025, the CAMP Luminary Awards recognize alumni whose exceptional achievements and service have advanced our professions and created meaningful impact in society.

Among the awardees is Ms. Thea Sheila Ocheda-Alonto, MOH, OTRP, recipient of the CAMP Luminary Award – Philippines, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to occupational therapy education, practice, research, and professional leadership.

Over a career spanning 27 years, Ms. Alonto has served as a clinician, educator, consultant, researcher, and advocate for the profession. After years of practice in leading pediatric centers in Manila, she established Cornerstone Therapy Hub in Cagayan de Oro, where she has served as Program Director for the past 11 years. A respected expert in pediatric occupational therapy, she is regularly invited to speak at professional, academic, and community events nationwide.

A former UP CAMP faculty member and clinical supervisor, she served as the Department Head of  the Department of Occupational Therapy at Davao Doctors’ College from 2014 until academic year 2025-2026. She also pioneered innovative fieldwork initiatives, including one of the Philippines’ first virtual occupational therapy practice placement programs focused on health, wellness, and environmental contexts.

Ms. Alonto has likewise made significant contributions to occupational therapy research and workforce participation. Through support from the National Institutes of Health, she helped develop the Prevocational Screening Tool, one of the few locally developed assessments for evaluating the work potential of individuals with developmental disabilities. Her expertise in occupational health has also led to consulting work in ergonomics and workplace health.

Since 2022, she has served as President of the Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists (PAOT) and has been part of its leadership for more than two decades. She has also contributed to the advancement of occupational therapy education and practice at the national and international levels through her work with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and as an Occupational Therapy Program Evaluator for the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).

UP CAMP proudly celebrates Ms. Alonto’s enduring commitment to advancing occupational therapy and her inspiring legacy of service, leadership, and innovation.