Date of Publication

6-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Education Major in Educational Leadership and Management

Subject Categories

Educational Leadership

College

Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education

Department/Unit

Educational Leadership and Management

Thesis Advisor

Runvi Villafuerte Manguerra

Defense Panel Chair

Jesus M. Miranda, Jr.

Defense Panel Member

Teresa P. Yasa
Ma. Cristina F. Bate
Kimberley Mendoza Migallos
Anne Marie R. Ramos

Abstract (English)

This study explores the leadership practices of millennial school principals in Philippine public schools during crises, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. As the largest generational cohort in the workforce, millennials are increasingly assuming leadership roles in education, confronting challenges that demand adaptability, innovation, and strategic decision-making. Using a qualitative single-case study design, the research examined how six millennial principals in the cities of Manila and Cebu navigated leadership amidst uncertainty, with data gathered through in-depth interviews and documentation and analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Findings reveal that millennial school principals defined leadership during crisis both as a strategy—highlighting continuity and accountability, distributed and collaborative decision-making, and style flexibility and innovation—and as an opportunity, promoting career and community transformation alongside grit and learning orientation. Their leadership practices during crisis were thematically organized into seven dimensions, each reflecting a generational shift: data-driven decision-making and accountability signaled a move from intuition-led authority to evidence-based accountability; operational agility and resourcefulness marked a shift from standardized procedures to context-sensitive responsiveness; digital innovation and constructive disruption reflected a departure from system preservation to learning reinvention; personal growth and career empowerment revealed a shift from positional authority to developmental empowerment; inclusive collaboration and egalitarian leadership represented a move from command-and-control to connect-and-collaborate interaction; visionary purpose and social responsibility highlighted a shift from institutional compliance to values-driven stewardship; and holistic health and well-being demonstrated a change from protocol-driven management to people-centered care. The study’s primary contribution is the Millennial Leadership During the Time of Crisis among Philippine Public Schools Framework, which operationalizes the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) domains through a generational lens. This framework offers a nuanced understanding of how millennial school principals integrate strategic responsiveness with growth-oriented transformation in times of disruption, advancing leadership theory, informing education policy and professional development, and calling for further research on intergenerational leadership dynamics and post-crisis transitions in education.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

School principals—Philippines; Educational leadership—Philippines; School crisis management—Philippines; Generation Y—Philippines; Public schools—Philippines

Upload Full Text

wf_yes

Embargo Period

7-13-2025

Download

Share

COinS