Alfredo E. Pascual is the Secretary (Minister) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). At the time of his appointment to DTI in June 2022, he was the President of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

Over the past four decades, Mr. Pascual has contributed to society by serving at four esteemed national and international institutions, viz.: Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) as President and CEO in 2018 and 2019; University of the Philippines (UP) System as President and Co-Chair from 2011 to 2017 and as Alumni Regent in 2009 and 2010; Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 19 years (1989-2008) in several positions including as Director for Private Sector Operations, Director for Project Finance, and Advisor for Public-Private Partnership; and Asian Institute of Management (AIM) as a finance professor in the 1980s.

Prior to joining DTI, Mr. Pascual was an independent director on the board of publicly listed companies (e.g., SM Investments, Megawide Construction, and Concepcion Industrial). His past board memberships included non-profits and other organizations, such as the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), ICD, Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), FINEX Academy, UP Foundation, UP CIFAL Philippines, Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR), and US-Philippines Society (USPHS).

Mr. Pascual finished his MBA and BS in Chemistry (cum laude) at UP. He attended the EC-ASEAN Program on Strategic and Organizational Change at the Euro-Asia Centre, Campus INSEAD, France. His awards included Honorary Doctorates from the University of the Philippines and four other universities, the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award from Malacanang, and the Rotary Golden Wheel Award for Higher Education.

Senator Lorna Regina "Loren" Bautista Legarda has dedicated her work for the past three decades in serving the Filipino people, primarily by promoting the sustainable and equitable use of our natural resources; advancing programs on building community resilience; advocating for social justice, human rights, peace and cultural diversity; and initiating measures for quality and accessible education, decent employment and livelihood opportunities.

A four-term Senator, Sen. Loren is the only female who topped the Senate race twice, with more than 15 million and 18.4 million votes in 1998 and 2007, respectively. She is the only woman to become Senate majority leader. As the Philippines’ foremost advocate of green development, Sen. Loren worked for the enactment of laws on environmental governance like the Clean Air Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, the Climate Change Act and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.

Sen. Loren co-authored Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act in order to ensure that the country's artists, craftsmen, creatives, and entrepreneurs, who have been an integral part of our culture and economy, are safeguarded and supported. In addition, she has also authored the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law and the Tourism Act of 2009, among others.

She has also filed numerous measures that promote Filipino talent and local culture, heritage, and traditions such as Senate Bill 836 or the Philippine Music Industry Act of 2022, Senate Bill 1338 or the Philippine Rondalla Program of 2022, Senate Bill 492 or the Philippine Arts in Venice Biennale Act, and Senate Bill 241 or the Philippine Handloom Weaving Industry Development Act of 2022. 

Sen. Loren was recognized by The National Commission for Culture and the Art (NCCA) with Dangal ng Haraya - Patron of Arts and Culture in 2016. She was bestowed the following titles of “Tukwifi” by the Cordillera Indigenous Elected Women Leaders’ League which means “Bright Star", “Cuyong Adlaw Dulpa-an Labaw sa Kadunggan” by the Panay-Bukidnon from Visayas, which literally translates to “shining sun rising in power”, and “Bae Matumpis” by the cultural communities of Mindanao, which means “the one who takes care.”

Further, Senator Loren initiated the following projects: Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles, the Philippines’ first permanent textile gallery and traveling exhibitions; Baybayin Gallery, the Philippines’ permanent ancient scripts gallery; Regional assemblies and the first National Indigenous Cultural Summit in 2011; Philippines’ participation in the Venice Biennale since 2015 in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Department of Foreign Affairs; and Dayaw TV Series, a documentary series on Philippine indigenous culture in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and ANC.

The world recognizes the inspiring leadership of Sen. Loren in the global campaign for good environmental governance. In 2000, the World Economic Forum held in Davos named her as one of the Global Leaders for Tomorrow. Similarly, the United Nations has also acknowledged Sen. Loren twice. In the year 2001, the United Nations Environment Programme conferred on her the title of UNEP Laureate and included her in the Global 500 Roll of Honor.

Sen. Loren is the current Senate President Pro-Tempore and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” de la Llana Pimentel III traces his family roots to Region 1 - Ilocos Norte, Region 3 - Zambales, and of course Mindanao.

Senator Koko is married to Ma. Anna Kathryna de Guzman Yu-Pimentel of Marikina City and Bulan, Sorsogon in Bicol; and has three children: Aquilino Martin Emmanuel VI, Aquilino Justo VII and Ma. Kathryn Helena.

Senator Koko is currently the Senate Minority Leader in the 19th Congress. He is former Senate President, just like his father Senate President Nene Pimentel. They are the first father and son to have become Senate President.

He served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship and the Committee on Foreign Relations, as well as Commission on Appointments Committee on Justice and Judicial and Bar Council during the 18th Congress.

Born on January 20, 1964 in Cagayan de Oro City, Senator Koko received his Law degree from the University of the Philippines and topped the Bar Examinations in 1990 with a grade of 89.85%. He earlier graduated with a degree in B. S. Mathematics from the Ateneo de Manila as an NSDB scholar. Senator Koko was awarded Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in 2012, and Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa by the University of the Philippines in 2017.

He became Senator in August 2011 after he won his election protest and was elected in the 2013 Elections, and again in 2019.

Senator Koko has been a member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) since 1982. He now holds the position of Chairman of PDP Laban.

Senator Koko is a believer in Theism, Humanism, Democratic Socialism, Enlightened Nationalism, Consultative Democracy and an advocate of a Federal System of Government.

Senator Koko is together with the Filipino people in their clamor for Change, and in this regard he is guided by his mantra “The Poorest First!” and that we should “use our KOKOte!” in determining what is good for our country.

Thus, Senator Koko Pimentel calls on Filipinos to be productive citizens and positive force for change that will lead us to achieving our vision of a Philippine society which is JUST and FAIR, which SAVES and SHARES, which is SCIENTIFIC and OBJECTIVE, SAFE and PEACEFUL, EDUCATED and HEALTHY, DEMOCRATIC, and which is, most of all, HAPPY and FREE, with overflowing LOVE OF GOD and COUNTRY!

Congressman Christopher “Toff” Vera Perez de Venecia is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives from the 4th District of Pangasinan. He has taken up the cause of championing the Philippine creative industries and lent it the voice it has sorely needed in Philippine politics.

Drawing from his experiences as a TV and film actor, newspaper columnist, magazine editor, theater director, as well as producer and founder of two of Manila’s leading theater companies, he has trained the attention of the House to the needs of those who valiantly work to promote Philippine arts and culture, and who showcase in every form the magnificence of Filipino artistry.

He is the lead convener of the Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Bloc of the 18th Congress (ACCIB), which aims to provide legislative support to the Creative Economy. He is the Chairperson of the Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, both in the 18th and 19th Congresses. He has authored several measures addressing the challenges of the sector which were then passed as laws:  Republic Act 11726 or the Edades and Bernal Museum Act, and Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act. 

Cong. Toff ran under the platform B.A.G.E.T.S., which stands for Buhay na Turismo, Agrikultura, Gusali at Imprastraktura, Edukayson, Trabaho, at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan, and was elected as the Representative of the Fourth District of Pangasinan in 2016. In the 2019 elections, he was overwhelmingly elected for a second term once again representing the Fourth District of Pangasinan.

At present, he is sitting as a Deputy Majority Leader and also the Chairman of the Special Committee of Creative Industry and Performing Arts. He is also the lead convener of the Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Bloc of the 18th Congress, with 6 Deputy Speakers and 12 Committee Chairmen as members.

He finished his elementary studies at the Colegio de San Agustin and his secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University and completed courses in Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. 

Mr. Boileau is an experienced Canadian diplomat who has dedicated his career to supporting Canadian business participate in global markets, including through three international postings at Canadian Embassies in Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines, negotiating free trade agreements, and supporting Canadian firms in their international business development endeavors. He currently holds the position of Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Embassy to the Philippines. He leads a dynamic team of dedicated Trade Commissioners focused on strengthening bilateral commercial ties through international business development opportunities in key priority sectors for Canada, including cleantechnologies and climate finance, infrastructure, mining, ICT, aerospace, agri-food, education, as well as with the Asian Development Bank. Prior to arriving to the Philippines in September 2021, Mr. Boileau was Senior Advisor to the Deputy Minister of International Trade covering trade policy negotiations and dispute settlements, as well as Canada’s trade and investment interests in Asia. From 2015-2019, he was the trade policy Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy to Mexico. During his tenure, Mr. Boileau was an integral member of Canada’s negotiating team responsible for the renegotiation of the NAFTA. He also led a team of Trade Commissioners dedicated to supporting Canadian stakeholder efforts in key sectors of Canadian interest, notably the Mexican energy and infrastructure markets. Mr. Boileau was also Canada’s Deputy Chief Negotiator for some of Canada’s free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, including the now implemented Canada-Panama FTA. He was also lead negotiator for several of Canada’s bilateral investment treaty initiatives in Africa and Asia. Between 2009-2012, Mr. Boileau was the First Secretary at the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia, holding the first position dedicated to advancing Canada’s strategic relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Guy has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Glendon College, the bilingual campus of York University (Toronto, Canada) and obtained a Master’s degree from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada). He speaks English, French and Spanish. 

Lieutenant General (Retired) Agus Widjojo served in the Indonesian Armed Forces for 33 years and is regarded as the leading intellectual in the Indonesian military. Over the years, he guided the Armed Forces into its current role as a professional military without political involvement, a departure from the dual function of the Indonesian Armed Forces that dominated the government for decades.

His primary research interests are security sector reform, democratization, and post-conflict reconciliation.

Agus graduated from the Indonesian Armed Forces Academy in 1970 and served tours as a staff officer in the International Commission for Control and Supervision in Vietnam in 1973 and the Indonesian Battalion to the United Nations Emergency Force II in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt in 1978. Among his field assignments as an infantry officer was commanding general of the 17th Airborne Brigade, part of the Army Strategic Command.

Agus retired from active duty in 2003. His last two active duty assignments were as chief of staff for territorial affairs for the commanding General TNI, where he worked on the Indonesian democratization process and military reform; and deputy speaker of The National Consultative Assembly representing the Military and National Police Faction.

He has served as a deputy in the Presidential Delivery Unit and on the Commission of Truth and Friendship Indonesia – Timor Leste. Currently, he is a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Peace and Democracy at Udayana University and a senior fellow at CSIS Jakarta.

Career diplomat, with broad multilateral, political and consular experience. Extensive professional network among Philippine, Southeast Asian, United Nations and other International Organization officials. Broad graduate education and professional training in international relations, law and military affairs. Parallel career in academe and civic voluntarism. Particular professional interest in humanitarian and security affairs. 

Ivan Anthony Henares, PhD is a tourism educator, cultural policy researcher, and advocate for heritage conservation in the Philippines. He is Secretary General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, Commissioner of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Assistant Professor at the Asian Institute of Tourism of the University of the Philippines, Diliman. 

At present, he is also Secretary General of the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC), Head of the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage and National Committee on Monuments and Sites of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Chairperson of the Heritage Conservation Society (HCS), Philippine Committee President of the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH Philippines), Board Member of the Southeast Asian Heritage Alliance (SEACHA) and, International Correspondent (Philippines) to the Asian Network for Industrial Heritage (ANIH). He was named one of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in the field of Heritage Conservation in 2012, and an Asia 21 Young Leader in 2008.

Dr. Henares received his PhD in Hospitality and Tourism Management and Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy from Purdue University (2017-2018 Fulbright-CHED Scholar). He completed his elementary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila University, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Master of Business Administration and Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning degrees all at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

His advocacy and research interests are in heritage conservation and tourism policy, and cultural tourism in historic urban landscapes, industrial heritage, cultural landscapes, and indigenous communities in the Philippines. His work is currently focused on Pampanga cultural heritage, especially in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, and the Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros Island, where he is working with local stakeholders to protect early 20th century sugar centrals, hacienda houses and plantations, and 19th century sugar mills.

Rowel Barba is a respected name in business and law circles, having had over 20 years of experience. He is perhaps most known for his tenure in the RFM Corporation, a publicly listed corporation, where he used to be Vice President and Head of the Corporate Legal & HR Divisions; the JAKA Group, where he held several positions, eventually moving up to becoming the company’s Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel; and as an Associate at the Ponce Enrile Cayetano Reyes & Manalastas Law Offices.

He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in AB Political Science, as well as his Bachelor of Laws degree, from the University of the Philippines, where he also was on the editorial board of the Philippine Law Journal. Other notable positions of his include being Governor for Southern Luzon of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) (1997-1999) and Legal Counsel of the Philippine Practical Shooting Association.

Prior to his appointment as Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, he was Undersecretary for the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry where he supervised the offices under it, namely: Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) and its implementing Boards, namely the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC), Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB), Philippine Domestic Construction Board (PDCB) & the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF), Legal Service (LS) and Internal Audit Service (IAS). 

He was also the Supervising Undersecretary of the Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPOPHIL), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), National Development Corporation (NDC) & the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC), attached agencies of the DTI.

In his capacity as Chief of Staff of the Office of the Secretary, Undersecretary Barba was the DTI Secretary’s alternate representative in cabinet meetings with the President, and was the lead official for the organization of Presidential visits within the DTI.

He concurrently sat  in various boards of government corporations, agencies and councils such as the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) & the acting Chairman of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), among others. He also represents DTI in the Philippine Air Talks Panel.

He was also formerly the Undersecretary for the Management Services Group (MSG) and the Competitiveness and Ease of Doing Business Group (CEODBG) of DTI.

He concurrently sits as Governor of the Board of Investments (BOI) and Acting Chairman of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

Dr. Rafaelita “Fita” M. Aldaba is Undersecretary for the Competitiveness and Innovation Group of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). She fulfills a key role in the formulation and implementation of the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), which puts innovation at the heart of the country’s new industrial policy. Undersecretary Aldaba is also a Governor of the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s primary industry development arm and lead investment promotion agency (IPA).

She is leading DTI’s initiatives in preparing industries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital transformation, establishing Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs), developing new creative industries, and growing a robust startup ecosystem. She oversees the administration and operations of the Competitiveness Bureau (CB), Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) and Bureau of Trade and Industrial Policy Research (BTIPR).

A researcher turned policymaker, Undersecretary Aldaba was Senior Research Fellow and Acting Vice-President of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) prior to her previous appointment as Assistant Secretary of DTI’s Industry Development and Trade Policy Group (IDTPG). She has extensive research experience, authored various publications on development issues, and conceptualized and managed research projects with various international organizations, including The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development.

Bobby Pontillas is an animation director who has worked in the film, television, and games industries. 

In 2020, he co-founded Rise Up Animation.

Bobby is also an Academy Award-nominated director for the short film, One Small Step

Shanti Jagannathan is Principal Education Specialist with Asian Development

Bank and has over 25 years of experience in leading international cooperation

programs in school education, technical and vocational education and training

(TVET), and higher education. Her work engagements have been in over 30

countries in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and North America. She has over 20

publications including books (‘Powering a Learning Society in an Age of

Disruption’, ‘Skills Development for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in

Developing Asia-Pacific’, ‘Education and Skills for Inclusive Growth, Green Jobs

and the Greening of Economies in Asia’ and ‘India and the European Union:

Towards Corporate Synergy’). Her recent work includes ADB’s guidance note on COVID-19 and

Education in Asia and the Pacific, studies on implications of the fourth industrial revolution on skills and

jobs, education and training for climate action, a joint publication with LinkedIn on digital jobs and

upcoming publication on the creative industry with Netflix.

I am a corporate, public and government affairs specialist for ASEAN and Indonesia with strong track record of developing and executing key initiatives, as well as building strategic partnerships with key relevant stakeholders. With more than 15 years experience both serving the public and private sector, I have experiences across industries such as ICT, financial services, public sector and healthcare.

On a lighter note, I am passionate about technology, an avid traveler and full-time cook for the family. :) 

Ritesh Nandwani is one of the Directors and the CFO of MetaTokyo Studio, a dynamic start-up and a division of Terra Global Salespartners LLC, based in Tokyo, Japan. Ritesh, or ‘Ritz’ to his network, was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. He has almost two decades of experience in Consulting and Finance. He has worked in the Philippines, China, Thailand, India, the US, the UK, and Hong Kong. Over the past decade, he has been primarily involved in the Venture Capital space. This has involved investments in tech and disruptive technologies that improve traditional businesses. In his last role in Hong Kong, a large portion of the fund was allocated for investments in the SubSaharan African region. Because of this, he was invited to speak and present at an event during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 2018. In addition to the Hong Kong-based fund, he became a venture partner of a US-based fund and led a few investments for them in Asia. Some of the investments done are very futuristic. In 2022, as things returned to normal after the pandemic, he decided to come back to the Philippines to be close to home and to his family. This is when he met Dr. Mulles, the founder of MetaTokyo Studio, and was advising him on his project. He then joined the team later. He wants to continue developing the Web 3 industry of the Philippines to make it world-class and the Philippines a leader in the international blockchain community. He also wants to elevate the Philippines in the Technology startup space. MetaTokyo Studio is an Anime game studio and gaming services platform building nextgeneration Web 3 games, including deployment of SaaS, cross-media development, and Anime content production services. 

Armand Serrano is a distinguished feature animation and games visual development artist, renowned art director, and accomplished production designer with an illustrious career spanning three decades. He is currently busy doing production design on a biblical animated epic film, the details of which will soon be announced.

With a career enriched by both studio and independent work, Armand has left his creative mark on industry giants such as Skydance Animation, Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Sony Pictures Animation. His artistic talents have also graced projects for Netflix, The Bible Project, Blizzard Entertainment, and Riot Games.

Armand's most recent works include co-production design on Skydance Animation's up-coming series The Search for Wondla and visual development on Marvel's "What If?..." His resume also includes his role as the production designer for  Netflix's Animal Crackers. Moreover, he has contributed his artistry to major cinematic classics such as Mulan, Tarzan, Brother Bear, Lilo and Stitch, Surf’s Up, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Hotel Transylvania, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia.

Beyond his remarkable work on screen, Armand's passion for sharing knowledge has led him to teach, conduct lectures, demonstrations, and design workshops on an international stage. Together with his wife, Bing, they organize the annual entertainment design event, Icon Manila, while also conducting seasonal online mentorship class.

Armand's dedication to education extends to his roles as former adjunct professor at both Biola University and Art Center College of Design, shaping the next generation of creative luminaries with his experience and expertise. Armand and his family are based in Jurupa Valley, California.

Dr. Donald Patrick Lim is the Chief Operating Officer of DITO CME, and the Chief Innovation Officer of the Udenna Corporation. Prior to his current role, he has served in various leadership capacities in the media, advertising, and digital spaces, having been

the Country CEO of Dentsu Aegis Philippines, Chief Digital Officer of ABS-CBN Corporation, Managing Director of MRM Manila, and CEO of Yehey Corporation and Media Contacts Manila. He is also serving as a reservist in the Philippine Air Force, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and is now the Group Commander of the 12th Air Force Group Reserve, graduating in CGSC Class 67 as the best NRI.

Dr. Donald is a true student of management, being a product of the management program of the Ateneo de Manila University, finishing his MBA with distinction from Murdoch University, and then moved on to finished his Doctor in Business Administration from the

University of Phoenix. More recently, he finished his second masters, a Master in Public Management from the Ateneo School of Government. Apart from these, Donald also has a diploma in Interior Decorating, a Diploma in Executive Management, and a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Finally, Donald has finished Pelmanism from the Pelman Institute in Sydney, Australia.

Currently, Dr. Donald teaches Advanced Marketing and Advanced Strategic Management for the doctoral program of San Beda University, and has taught eMarketing at the graduate school of De La Salle University and the IMC program at the University of Asia

and the Pacific. He was also an adjunct professor in the Asian Institute of Management and Bradford University. He used to sit as part of the technical panel of the Commission of Higher Education, and has also been awarded the Dr. Bienvenido R. Tantoco Sr.

Professorial Chair in Marketing by the Jose Rizal University

Dr. Donald recently jumped into the world of Web3, organizing the 1st Philippine Blockchain Week and is now serving as the founding president of the Blockchain Council of the Philippines. He is a partner in Vibrant DAO, one of the first DAOs established in Spain, and is the Chief Growth Adviser of the foremost Filipino blockchain developer BayaniChain and the first Web3 BPO company

Emerson Cuyo serves as the Director IV of the Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. As Director, he decides on applications for accreditation of collective management organizations, researches and conducts studies in the field of copyright, and exercises original jurisdiction over disputes relating to the terms of a license involving the author’s right to public performance or communication of the author’s works. Director Cuyo is responsible for the Philippine International Copyright Summit (PICS) and the Copyright Plus Program, which intends to raise the level of copyright awareness in the Philippines and provide direct support for the creative sector. Director Cuyo holds bachelors’ degrees in economics and political science, a master of business administration, and a Juris Doctor. 

Atty. Cinderella Filipina S. Benitez-Jaro is the Executive Director IV of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Prior to her re-appointment as Executive Director of CHED, she served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Executive Director of CHED from July

2018, concurrent with her position as Director IV of the Legal and Legislative Service (LLS).

She was also designated as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Office of the Executive Director, of the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Secretariat, from February 4, 2020, until June 1, 2020. More recently, she was also awarded the Anak ng

Cabanatuan award, in recognition of her professional achievements.

Aside from her current designations, Atty. Jaro serves as the Chair of the following Technical Working Groups: Limited Face-to-Face Classes which handles also the COVID-19 Vaccination and Safety Seal for the Higher Education Sector, Flexible Learning Guidelines

for Higher Education Institutions, and Smart Campuses Development. She also serves as the chair for TWGs within the Commission that were created and convened to work on planning the implementation of policy directions given by the Commission en Banc. She also

represents the Commission in the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging

Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Technical Working Group (TWG), National Task Force (NTF),

Technical Panel for Maritime Education, Cabinet Assistance System, Dangerous Drugs

Board, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Philippine Qualifications Framework-National Coordinating Council, Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act, National Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Activities, the NEDA

Steering Committee for the UN SDGs, and the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, among others.

As the Executive Director, she serves as the head of the Commission Secretariat and oversees the overall implementation and operations of the CHED Central and Regional Offices. She ensures that all units are pursuing a common road map, consistent with the Commission’s reform agenda and strategic plan. The Executive Office also serves as the clearing house for all communications received from internal and external stakeholders

Rhea Matute is the Executive Director of the Design Center of the Philippines since 2017. Prior to joining Design Center, Rhea was the Deputy Executive Director of the Center for

International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

She has over 25 years of experience, spearheading programs that have been instrumental in transforming industries and have become international development templates, particularly in the areas of branding, design, and innovation.

In 2015, Rhea received MEGA Magazine’s NEW PH Award as a “Filipino game changer who is putting the Philippines in the global map... a radical individual making a tangible difference in the lives of Filipinos.” And in 2017, she was awarded the Amazing Alumna Achiever Award

in 2017 by the Maryknoll/Miriam College Alumni Association.

Rhea is passionately committed to unleashing the power of design and catalyzing creative communities for positive change. Under Rhea’s leadership, Design Center of the Philippines received a merit award in the Communications Management Division - Community Relations Category at the highly prestigious Philippine Quill Awards for organizing the ASEAN Creative Cities Forum and Exhibition during the Philippines’ chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017. She has

also been directly involved in the conferment of the Baguio and Cebu as UNESCO Creative Cities for Crafts and Folk Art and for Design, respectively.

In 2019, Design Center’s pinyapel initiative was conferred the Future Impact Pencil from the UK-based D&AD Awards in the Environment and Sustainability category for their material

research initiative on agricultural waste using pineapple leaves. D&AD Awards are the most prestigious benchmark for creative excellence in design and advertising.

Rhea is currently spearheading the Philippine Design Economy Mapping and the formulation

of the country’s first ever National Design Policy due out later this year.

Rhea hustles her heart out for the goals and causes that are important to her. But when she

is not on a creative crusader mode, Rhea can be found on a football pitch bossing the

opposition as a central defender or surfing in Southern Philippines.

British trained milliner Mich Dulce creates contemporary hats and headpieces with wholly sustainable, socially enterprising and ethical Philippine raw materials combined with traditional European millinery techniques. Following training at Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, the Fashion Institute of Technology New York, and Ecole Lesage, Mich was named as the British Council’s 2010 International Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year and has since been working on her line of contemporary millinery which she showcases at London and Paris Fashion Week. Mich has worked with Marjan Pejoski, Jessica Ogden, KTZ, and most recently, as Assistant Artistic Director for Maison Michel Paris, the hat making atelier of Chanel. She was part of Selfridges sustainability initiative Bright New Things in 2016.

Dulce says “It isn’t enough to just make pretty things. The fabric and craft employed in making my hats are an essential part of my work and showcase the heritage, history and traditions of Filipino craftsmanship. I want to show this to the world whilst remaining creatively engaging”. Dulce’s hats predominantly make use of T’nalak, an abaca based fabric handwoven by the T’boli people of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Her label has been anchored in three core values: supporting the social and economic empowerment of underserved communities, the preservation of traditional craft and culture, and the creation of lasting, well made products that use ethical and sustainable materials with minimal waste.

The Mich Dulce label was first sold globally in 2009 and has since been stocked in Tokyo, London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, Manila, Melbourne, and New York. Prominent personalities have worn her creations, like Lady Gaga, Anna Dello Russo, Celine Dion, Adam Ant, Leighton Meester, Paris Hilton and Georgia May Jagger to name a few.

In 2019, Mich Dulce was awarded the prestigious Chevening scholarship, and completed her Masters in Social Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is also does freelance consultancy work in the fields of fashion, women’s economic empowerment, social enterprise, sustainable fashion, supply chains and the creative economy for institutions like the United Nations Development Programme, the Philippine Commission on Women and the British Council.

Executive Director Nelly Nita N. Dillera of the DTI–Philippine Trade Training Center is also the Project Director of the Philippine Skills Framework Initiative 

She is a Mass Communications graduate from the UP- Diliman, a Media Course earned from Pennsylvania, USA and Trade-related Course from Brisbane, Australia. 

She started her career as a radio and television announcer and joined the government through the Departments of Trade & Industry and Tourism.  Her stint at the DOT transformed her home region into a Next in Mind destination. At the head office she led the institutionalization of national programs like OJT for Hotels and Academe, Needs and Gaps Assessment for Training and inclusion of regions in the Mabuhay Awards. 

She has served as Resource Person for international talks in South Korea, China and ASEAN countries on Tourism-related matters. She initiated Curricular Reforms at the PTTC and is leading the Institutional Reforms of Industry Skills through the introduction of the Philippine Skills Framework. 

She possesses both passion and commitment to manage and execute effective operation while ensuring a strong link between national policies and regional concerns. ED Dillera is Declared Woman Leader, Ulirang Ina awardee, Crystal International Women Awardee and Outstanding Teduray Achiever Award. 

Dr. Rafaelita “Fita” M. Aldaba is Undersecretary for the Competitiveness and Innovation Group of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). She fulfills a key role in the formulation and implementation of the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), which puts innovation at the heart of the country’s new industrial policy. Undersecretary Aldaba is also a Governor of the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s primary industry development arm and lead investment promotion agency (IPA).

She is leading DTI’s initiatives in preparing industries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital transformation, establishing Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs), developing new creative industries, and growing a robust startup ecosystem. She oversees the administration and operations of the Competitiveness Bureau (CB), Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) and Bureau of Trade and Industrial Policy Research (BTIPR).

A researcher turned policymaker, Undersecretary Aldaba was Senior Research Fellow and Acting Vice-President of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) prior to her previous appointment as Assistant Secretary of DTI’s Industry Development and Trade Policy Group (IDTPG). She has extensive research experience, authored various publications on development issues, and conceptualized and managed research projects with various international organizations, including The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development.

Imee R. Marcos has decades of local governance and creativity under her belt that have molded her own distinct brand of proactive and innovative leadership.

Since 1975 to 1986 she chaired the Kabataang Barangay (KB), a village youth organization that provided platforms and opportunities for young Filipinos to engage in nation-building.

Imee R. Marcos was also director-general of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines. With her prowess in media and the arts, she helped to produce cult classics such as Himala! (1980) and Oro, Plata, Mata (1982). She also produced, together with Nelson Caliguia, Sr., the 2011 indie film Pintakasi, which won “Best Full-Length Film” (New Wave Awards) at the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival.

In 1998, she ran for and was elected Congresswoman of the Second District of Ilocos Norte. She served for three terms, authoring and co-authoring bills with a primary focus on women, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and the youth sector such as the house bill for Magna Carta for students and house bill for Loan Filipino Migrant Workers.

In 2010, she bagged a landslide victory as Governor of Ilocos Norte, turning over a new chapter for the province. She largely focused on poverty reduction through local employment and investment; promoting tourism; and reviving the youth sector.

Her flagship program, “Task Force Trabaho,” paved the way for the provincial employment rate to reach above 98% through regular job fairs, job placement programs, an OFW Desk, livelihood assistance, and small and medium enterprise (SME) development. Moreover, she initiated the entrance of business process-outsourcing (BPO) giants Accenture and Alorica. The companies today create hundreds of local and well-paying jobs for the Ilocanos. Simultaneously, she launched the Capitol Express (CapEx), which involves the distribution of agricultural inputs, livestock, fingerlings, food packs, medicines and other needs of far-flung barangays directly to the residents.

The 2012 “Paoay Kumakaway!” tourism campaign likewise caused a boom in the industry: from around 200,000 total visitors in 2012, Ilocos Norte now welcomes two million tourists yearly with almost 500,000 coming during the Holy Week Season alone. The governor had invested in new activities in existing tourist spots, such as watersports in Pagudpud, horseback riding in Kapurpurawan (Burgos), and 4×4 dune-bashing in Paoay.

Likewise, new sub-sectors were opened: cultural tourism through premier events (“Himala!” Arts & Music Fest and “Tan-ok” Festival of Festivals) and new museums; film tourism, yielding undiscovered locations in the province to be featured and promoted through television productions; sports tourism, through the Tri Ilocos Norte triathlon and dragonboat racing; and the cruise ship industry, with Star Cruises’ Superstar Virgo docking at the Port of Currimao.

In late 2012, the Sirib Express began and the governor came face-to-face with the Ilocano youth, listening to their hopes and ambitions. Soon, the first Sirib Leadership Camp was held wherein participants themselves proposed and established the Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association (SIKA) Inc., as an alternate platform for youth in public service and nation-building. This was in response to the suspension of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).

These thrusts were further coupled with programs to lower food prices while maintaining high agricultural production: the Kadiwa Pop-Up Market System was implemented in Ilocos Norte, with the Provincial Government acting as middleman for farmers, free of charge, and helping to sell their produce and other household commodities at lower prices without sacrificing farmers’ profits. She also expanded the agribusiness market, tying up with other local government units such as the Quezon City Government for producer-to-consumer bazaars.

Imee R. Marcos’ efforts and more, backed by her creative solutions to age-old problems, have paved the way for Ilocos Norte to become one of the least poor provinces in the Philippines. By 2015, poverty incidence among families in Ilocos Norte had fallen to 3.3%.

In October 2018, Governor Imee R. Marcos filed her certificate of candidacy for Senator of the Republic of the Philippines. What has been done in Ilocos Norte in the past eight years, we can do together for the rest of the country.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Ramon M. Lopez is the former Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). His extensive government experience with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), DTI, and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in the early part of his career provided him with a solid background on macroeconomic and industry development that allowed him to adopt a more holistic trade approach. As a strong advocate for free entrepreneurship education for 12 years, he was called to serve the country again under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration as the DTI Secretary.

He has received several awards such as: the 2016 Nation Builders Award for Government Service for his role as prime mover in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development; and the Philippine Innovation Man of the Year Award in 2017 for the promotion of social entrepreneurship through innovation. In 2018, he received from President Duterte the Order of Sikatuna, with a rank of Datu, one of the senior honors one can receive in the Philippines. Just recently, he was also named by People Asia as one of the 2020 People of the Year for his efforts in the gradual, safe, and calibrated reopening of the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Usec. Blesila A. Lantayona was the Assistant Secretary of DTI-Regional Operations Group, incharge of Kapatid Mentor ME, Shared Service facilities, Industry Cluster Enhancement Project, Great Women Project 2, among others. She was conferred with the DTI Innovator Award during the 2017 System on Performance Rewards and Incentives (SPRInts) Huwarang DTI Awards, the annual recognition program for top performing Officials and Employees whose outstanding achievements and exemplary demonstration of the DTI values transformed the organization into the “Agency of Choice”. Usec. Lantayona earned her BS Degree in Agriculture major in Economics (cum laude) from Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan), Cagayan de Oro City as scholar of the Filipino Banana Growers and Exporters Foundation, Inc. She was fellow of the European Union-ASEAN Scholarship Programme and holds an MBA Degree in International Business from Ecole Europeenne des Affaires (European School of Management) in Paris, France. Her career in the civil service started in NEDA Region XI. She then moved to DTI, first in various technical positions, then as Provincial Director of DTI-Davao del Sur, and eventually as Assistant Regional Director of DTI-Region XI. Due to good performance, she was later appointed as Regional Director of DTI-Region III covering the 7 Provincial Offices of Central Luzon and as Luzon Island Coordinator for the 8 Luzon-based DTI Regional Offices. In September 2019, she was appointed as the Supervising Undersecretary of the DTI-Regional Operations Group in-charge of the 16 Regional Offices, 81 Provincial Offices and Bureau of Small Micro Enterprise Development. She was appointed as Member of the Board representing Department of Trade and Industry as well as Acting Chairperson of SB Corporation on August 19, 2019. 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco (born December 25, 1981) is the current Secretary of the Department of Tourism after being appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in 2022, and the youngest member of the Cabinet so far. She is a lawyer, having graduated from Ateneo Law. 

The Secretary of Tourism is the newly-reelected Mayor of Liloan, Cebu. Her transformational leadership has fostered Liloan’s development towards sustainability, livability, and innovation with aggressive infrastructure development and social protection programs earning awards for Liloan as the Top Model Municipality and Most Resilient Municipality in the Philippines. Under her administration, Liloan now has one of the largest educational scholarship programs in the country, with yearround arts, culture, and sports tourism programs. Throughout the challenges of the pandemic and the super typhoon that recently devastated Cebu, she has led Liloan’s recovery and resurgence towards becoming the LGU with the highest growth rate in Cebu. Under her leadership, Liloan has the distinction of being a four-time recipient of the highest audit rating given by the Commission on Audit, and it has received more than 40 good governance awards and citations from local and national award-giving bodies. In 2021, she was awarded the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Regional Award by the Civil Service Commission in its Search for Outstanding Government Workers. She was also ranked the Top Performing Mayor in Central Visayas, ranking number 1 among all Municipal Mayors in the entire Region 7. She is the first woman President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Cebu, and the National Vice President of the League of Municipalities. Prior to entering public service, she worked for Romulo Law practicing international arbitration and commercial litigation. She was also a Professor at the University of San Carlos College of Law. She was appointed by Vice President Sara Duterte as her Spokesperson for the 2022 National Elections.