Speakers
Beverly ‘Bon’ Besmanos
Dexter Ian C. Valerio
National Coordinator, Bantay Kita
Head of Compliance and Technical Services Group of the Regional Operations Sub-Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Fifteen (15) years of experience in engaging communities, local governments, regional and national government agencies, non-government organizations, and international academic institutions through participatory action research and capacity building interventions that promote community empowerment in natural resources management. Her work with Bantay Kita revolves in engaging and promoting multi-stakeholder platforms to deal with environmental and social impacts of extractive industries. Her vast work experience with communities and other sectors has given her an in-depth understanding of environmental-related regulations, policies, and challenges of implementation on the ground. She is skilled in field research and documentation, project management & development and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Mr. Valerio is tasked to supervise the site compliance officers, who will perform, among others, the review the gold supply chain due diligence systems and processes to meet the objectives of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Responsible Gold Guidance (RGG).
Mr. Valerio facilitated dialogues with small-scale miners from the different provinces in the country that have significant number of Minahang Bayan, in aid of the ongoing study on the possibility of establishing BSP gold buying stations. Mr. Valerio is also active in inter-agency meetings and workshops on gold supply chain including artisanal and small-scale gold mining topics.
Mr. Valerio is also a member of the BSP Technical Working Group (TWG) for LBMA RGG that provides technical assistance in the implementation of the BSP Responsible Gold Sourcing Policy (RGSP) for the sustenance of BSP’s compliance with the LBMA RGG. The TWG is also tasked to oversee the supply chain due diligence across all BSP gold buying stations and helps ensure the effective implementation of approved procedures and guidelines in compliance with the BSP RGSP.
Mr. Valerio is also one of the official representatives of the BSP to the Central Banks’ Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Study Group, which was organized by the World Gold Council. The said group is composed of central banks with domestic gold buying programs.
Rolando U. Toledo
Atty. Jethro M. Sabariaga
Assistant Secretary
Department of Budget and Management Philippines
Head of Compliance and Technical Services Group of the Regional Operations Sub-Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Mr. Rolando U. Toledo is the Assistant Secretary of the Local Government and Regional Operations (LGRO) Group of the Philippine Department of Budget and Management (DBM). As assistant secretary, he assists in the supervision of the Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau (LGRCB) and the Department’s Regional Offices (ROs) in ensuring the budget and management policies are consistently implemented in the DBM Regional Offices specifically on the administration of National Tax Allotment, Public Expenditure Management (PEM) Reforms, and regional offices’ activities and concerns, among others.
Assistant Secretary Toledo concurrently supervises the operations of Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) and its Secretariats in promoting fiscal transparency and participatory governance of the Administration.
Mr. Toledo graduated from the University of the East in 1984, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He became a Certified Public Accountant a year after and took a Program in Development Economics from the University of the Philippines – School of Economics in 1994.
Patrick T. Aquino
Chadwick Go Llanos
Director of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) –
Department of Energy (DOE)
Head of Compliance and Technical Services Group of the Regional Operations Sub-Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Patrick T. Aquino is currently the Director of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) under the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE). A Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) Rank III, he rose from the ranks and has served in various capacities in the DOE from the Office of the Secretary (OSEC), Information Technology Management Services (ITMS) and Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (EPPB). Recognizing the need for sustainable energy consumption, Director Aquino with the support of the DOE is aggressively implementing the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) Act and the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).
Since the early days of his involvement in Community-based engagements nearly 2 decades ago, Chadwick Go Llanos considers himself as an observer of events, a listener of stories, and a companion to those whom he had the food fortune to journey with. This makes concrete Gabriel Marcel’s secondary reflection.
This journey took him to interesting intersections notable of which are the nearly 10 years of work in the area of good governance and development in the Archdiocese of Cebu, 4 years of service to the PH-EITI MSG as CSO Representative, a term in the PWYP Global Council. Part of his work involves being mentored sometimes by notable individuals but sometimes also by the wisdom that can only be found in the experiences of persons in places where life can be challenging. When opportunities arise, he also mentors.
His work outputs include strategic mobilization and inquiry in various fields of good governance and participation, collaboration in various multilateral special bodies like local development councils and PMRB, program setting and commitment making including some for the previous PH-OGP NAP and natural resource governance initiatives for subnationalization.
He has 14 dogs and 15 cats.
Enrique Lucas Tolentino, Jr.
Gilbert L. Aquino
Professional Forester from the University of the Philippines Los Baños
Head of Compliance and Technical Services Group of the Regional Operations Sub-Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
A professional forester by profession for the last 43 years, he has metamorphosed into a professor and forest restoration specialist by skill and competence. He completed academic trainings in the field of silviculture, completing his PhD in Forestry degree from the Mississippi State University, MS USA. He rose from the ranks to full professor position teaching and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students in the field of silviculture, plantation forestry, forest rehabilitation/restoration, Tree Seeds (Technology & Physiology), Forest Nurseries, Tree Domestication, Environmental Tree Physiology.
His research experience covered mainly silviculture and forest restoration and rehabilitation where he served as project leader and/or project staff. This include both local and foreign-funded researches, from DOST-PCAARRD, UK Darwin Initiatives, AusAID PUBLIC SECTOR LINKAGES PROGRAM/CSIRO (Australia), ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Project, International Tropical Timber Organization, National Power Corporation, Semirara Power Corporation, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), to name a few. His research endeavors include a variety of topics like forest and landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, mine restoration, strengthening tree seed supply systems, tree improvement and forest genetic resources utilization and conservation. From these he has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed journal and chapter in a book totaling to 34 major publications.
He has also been actively providing technical assistance to government, local and international organizations and companies particularly in the field of forest restoration, mine rehabilitation, plantation development. To name a few, this includes: National Forest and Landscape Restoration Specialist, for the “ADB TA-6539 REG: Investing in Climate Change Adaptation through Agroecological landscape Restoration – 1 Climate Change Risk and Adaptation/Restoration Option Assessment in Cambodia, Bangladesh and Philippines; Environmental Expert for Phase 1, 2, 3 of the MICC (Mineral Industry Coordinating Council)- commissioned mining review – Conduct of an Objective, Fact-Finding and Science Based Review of the Performance of the Existing Mining Operations and Quarry Operations; Project Leader, Restoration Beyond Mere Compliance: Semirara Mining and Power Corporation’s Restoration Program. There are other technical assistance jobs performed by him in various fields like watershed management master planning, energy crop plantation development, feasibility studies for timber and biomass plantations, biodiversity assessment and conservation projects, details of which are in his complete curriculum vitae.
Likewise, he has served in various administrative capacities in the University of the Philippines Los Baños notable of which are: Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs (2011-2014), Manager for the Land Grant Management Office (1995-200), Director of the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources (2008-2011). He also served as Secretary and currently Vice-Chair of the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (2017-2024) and President of Forestry and Natural Resources Research Society of the Philippines, Inc. 2006.
He has been awarded the Faculty Award for Academic Excellence in Forest Science (1980) College of Forestry, University of the Philippines Los Baños, the David Moehring Memorial Award as Outstanding Graduate Student, Forestry Department, School of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, 1992-93 and Outstanding Teacher (Forest Biological Science), College of Forestry and Natural Resources 90th Foundation Day. April 13, 2000. He received several Professorial Chair Awards from the Guillermo Ponce Professorial Chair Award and Nishibori Professorial Chair.
He is happily married to the former Ms Virgima Dacasin and were blessed with three sons : Jerico, Dan and David.
Gilbert L. Aquino has been involved with community development since being with Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in CY 2005. He is an Industrial Psychologist and was a former lead trainer in the Human Resource Development Service of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 1996 to 2004. He transferred to Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB) on the year 2005 and became a Community Development Officer III and on 2015 as a Supervising Science Research Specialist.
At present, he is the Chief of the Social Development Section of the Mines Safety, Environment and Social Development Division of the MGB Central Office which handles policy formulation, and evaluation of all approved Programs for the Development of Host and Neighboring Communities, Programs on the Development of Mining Technology and Programs on Information, Education and Communication. Mr. Aquino is an auditor of the MGB on Safety and Health, Environment and Social Development Programs implemented by mining companies. Also, he is a member of the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award – Technical Working Group that bestow awards to mining companies that shows and implements exemplary performance in mining safety, environmental protection, and community development.
Aniceta C. Baltar
Marian S. delos Angeles, Ph.D.
Vice-Chairperson of the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government
Board Member Emeritus of the Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies (REECS)
Aniceta Cacho Balter is the Vice-Chairperson of the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government. She has been into community development work for more than 3 decades. She represents her organization, CCAGG, as CSO Member at the PH-EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group since 2019.
Marian S. Delos Angeles is a senior natural resource and environmental economist.
She is Board Member Emeritus of the Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies (REECS); natural capital accounting specialist for fisheries/coral resources, Sustainable Innovations in Biodiversity, Oceans and Landscapes USAID/DENR/RTI/REECS Project, and team leader (pro-bono) of the Partnership for Transparency Fund Asia/REECS assistance to Iriga City’s Climate Change and Environmental Governance Project. She teaches as professorial lecturer at the U.P. School of Economics.
Her recent part-time consultancies include: the NIRAS Finland Oy for the EU/ASEAN Center’s Biodiversity on Conservation, and Management of Protected Areas (2018-23); Over-All Team Leader of the Development Academy of the Philippines’ Fact Finding and Science-Based Review of Mining Companies for the Mining Industry Coordinating Council, funded by the DENR and DoF, with NEDA-ANRES as secretariat (2019-2021); Consortium Review of the ASEAN Haze Reduction Road Map, and Asian Development Bank/Independent Evaluation Department’s Real-Time Evaluation of Safeguards.
She held full-time positions at the World Bank, Washington DC (2004-2012), Chemonics International, for USAID/DENR Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (2013-15), the World Agroforestry Center’s Southeast Asian Program (2001-04), the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (1983-99), UP Los Banos College of Forestry (1977-80) and the Development Academy of the Philippines (1975-77).
She was member international committees for multiple years: Global Water Partnership, Sweden, the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia, IDRC, and Environment and Development Economics Journal, Oxford Univ. She co-authored 32 publications and numerous unpublished reports.
Ann earned her M.A. and Ph.D. Economics from UP (School of Economics). She graduated B.S. Mathematics, Magna cum Laude from the Univ. of San Carlos, and was UNDP/PIDS post-doctoral fellow in environmental economics at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Dr. Francisco A. Magno
Jose Bayani D. Baylon
Vice-Chairperson of the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government
Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Public Affairs and Communications – (NAC)
Dr. Francisco A. Magno is a Professor of Political Science and Development Studies at De La Salle University where he previously served as Director of the La Salle Institute of Governance and Director of the Social Development Research Center. He has been a Visiting Professor at Waseda University and Hiroshima University and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Reading, Florida State University, and Osaka University. He was a Member of the National Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership-Philippines from 2014 to 2019. He developed the Philippine case study for the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT) in 2015 and served as the country expert of the Open Budget Survey of the International Budget Survey from 2017 to 2022. He is currently the Senior Decentralization Advisor of the Cities for Enhanced Governance and Engagement (CHANGE) Project of USAID. He finished his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and his BA and MA in Political Science from the University of the Philippines-Diliman.
Jose Bayani D. Baylon is the Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Public Affairs and Communications – (NAC) . He is the President of RTN Foundation, Inc. and NAC Foundation, Inc. He is also a Director of the NAC renewable energy subsidiaries EPI, JSI, MGPC, BHI and NPPGC.
Mr. Baylon has over three decades of experience in the field of corporate communications and public affairs. Before joining NAC, he was Vice President and Director for Public Affairs and Communications of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation from 2000 to 2012. During this time he was in charge of the Incident Management and Crisis Resolution program of the Coke system in the Philippines. He also served as the president of the Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines and successfully led the industry fight against the imposition of an excise tax on sofrdrinks. (The proposal passed into law in 2014.)
Before joining Coke, he was executive assistant and speechwriter to Don Enrique Zobel at E. Zobel Inc. for nine years. From 1984 to 1987 he was legislative assistant and speechwriter to Assemblyman Renato L. Cayetano. He was a public affairs commentator at Radio Station DWWW 774 KhZ from 2001-2011 and has been contributing opinion pieces to the newspaper Malaya Business Insight since 2001.
The second of three sons of University of the Philippines professors Bayani Baylon (medicine) and Josefina Dichosa (nursing), he studied at UP from pre- school to Law school. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree in 1984 but quit law school with one unit to complete. At UP he was a champion debater and was on the staff of the Philippine Collegian.
Brenda Jay Angeles Mendoza
Atty. Odette Javier
Country Manager – Asia
VP – Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company
Bjay oversees EITI implementation in Southeast Asia and Mongolia, and leads stakeholder engagement in these countries.
Prior to joining the EITI, Bjay worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors on law, human rights, conflict management, natural resources and environmental governance, including with the Asia Foundation and the Asian Development Bank. She was also Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility of the Chamber of Mines Philippines and consultant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the country. She has previous experience as a consultant with PH-EITI where she led the publication of two EITI Reports and a scoping study on the non-metallic sector.
Bjay is a lawyer by profession. She holds an MA in Public Administration from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. She completed her Bachelor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Laws in the University of the Philippines. and has attended certificate programs on environmental law and alternative dispute resolution.
I am Vice President and Assistant corporate secretary of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company; assistant corporate secretary of Manila Mining Corporation and a Director and t secretary of Zeus Holdings, Inc.
Maricor Anne Cauton
Ladylyn Lim Mangada
Finance and Administration Director at the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Inc.
Associate Professor in Political Science – UP Visayas Tacloban College
Maricor Anne is a passionate and results-driven management practitioner, technical consultant, and educator. Currently serving as the Finance and Administration Director at the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Inc., she has spearheaded institutional reforms, conducted training workshops, performed context analyses, and delivered technical services to notable organizations such as USAID, Voice Global and Southeast Asia, Hivos, Makati Business Club (MBC), Integrity Initiative (II), YGoal, Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), Good Neighbors International (GNI) Philippines, Civil Society Coalition on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC Coalition), Plan International Philippines, Save the Children Philippines (SCP), Hirayang Kabataan (HK), Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), among others.
In addition to her role at ULAP, Maricor Anne serves as a part-time faculty member at the College of Arts and Letters, University of Makati. With over 10 years of valuable experience, she has honed her expertise in strategic communications, knowledge and training management, government and public relations, organizational development, project management, stakeholders’ management, and governance. Her divers background encompasses government service, business associations, academia, and the non-profit sector.
Maricor Anne has actively contributed to successfully implementing high-level local and international activities in collaboration with development partners. She brings a dynamic and inclusive approach to her work, taking pride in her extensive experience collaborating with business executives, government officials, civil society organizations, and grassroots communities. Her commitment lies in fostering sustainable organizational development outcomes through effective partnerships and strategic engagements.
Maricor Anne earned her Master of Management in Business Management degree in 2015 from the University of the Philippines Manila where she also finished her Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies in 2010.
Ladylyn Lim Mangada is an Associate Professor in Political Science at UP Visayas Tacloban College, Philippines.
Her field of interests and published works are on local politics, community-driven development, governance and disaster risk reduction. Her research interests also led to publishing in Web of Science /ISI/ Scopus- indexed journals and serving as resource person/consultant for development projects as well as journal reviewer to the following journals: Philippine Political Science Journal, Philippine Sociological Review, SPAFA, Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies , Climate and Development Journal and Environmental Science and Policy and National Research Council of the Philippines Journal.
Prof. Mangada is a recipient of the ONE UP Professorial Chair for Research and Public Service , several International Publication Awards and numerous Professorial Chairs from the UP. She sits as civil society representative in PH-Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and founding board member of the Catholics for Reproductive Health.
She is a regular member of the National Research Council of the Philippines, and Eastern Regional Organization of Public Administration. Prof. Ladylyn Mangada is a research fellow of the UP Resilience Institute and Stockholm Environment Institute-Asia office.
Rodne R. Galicha
Executive Director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines (LLS)
Rodne R. Galicha is the executive director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines (LLS) movement focused on ethical and environmentally sustainable investments and practices of Catholic institutions and individuals, and the founder of an independent faith-based environmental news agency, Oecono Media. Concurrently, he is Chairperson of a grassroots cultural and ecological organization in Romblon, Bayay Sibuyanon Inc. (BSI). He is also the national convener of Aksyon Klima Pilipinas (AKP), a national network of 65 civil society organizations working on diverse climate and development-related issues in the Philippines; and a member of Mt. Guiting-guiting Protected Area Management Board, Provincial Development Council and MIMAROPA Regional Development Council. He is a Ten Young Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee in 2018.
A government-led, multi-stakeholder initiative implementing EITI, the global standard that promotes the open, accountable management, and good governance of oil, gas, and mineral resources. PH-EITI was created on 26 November 2013 through EO No. 147, s. of 2013. It is a government commitment first announced through EO No. 79, s. of 2012.