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The Board of Trustees
Asiapro
Foundation
Mr. Rafael T. Alvaran
Founding Trustee, 2004
Paeng has extensive management experience spanning more than three decades in both multinational and local
companies. He excels in the areas of operations, marketing, training and business development, and has managed
major transitions in various firms such as starting up a spin-off enterprise, establishing a local representative office in
the country, forming a third party sales force, organizational restructuring and downsizing.
He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Joumalism at the University of Santo Tomas where he shined as an active and
consistent winner in intra and inter-collegiate competitions. Rising from the ranks, his determination to succeed never
faltered. From summer jobs at a school supplies factory since high school to college, he learned the value of hard
work during his teens, which later enabled him to climb his way up the corporate ladder as a consistent company role
model.
He joined Asiapro Multi-purpose Cooperative in 2013 where he helped in creating the framework for the cooperative's
Purpose, Principles and Norms, formation and branding of regional labor service cooperatives as well as pioneering
the shift from the traditional labor service to business platform model in 2018. During his 11-year stint, Paeng held
key roles in operations, marketing and sales, project management, training and development.
He served as President of AFI from May 2022 to September 2024.
Abigail Aurelia B. Belza
President and trustee,
October 2004
She has been doing development work for the children and youth sector from 1996 to 2017 for various local and
international non-governmental organizations. She was responsible for organizational assessment of local
agencies, partnership development, project systems set-up, monitoring and assessment of multiple projects for
children at risk throughout the Philippines.
Abby joined the Asiapro Foundation in 2016 as Program Manager. Her personal advocacy for the importance of
building support networks for families and communities in high risk environments aligns very well with the work of
the Foundation.
She was appointed as President in October 2022 to continue AFI’s journey to becoming a resilient and credible
organization with a strong record of providing the highest level of service to cooperative members in need of
assistance.
Dr. Corazon PB. Claudio, PH.D.
Trustee, 2019
Cora’s wealth of knowledge and expertise covers a diversity of science, technology, information, education,
communication and management as applied in addressing poverty, climate change risks, environmental protection
and other social development concerns.
She has been managing several profit and non-profit organizations while serving as either senior executive, board
chair, trustee or director in both the public and private sectors, including the Management Association of the
Philippines. She has also been involved as senior adviser and consultant in several programs covering the ASEAN,
Asia-Pacific region and South America. A very versatile individual, Cora has written a multitude of publications, been
a speaker to a wide variety of audiences and done a lot of broadcast work.
Growing up in a rural community, getting advanced education abroad and gaining peer recognition locally and
internationally in the engineering and environment fields, gave her the moniker as “an expert who can navigate in any
sector of society whether poor or rich and deliver."
She is a recipient of several awards, including among others the prestigious Balik (Returning) Scientist and TOWNS
(The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service) awards. She is also an outstanding alumna of Stanford University
where she completed her Master and Doctoral degrees as a scholar, an M.B.A. holder from the Ateneo Graduate
School of Business and a distinguished Chemical Engineering graduate of FEATI University.
Atty. Lorna R. Derez
Corporate Secretary
Founding Trustee, 2004
Atty. Derez has a strong background in accountancy, corporate law and operations management, and is well versed in budgeting, forecasting, taxation and corporate affairs. She earned her Bachelor in Accountancy from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in 1987 and completed her Bachelor of Laws in 2001 at the Arellano University School of Law and was recently conferred with Juris Doctor in June 2024 by the same law school. She was the Head of the Bar Committee in Ethics under the Bar Operations Commission of 2000 and was a recipient of the highly esteemed Arellano Law Faculty/Alumni Achievement Award in Labor Relations in 1998 and 1999. Atty. Lorna started with Asiapro Multipurpose Cooperative in 2002, heads the Cooperative Affairs Unit of the AMPC and concurrent Cooperative Secretary of AMPC and the Tipón Federation.
Katherine Joyce J. Gallardo
Trustee, since 2019
Ms. Gallardo is the Head of Administrative and General Services, Asiapro Multipurpose Cooperative. She graduated with a double degree in Psychology and Guidance and Counseling from St. Scholastica’s College, Manila. She worked with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center (formerly ACCEED) where she was exposed to hotel operations and with HAVI Logistics Philippines (formerly HAVI Food Services Philippines, Inc.) handling Executive and Admin office support services. She was with the rowing/skulling team in her younger days.
Mr. Rolando B. Malana
Treasurer
Founding Trustee,, 2004
Rolly’s prior work experience carried a strong background in operations, marketing, finance, controllership and
logistics in the manufacturing and merchandising industries.
He helped put into operation the first three joint venture companies of the Philsteel Ventures, Inc. in the country from
2000 to 2001 and was a distinguished VP Finance of the Steel Corporation of the Philippines in 2002 controlling
about P20 Billion worth of finances. As VP Operations of Encyclopedia Britannica (Philippine Branch) from 1992 to
1996, he facilitated critical financing support to sales and marketing consequently garnering for four (4) consecutive
years for the Philippine Branch the most coveted Britannica Award for excellence amongst Britannica’s operations in
various countries worldwide. Earlier in his career, he worked with Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV), Ford Motor
Company and Pepsico International, among others.
He placed 16th in the Board of Examinations for Public Accountancy in 1974, with a degree from the University of the
East, and an MBA from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. Rolly also attended the Strategic Business
Economics Program (SBEP) at the University of Asia and the Pacific.
Rolly was with the Asiapro Multipurpose Cooperative since 2004 holding important positions including Chairman of
the Board of Directors until his retirement.
Gabriel U. Quemado, ll
Founding Trustee, 2004
An advocate of learning, Gary taught at the Asian Institute of Management, University of the Philippines, and the
Ateneo de Manila University and now serves on the board of a number of foundations focused on education.
From the University of the Philippines where he received his degree in BS Business Economics, Gary took his
Masters in Economics from the University of Hawaii as an East-West Center scholar. He also attended the Joint
Advanced Management Program of UC-Berkeley and the Nanyang Business School.
He successfully graduated from the Professional Directors Program at the Institute of Corporate Directors in 2024.
Gary was formerly the President and General Manager of Asiapro Multipurpose Cooperative. He is now the
Chairman of the Tipón Federation.
Armand R. Cacacho
Trustee since, 2020
Armand Cacacho is an independent board member with expertise and training in the built environment, renewable
energy, and mortgage finance industries leveraging technology. With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years
including international, strategy development, and profit and loss management, he brings a wealth of experience and
leadership to the boardroom.
He is a Member and Certified Director (NACD.DC) of the National Association of Corporate Directors (USA). He
holds the Sr. Accredited Board Director designation from the Singapore Institute of Directors, and Fellow and
Teaching Faculty member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Philippines. His international portfolio provides him
with a global perspective, invaluable in navigating the complexities of today’s interconnected business landscape. His
board service has included two joint venture boards in the built-environment industry in the US: one was formed by a
Fortune 200 legacy corporation business unit where he served as Vice Chairman, and the other was a company that
was bought by a British publicly-listed multinational company that entered the U.S. market. Additionally, he served on
committees of two California non-profit organizations serving as Committee Chairman and as Co-Chairman on the
other.
As Teaching Faculty member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Philippines, he has delivered continuing director
education masterclasses on innovation strategies to over a thousand board directors and C-Suite executives of
publicly-listed and multinational corporations in Asia.
Post-MBA education includes Stanford Graduate School of Business (Strategy & Innovation Specialty), Stanford
University (Global Management & Business), Stanford School of Engineering (Renewable Energy Specialty
Professional Certificate Program), Certificates in Disruptive Innovation Strategy & Entrepreneurship from Harvard
Business School, Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence from DeepLearning.AI & Exponential Technologies from
Singularity University in Silicon Valley. His B.S. degree is in Civil Engineering from the University of Santo Tomas and
he is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the USA. He received a Ph.D. in Management and Leadership from
The Thames International University, Paris, France (h.c.).
Armand was recognized by the late President George H. W. Bush for his leadership in the Asian American Pacific
Islander (AAPI) community in 1992, won awards from various industry and professional organizations in the U.S.
Rosario Medalla-Lacson
Treasurer since, 2024
Ms. Rosario Medalla-Lacson has over 40 years of comprehensive achievements across Educational sector, Health
care, and Telecommunication industry. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the St. Jude College
Dasmariñas Cavite Inc. (SJCDC) and St. Jude General Hospital and Medical Center (SJGHMC) in Manila.
Some of her past career experiences were National Sales Manager for AT&T Corporation, Business Process
Manager for Pacific Bell Inc, and Carrier Market Consultant for Pacific Telesis all of which were located in San
Francisco, California.
Her Educational Accomplishments are: Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Behavior and graduated CUM LAUDE.
Her Master’s Degree was in Human Resources and Organization Behavior. Both degrees were completed at the
University of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA USA. She completed her Ph.D. program in Educational
Management at De La Salle University-Dasmariñas.
Beth Tungol
Member Relations Officer
A service-oriented professional with extensive experience in member relations, benefits processing, and data analysis, Beth has consistently demonstrated her ability to work collaboratively with team members to achieve common goals. With a strong background in facilitating programs, handling administrative tasks, and delivering exceptional customer service, she has contributed significantly to the success of various organizations. From 2020 up to present, As a Plans & Research Specialist at Asiapro Cooperative, Beth oversees the Client Satisfaction Metric Survey, consolidating responses, computing ratings, and analyzing results to provide valuable insights across the cooperative's business platforms. Prior to this, she served as a Member Relations Officer in 2017 up to 2020, where she organized various programs, events, and workshops, and managed grievance processes, helping maintain positive relations with members and avoiding litigation. Beth’s career also includes roles as a Benefits Specialist at Asiapro, where she processed government-mandated benefits and addressed member concerns, and as a Quality Assurance Inspector and QMS Coordinator at Plastic Container Packaging Corporation, where she ensured product quality and compliance with organizational standards. Her early career at Bigkis Young Life Foundation where she served for ten years honed her leadership and communication skills, as she organized retreats, leadership trainings, and youth events. Beth studied Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and possesses skills in data consolidation, Excel, bookkeeping, and facilitation. She is known for her excellent communication abilities and her ability to handle various tasks with precision and care.
Juvy Joy Bitayo
Senior Program Officer
Since 2010, Juvy have worked with various NGOs and foundations. She is a Social Worker with over a decade of experience in delivering welfare and humanitarian services to diverse communities, currently serving as the Senior Program Officer at Asiapro Foundation. Her professional journey has equipped her with a deep understanding of human needs, the importance of effective program delivery, and the value of collaboration. Committed to continuous professional development, she actively participates in seminars and training to enhance her skills and stay updated on best practices in the field.
Mary Joy Sanchez
Admin and Compliance Officer
Joy is a dedicated professional whose career with the Asiapro Foundation started in 2016. From the outset, she became an essential part of the team, contributing to the foundation’s growth by performing a variety of tasks, including conducting surveys, interviews, and partnership meetings. Her hands-on involvement and strong work ethic quickly set her apart.
In 2019, Joy was promoted to Admin Specialist, where she continued to excel in her role, handling critical tasks related to administration, finance, and compliance. Her commitment to delivering high-quality work and consistently meeting her targets made her a reliable and valued member of the team.
In 2025, Joy will step into the role of Admin and Compliance Officer. In this new capacity, she will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the Asiapro Foundation adheres to the necessary regulations and maintains operational efficiency. Her deep knowledge of the organization’s inner workings and her dedication to its mission make her an integral asset to the continued success of the foundation.