Nicholas Torres (M.Ed.) is the President of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) and works at the cross section between the private sector, government, and non governmental institutions and aligns them toward collective social impact goals and public policy. Nicholas has over 25 years of experience in executive management and specializes in the Education and Healthcare Industries. Nicholas founded and leads a social sector “think-tank” organization and teaches at the University of Pennsylvania.

Vice Chancellor for Research Leslie Michelle M. Dalmacio, PhD, is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM). She has a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (minor in Microbiology), both from the University of the Philippines. She did a research fellowship at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases in Singapore. Her research deals with virology, the human microbiome, probiotics, and immunodiagnostics.

She is a Fellow of the Philippine Academy of Microbiology and former President of the Philippine Society for Microbiology (2018-19), the Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2020-21), and the National Research Council of the Philippines (2023-2024). Currently, she is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods.

In UP Manila, she served as the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (2016-2023) and Director (2021-2023) of the National Graduate Office for the Health Sciences, as well as the Coordinator (2018-present) of the MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine) program of UPCM and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.

Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Jose V. Tecson, III, MD is an Associate Professor of Anatomy and Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines (UP) Manila.

A graduate of the Philippine Science High School, Dr. Tecson obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology degree from UP Diliman prior to earning his Doctor of Medicine degree from UP Manila. He completed his residency in Ophthalmology, and Fellowship in Cornea, External Diseases, and Uveitis at the Philippine General Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident. He also has a Diploma in Health Professions Education from the National Teacher Training Center for the Health Professions.

Dr. Tecson served as Vice Chair for External Linkages of the Department of Anatomy and was formerly Deputy Director for Administration and Finance of the National Institutes of Health.

Prior to joining the academe, Dr. Tecson was concurrently Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives and Business Development of the QualiMed Health Network. He oversaw the establishment of 3 hospitals and 6 clinics and was also instrumental in the operationalization of the UP-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building, where he served as its first Medical Director. Dr. Tecson also occupied top management positions in the company’s various business units.

Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong is Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of the Philippines Manila. She is an otolaryngologist with a subspecialty in neurotology, focusing on hearing health, cochlear implants, and neurotological skull base surgery. She is best known for her research on congenital hearing loss which built the foundation for the Philippine Republic Act No. 9709 that organized a universal screening program for hearing loss in newborns. She is the project leader of the National Cochlear Implant Program, and Hearing for Life Phase 3, a biomedical device project recently awarded a grant by the National Innovation Council of DepDev. She is the immediate past president of the ASEAN Medical Schools Network and is current Vice-President of the Association of Philippine Medical Schools. She is a member of the steering committee of the AAHCI (Association of Academic Health Centers International Inc.). She is also a member of the Technical Panel for Medicine of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). She co-led a team of medical educators commissioned by the CHED that crafted the SMART, a roadmap for medical education in the Philippines grounded on social accountability while harnessing modern pedagogy and technological advances. Dr. Chiong was named an Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2020.

Dr. Fernando B. Garcia Jr. is a Professor of Health Policy and Administration; Dean of the College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila; and Centre Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Tropical Medicine and Public Health Philippines (SEAMEO TROPMED Philippines) Regional Centre for Public Health, Hospital Administration, Environmental and Occupational Health. He is also the Director of the Asian Health Literacy Association (AHLA) Country Office in the Philippines; and Vice President Asian Health Literacy Association (AHLA) for 2025-2026.

With his diverse background, which combines academic degrees, professional training, and experiences, his research interests include General and Health Economics; Economic Evaluations, Health Systems Strengthening; Public Health; Health Equity; Health Policy; and Public Management.

Sheila R. Bonito is the Dean of the College of Nursing, University of the Philippines Manila. She is also a Professor of Nursing and International Health at the University of the Philippines Open University. Her educational background includes a PostGraduate Diploma in Geriatrics and Gerontology from the University of Malta, a Master of Arts in Nursing (Adult Health), and a Doctor of Public Health (Epidemiology) from UP Manila. She is currently the Head of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Leadership in Nursing Development, President of the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing, Inc., and a member of the Commission on Higher Education’s Technical Panel for Nursing Education. Her research and public service work include open and distance learning, disaster management, health informatics, and nursing workforce. She was given the Outstanding Professional of the Year Award for Nursing in 2020 by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Dr. Mac Ardy J. Gloria is an Associate Professor and Dean of the UP College of Pharmacy, University of the Philippines Manila (UPM). Dr. Gloria earned his PhD in Health Technology Assessment from Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, a Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) from UPM College of Medicine, a Master of Public Health from UPM College of Public Health, and a BS in Industrial Pharmacy from UPM College of Pharmacy. His research and extension services span diverse fields including pharmacy practice and health technology assessment. Dr. Gloria has published widely in respected peer-reviewed journals and shared his work through numerous presentations at both national and international conferences, contributing significantly to his field.

Dr. (Professor) Ma. Teresa G. De Guzman is a distinguished anthropologist and forensic scientist, currently serving as Professor 3 and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila. She holds a doctorate and a Master’s degree in anthropology from UP Diliman and a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics. She has pursued specialized training in Forensic science at the Sherlock Institute of Forensic Science in India and completed the Health in Detention Short Course at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

As an expert in anthropology, archaeology, and heritage forensics, Dr. De Guzman has actively contributed to disaster victim identification, indigenous knowledge systems, forensic investigations, and cultural heritage impact assessments. She has received numerous accolades, including the Forensic Leadership Excellence Award from the International Association of Scientists and Researchers, is a core committee member of several international forensic science conferences, and serves as a resource person in multiple global and national forums.

Dr. Anthony Geronimo H. Cordero is a graduate of the UP College of Medicine. He is the director of the UP Manila Community Health and Development Program and chair of the UP College of Medicine Return Service Obligation Program. He serves as faculty adviser for community partnership programs with several student organizations in UP Manila. He was the 2013 UP Manila Gawad Chancellor Awardee for Outstanding Faculty in Extension Service and the 2015 Gawad Chancellor Awardee for Outstanding Faculty in Teaching. He is engaged in numerous extension and volunteer service work in the field of community health and development and gender and development. He is an active volunteer of the UP Manila Pahinungod, a 2015 DOH Bayani ng Kalusugan Awardee.