OUR STORY

DICT Secretary Ivan John E. Uy has an extensive career in the ICT industry and in public service. He specializes in information technology and its impact on law, justice, and governmental institutions.

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He was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow under the Fulbright Program in University of Minnesota and a graduate of the College of Law, University of the Philippines. As a public servant, Secretary Uyserved as Chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the predecessor of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. From 2011 to2016, he led the formulation of the Philippine Digital Strategy. He also served as Chief Information/Technology Officer of the Judicial Branch, responsible for the overall technologystrategy and implementation of the courts.

Atty Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, a prominent advocate for rural digital advancement, was appointed as Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). She focused on ICT Industry Development and National ICT Planning, Policy, and Standards under the leadership of DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy.

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Recognized for her dedication to creating digital opportunities outside urban centers, she spearheaded the establishment of ICT councils nationwide. These platforms facilitated collaboration among academia, government, and industry, with the goal of generating jobs, investments, and digital innovation.

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Her achievements included leading the Bacolod Negros Occidental Federation for ICT (BNEFIT), co-founding the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), and receiving accolades such as the TOWNS award. She contributed to legislative initiatives and held a law degree from the University of St. La Salle – Bacolod.

Ms. Delfin is the Director of the ICT Industry Development Bureau of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

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With over 20 years in public service, Ms. Delfin is passionate about creating positive changes in the lives of Filipinos most especially in the countryside through the ICT industry development programs. These include bringing digital jobs related to the Information technology – Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector to cities outside Metro Manila, capacitating rural talents to get into online freelancing and helping promote and develop Filipino startups and the startup ecosystem. She also leads the DICT initiatives to move the Philippines towards becoming the global hub for high value IT-BPM services.

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She was recognized and awarded by the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) as a Countryside Development Champion for her dedicated work in implementing initiatives that promote countryside development. Recently, the DICT, through her Bureau, in partnership with the Information Technology - Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), launched the Digital Cities 2025, one of the flagship programs of DICT in the New Normal.

Jojo is Co-Founder at Plug and Play Tech Center, a Silicon Valley based early stage investor and technology startup accelerator, which he started in January 2006. Plug and Play accelerates over 2,000 tech startups yearly from all around the world in over 20 countries in close to 40 global offices, which access a network of over angel investors, venture capital firms, and over 550 large corporations. Since inception, Plug and Play startups have been able to raise in excess of $10 billion in funding. Plug and Play Ventures have over 1,600 companies in its portfolio, with close to 30 unicorns including PayPal, Dropbox, Lending Club, N26, Soundhound, Honey, Flutterwave, among others.

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Christina Laskowski is a senior strategy and business transformation leader with a focus on executing strategic initiatives, enforcing good governance, and increasing shareholder value.

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She has a strong background in the biotech, technology, and finance industries, and has worked with notable companies such as VMware, Levi Strauss, PayPal, and PG&E.Christina's expertise also extends beyond the corporate world. She has dedicated her non-profit work to supporting organizations focused on entrepreneurship, empowerment, education, and sustainability.

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As the President of STAC Silicon Valley, she designed and led the formation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Philippines, resulting in significant growth in venture capital investments. In recognition of her work, STAC Silicon Valley became a partner of the Global Entrepreneurship Program under the U.S. Department of State.In addition to her leadership roles, Christina is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs in the MS Entrepreneurship & Innovation program (2018, 2019, 2023). She is also actively involved in her local community and the Filipino-American community at large, serving as an advisor and mentor to various non-profit organizations.

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Throughout her career, Christina has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to the Filipino-American community and her efforts in driving economic development through entrepreneurship. These include the TOFA award at Carnegie Hall, being named one of the "100 Most Influential Filipinas in the United States," and receiving the Golden Heart Award from the Philippine President for her leadership in promoting tech-enabled entrepreneurship.With her wealth of experience and dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and positive change, Christina Laskowski continues to make a lasting impact in both the corporate and non-profit sectors.

Co-Founder, Hatchd Inc. Manny Ayala, a notable entrepreneur and venture capitalist, co-founded Endeavor Philippines and Hatchd. His finance expertise fuels support for high-impact entrepreneurs and early-stage Southeast Asian startups, fostering regional innovation and growth.

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CTO, Shoppable Business; Founding Admin, StartupPH Group

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Stephanie Caragos is the Founder, President & CEO of the 23-year running IT Company, Syntactics, Inc. and is the founder of letIThelp.org, a social enterprise that envisions in helping young Filipinos hone their skills in IT and increase their chances of getting stable and profitable jobs. She founded the Syntactics PINK (Promoting Innovation Networking & Knowledge for women), a community ran by her female developers to train women in coding and IT skills. She is a speaker and mentor in various Startup, Online Marketing, Web, ICT and ICT businesses related seminars and talks and works tirelessly in finding innovative ways of marketing online for clients. She is also a staunch supporter of Filipino Small and Medium Enterprises as she continues to develop products and services that would benefit SMEs as well as help them increase their success rate in using technology in business. Stephanie is an Eisenhower Fellow, a Young Social Entrepreneur Initiative Fellow and has been featured in the Microsoft Executive Leadership Series Book, Young World Rising. Stephanie is currently the president of the CDO ICT Business Council and works with the members and stakeholders in the city in promoting ICT to support more startups and create more jobs in the city. She is a past president for the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), is the board secretary of the board of directors for the Eisenhower Fellows Association of the Philippines (EFAP) and Director for Youth Services at the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro East Urban.

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Paul Pajo is the co-founder for SmartDevNet, Embiggen Group, ShroomHouse Productions and Nationwide.ph as well as one of the original convenors of Geeks on A Beach and current co-lead for the Meta (formerly Facebook) Developer Circles Manila. He's also the concurrent Director, Incubation Management Head and TBI (Technology Business Incubator) Manager for Benilde HIFI DOST TBI, Chairman for Plentina, Inc. and Startup Advisor for Cognity Labs. When not organizing an indie music production at SaGuijo or in Poblacion, Makati, he's training for an ultramarathon with his running buddies at Pace Partners Asia.

Earl is a driving force behind Plentina, a pioneering AI and fintech startup focused on credit and robo-advisory solutions in Southeast Asia. Plentina has garnered substantial investments from renowned venture capital firms including Techstars, 500 Startups, TMV.vc, and Global Founders Capital.

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Adding to his accolades, his expertise led to his appointment by the President of the Philippines as an Executive Member of the National Innovation Council, where he represents the Business Sector and contributes to shaping the country's innovative landscape.  Earl was founding President and Co-Founder of Ideaspace Foundation one fhe pioneering startup incubators in the Philippines.

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Along with Paul Pajo, Michie Ang, Tina Amper, and the late Jim Ayson, Earl is one of the original geeks who conceptualized Geeks On A Beach, which was inspired by 500Global's Geeks On A Plane program.

Tina Amper is the founding organizer of Geeks On A Beach, a renowned tech and startup conference. Through her leadership, Geeks On A Beach has become a pivotal and iconic event, driving discussions on technology trends, entrepreneurship, and fostering valuable industry connections.

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Dave Overton, Founder and CEO of Symph, lives by the mantra: "I empower people to build startups & I build startups to empower people." An international economist and entrepreneur, Dave boasts a rich tapestry of experience in crafting innovative solutions for diverse corporations. With a solid foundation in International Business and Economics, he's ventured into various industries, leaving his mark everywhere. Not just a business mind, Dave co-founded a sustainable non-profit in Cebu, touching thousands of lives. Merging his love for IT with his entrepreneurial spirit, he's delved into retail and design, showcasing exemplary leadership. Today, he channels all this expertise into Symph, turning visions into software realities.

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Dave is the kindest and most supportive business partner one could hope for. Dave hails from the U.S. and has fully embraced the Filipino values of bayanihan (working as a team to help others without expecting anything in return) and kagalingan / bantugan (excellence and greatness). It's truly admirable how he remains dedicated to getting the job done while respecting and valuing each individual's unique strengths. Dave's positive vibes radiate throughout everything he does. A big "daghang salamat" to Dave and his amazing team!

Doris Isubal-Mongaya is the CEO & Founder of PRWorks, an esteemed Public Relations (PR) agency in Cebu. Under her leadership, PRWorks has championed brands, shaped perceptions, and driven growth across Visayas and Mindanao. Doris has played a key role in various startup events, such as Startup Weekend Cebu in 2012 and the Idea Global Entrepreneurship Symposium in 2015. She has also contributed to advocacy events like the Globe Media Excellence Awards and the Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) initiative, aligning with the Philippine Startup Roadmap.

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Doris is the driving force behind GOAB's excellence in events and public relations  Her dynamic approach and professional expertise has proven to be an asset in organizing high-quality, productive events in the Philippines and beyond. Doris's collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset and extensive connections in business, tech, and startup communities make her an invaluable resource. We thank Doris and her team for GOAB's lasting impact.

Mark Deutsch and the Happy Garage Team are a talented group of designers, artists, and storytellers in Cebu, Philippines. They collaborate with locals, Asian organizations, and global brands like Disney. Happy Garaje crafts spaces, objects, and experiences that share stories and build connections, drawing inspiration from everyday life, heroes, dreams, and intriguing spaces.

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Mark worked with the GOAB founders to come up with the spectacular and unforgettable vision of GOAB and its adorable mascots, Ondoy, Inday and friends. We firmly believe that Mark's comprehensive expertise in communication design, spanning visuals, content, branding, and positioning, is what sets GOAB apart from the rest. The GOAB brand came to life in 2013, and even after 10 years, people still eagerly anticipate GOAB without any advertising. Mark's work is grounded in real people and real challenges, yet somehow he manages to transport us to the most enjoyable and productive conference where dreams are believed to come true. And indeed, we have tangible proof that many dreams have become a reality at GOAB. Thank you Mark and team!