Prof. Dr. Denise Margaret Matias is a Professor at the Department of Forest, Wood, and Environment at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development in Germany. She previously held research and postdoctoral positions in projects focusing on grasslands sustainability in Mongolia, climate change adaptation, and Indigenous forestry livelihoods in the Philippines. In 2024, she was recognised as one of six Planet Earth Awardees by the Alliance of World Scientists (AWS) for her outreach work with Indigenous communities in the Philippines and was also given the Kalayaan Award for Science by the Philippine Embassy in Berlin in the same year. She is currently leading two projects focusing on the South China Sea: BÖLT Meer (Biodiversity, Economy, Livelihoods and Traditions in the South China Sea: towards a transdisciplinary research strategy) funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space of Germany (BMFTR) and the European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+) project PaCE (Peace and Conservation of Ecology at Disputed Seas) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). For more information on PaCE, please visit www.pace-biodiversa.eu (Photo ©Florian Reischauer)

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Glenn Joseph Santos is the communications manager of the SeaLight Foundation – a non profit organization monitoring gray zone activities in the South China Sea, He is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at Far Eastern University. Mr. Santos specialization are maritime security, foreign policy analysis, and geopolitics.

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Before joining the academe, Agnes spent 13 years working for international non-profit organisations in disaster response and aid management. Her experience revolves around development logistics operations using GIS Technology in Asia and in Africa. A graduate of MSc Globalisation & Development from SOAS, University of London, Agnes’ research is focused on Climate Change and Natural Disasters in coastal Philippine areas and its impact on women in the informal sector. Currently the Director of the FEU International Relations Office, Agnes is also an active member of the Development Studies Association UK.

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Ralph Romulus Frondoza advises senior leaders and policymakers on turning geopolitical and technology risk into strategic advantage, safeguarding revenue, reputation, and public trust in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific. He is Head of Strategic Risk and Geo-economics at CirroLytix, where he assesses the geopolitical, economic, and enterprise-risk implications of AI and emerging technologies, and contributes expert perspectives to Congressional technical working groups on AI and online child safety. He is a rising scholar-practitioner in the security and development field, and a Partner at Asia Collective International Forums, where he has convened 200+ policymakers, enterprises, and innovators across APAC to shape cyber and security strategy. His work bridges research and practice across geoeconomics, transnational security, and emerging technology policy. With over 15 years in corporate strategy and risk advisory, Ralph has delivered resilience programs enabling 4–8 month geographic expansions and protecting $10.8–15M in ARR for enterprise clients. His research on geoeconomic risk and technology policy has been featured in outlets including Rappler, Businessworld, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Bilyonaryo. He holds a Master’s in International Studies from the University of the Philippines Diliman, pursues advanced scholarship in geoeconomics and technology policy, and advocates for child protection and cross-border cooperation against cybercrime and trafficking.

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Francis M. Esteban is a faculty member at the Department of International Studies and currently serves as the Associate Dean of the Institute of Arts and Sciences at the Far Eastern University. He finished his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of Santo Tomas, and took his Master of Law in International Relations at Jilin University, Changchun, P.R. China. He is a member of the Philippine International Studies Organization, the Philippine Political Science Association, and the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies. His research interests and publications revolve around topics on Philippine Foreign Policy, Chinese Foreign Policy, US-Philippine relations, and Northeast Asia relations.

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Lucio Blanco Pitlo III is a foreign policy and security analyst. He was the President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies and a Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation. He was also a Lecturer at the Chinese Studies Program of Ateneo de Manila University. He was also a technical assistant with the National Coast Watch Council Secretariat. He also served as a research associate and consultant for several projects on maritime issues and Philippine foreign policy. He obtained his Master of Laws from Peking University in Beijing. His commentaries and analyses on security, foreign policy, geopolitics, and Southeast Asian affairs appear in the South China Morning Post, China-US Focus, and Asia Times, among others. He is a regular participant in numerous academic and Track 2 dialogues on security, foreign affairs, geopolitics and geoeconomics in ASEAN countries and China.

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Dominic “Doc” Ligot is one of the leading voices in artificial intelligence in the Philippines, known for his pioneering work in AI ethics, responsible AI adoption, and social impact through data. A technologist, data scientist, and entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience, his work spans finance, public health, human rights, food security, and combating disinformation. He is the founder of CirroLytix, an award winning social impact AI training and consulting company, and AI and Data Ethics PH, an advocacy community tackling the societal implications of data and AI. He also serves as Director for AI Ethics and Data Governance at the Philippine AI Business Association.

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Mr Erick Nielson C Javier is a Defense Research Officer at the Research and Special Studies Division of the National Defense College of the Philippines. Previously, he served as a Defense Analyst at the Office for Strategic Studies and Strategy Management, Armed Forces of the Philippines. He completed his Master of Arts in Political Science, major in Global Politics, in 2017 at the Ateneo de Manila University. His research interests include defense industrial base issues, the future of warfare, and small-state deterrence.

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Ms Clarissa E Rutor-Garcio is currently OIC-Director of Planning and Compliance Services (PKMS) National Security Council (NSC). As Director of PCS, her remit includes coordinating, developing, and monitoring an organization’s strategic and operational plans to ensure they align with the NSC’s overarching goals. She assists the Assistant Director General for Planning and Knowledge Management in translating high-level organizational or governmental goals into actionable programs, coordinate resource allocation, and monitor performance progress. As part of her remit, she works with government bodies, local units, and external partners to operationalize security policies via long-term strategic plans and short-term operational action items across units and departments. Director Rutor-Garcio holds a Master in National Security Administration as well as a Master in Management major in Public Administration. She also holds a Juris Doctor degree.

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Atty. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary is an international lawyer in Public International Law, with a focus on International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law and International Criminal Law. In addition to international consultancies, she is currently teaching in the College of Liberal Arts of the De La Salle University in Manila, where she teaches Public International Law (among others). Atty. Jimenez-Damary is a former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and has just been appointed by the UN Secretary-General as the Asia-Pacific member of the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in Human Rights, appointed by the UN Secretary-General. Her interest in the issue of the West Philippine Sea stems from her specialisation in Public International Law, including the law of armed coflict in the sea.

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