TAO-Pilipinas

TAO-Pilipinas is a dynamic group of women professionals in the fields of architecture and planning, engineering, environmental science, economics, research and social development.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board directs and oversees the activities of the organization.

Laura T. David President

Laura is the Deputy Director for Instruction of the Marine Science Institute in the University of the Philippines – Diliman. She has a PhD in Physical Oceanography from the University of South Carolina, USA and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She has been involved in research about the Philippine coast and adjacent waters; in mapping and modelling the vulnerability to human impact of coral reefs in the Southeast Asia region; and in the WWF/KKP exercise of identifying and prioritising critical areas for management, protection and preservation of the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea.

Ana Marie O. Dizon Vice President

Ma. Victoria S. Ilagan Secretary

Herminia R. Caringal Treasurer

Ning, as fondly called by her friends, has 15 years of policy research, teaching and technical writing experience to her credit. This sprung from a strong theoretical background and direct training in policy research methods specializing in socio-economic/policy analysis and program administration. She earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration as well as her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UP Diliman. She has a strong knowledge in Public Sector Economics and broad experience in Public Policy Analysis. She acquired international and inter-cultural exposure, technical knowledge and understanding through her participation in various international training workshops. These experiences honed her skills in research, planning and leadership as well. From 1996-2000, she joined a research team at the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines who was involved in a project on the socio-economic evaluation of Lingayen Gulf, Northern Philippines. In 2002, she joined the Policy Studies Group (later re-organized into Senate Economic Planning Office) of the Philippine Senate as a senior technical and policy research staff officer in charge of the transportation and environment, and health and gender issues. She likewise rendered consultancy services to a number of NGOs for their research needs.

Members
Eleanor C. Ramos

Maria Antonia Tanchuling

Rosario Encarnacion-Tan

Ex-Officio Member
Arlene Christy D. Lusterio

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Arlene Christy D. Lusterio Executive Director and Director, Human Settlements and Environment

Arlene is an architect and environmental planner. She has a Master of Architecture in Human Settlements from the Department of Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of the Philippines. As an ASIA Fellow, she completed a research fellowship awarded by the Asian Scholarship Foundation on river basin and coastal settlements in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Before setting-up TAO-Pilipinas, she worked for three years as an architect-planner for Planning Resources Operations Systems, Inc. (PROS), an architectural and planning consultancy firm; prior to that, spent most her professional career in development- oriented work with Samahan para sa Angkop na Pabahay ng San Pablo Apostol (SAPSPA) working directly with the poor. Her professional interests are sustainable development and water-based human settlements.

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Maria Faith Y. Varona Director, Research and Publications

Faith is one of the founders of TAO-Pilipinas (The other two are Arlene and Ger). An architect and environmental planner, she has been in the alternative career path of development work for more than a decade now. Before TAO-Pilipinas, she worked for non-government organizations such as Alterplan, NGO-Coalition for Cooperatives Development, Oxfam-America, and Building Alliance for Action and Initiatives. In 2006, she received a Master in Urban Management and Development from the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)-Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands through a fellowship from the Netherlands Fellowship Program of NUFFIC. She also holds a post-graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning from the School of Urban and Regional Planning in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City where she also completed her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. Her pet projects include the TAO Resource Center and research on alternative materials and technology.

Geraldine R. Matabang Director, Education and Training

Ge is licensed architect and environmental planner. She has a Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of the Philippines. Before joining TAO-Pilipinas, Geraldine worked for architectural design firms SmithGroup Gexis Manila and Leandro V. Locsin Partners. Her research interests include sustainable community development, green design technologies, and disaster-resilient shelter design. She completed an action-research project under the ProVention Applied Research Grants Programme entitled “Integrating Disaster Risk Management in Site Planning and House Design of Resettlement Projects in Albay, Bicol.”

PROGRAM STAFF

Rosalyn-Frances Marcelo-Veneracion Staff for Young Professionals

Rosalyn, “Osang” to most of her friends, is a licensed geodetic engineer and an environmental planner as well. She has a degree in Geodetic Engineering from the University of the Philippines (UP). She finished her Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning. Her masteral thesis was about the service infrastructure sharing of resettlers and host communities. Before TAO-Pilipinas, she worked for the Survey Geomatics Division of F.F. Cruz and Co., which provides mapping and surveying services.

Angelus Maria P. Sales Staff for Research and Publications

Angel is a licensed architect who worked as a lighting designer for a lighting company before joining TAO.  Angel has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of the Philippines College of Architecture. As staff for the research and publications program, she is in charge of managing and cataloging books and other references for the TAO Resource Center. Angel is also the resident techie of the office, fixing computers whenever they break down. Aside from computers, Angel’s interests include visual arts, poetry, sports, video games and online gaming. She still wants to improve her graphic design skills, learn computer animation, and GIS (geographic information systems). She recently finished a graduate diploma in archaeology at the Archaeological Studies Program of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Verna Lucia P. Sarraga Staff for Human Settlements and Environment

Verna is a graduate of B.S. Architecture at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. She worked as a Project Coordinator for ES Calma Design Associates/CTRL Construction Corporation which is a design/construction firm right after her graduation. Verna was a participant of the 2009 YP Workshop about Water Sanitation and an intern before becoming a full time staff of TAO-Pilipinas. She is now under the Human Settlements and Environment Program that extends direct technical assistance to the community. Her study interests include disaster-resilient design, alternative housing materials and green architecture. Verna plans to take up her licensure board exam for Architecture this year.

ADMINISTRATION STAFF

Anita M. Salvan Administration and Finance

Nethz has worked for NGOs for more than 17 years, usually taking care of administration and accounting. She joined TAO in 2005. As staff for administration and finance, she prepares the payroll, monitors the cash flow and budget, and prepares financial reports. She also keeps tab on the cleanliness of the office, getting a repairman when something needs to get fixed, and reminding the staff to clean up their own mess. When needed, she also gives bookkeeping workshops to communities that TAO works with.

Michelle C. Abon Administration and Accounting Assistant

Mimi, as she is fondly called, graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Commerce majoring in Management at the University of Luzon in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. She finished college as a scholar of their local parish under the Rogationist Missionary. She then worked with a non-profit group helmed by Rogationist priests called St. Hannibal Empowerment Center (SHEC) before joining TAO-Pilipinas in February 2010. She loves to read and considers Paolo Coelho as her favorite author.