BOARD MEMBERS
The Board of Directors of PAG is composed of professionals and community leaders dedicated to advancing gifted education in the Philippines. Their work includes guiding the organization’s strategic direction, developing programs and partnerships, and ensuring that PAG’s initiatives remain aligned with its mission.The board represents diverse expertise across education, psychology, medicine, research, and advocacy.
Dr. Francis Xavier M. Dimalanta, MD, FPPS, FPSDBP
President
Dr. Francis Xavier M. Dimalanta is a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician whose career reflects exceptional dedication to clinical excellence, academic leadership, and national child advocacy. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of the Philippines Diliman, his Doctor of Medicine from the University of the East–Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, completed his Pediatric Residency at St. Luke's Medical Center, and pursued fellowship training in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the UP-PGH Multidisciplinary Child and Adolescent Unit.
He currently serves as Assistant Head of the Institute of Pediatrics and Child Health at St. Luke's Medical Center Global and as Section Chief for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics in both its Global and Quezon City branches. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor at the St. Luke's College of Medicine–William H. Quasha Memorial and a member of its Research Committee.
Dr. Dimalanta has received numerous distinctions, including the Autism Advocate Award (PACDLD, 2021), Most Outstanding Alumni in Community Service (UERMMMC, 2020), Most Outstanding Alumni of St. Luke's Medical Center (2012), and the Advocacy Award from the Special Education Network in Asia (SENIA, 2014). He has served on the Boards of Trustees of both the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
As President of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, Dr. Dimalanta leads the organization's mission to recognize, nurture, and advocate for gifted Filipino children — bringing to the role the same depth of commitment that has defined his clinical and academic career.
Dr. Ma. Rochelle B. Pacifico, MD, FPPS, FPSDBP
Vice President for Medicine
Dr. Ma. Rochelle B. Pacifico is a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician whose career spans nearly three decades of clinical service, academic leadership, and steadfast advocacy for children's developmental health. A proud alumna of De La Salle University and the De La Salle College of Medicine, she has dedicated her professional life to advancing pediatric care and shaping the next generation of clinicians and educators.
Dr. Pacifico serves as a Consultant in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the De La Salle University Medical Center, where she also leads as Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics for Hospital Operations. She has held faculty positions at the De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute since 1997, rising to Full Professor and later assuming critical roles in training and residency program development. She currently serves as Training Officer for both the Pediatric Residency Program and the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship.
Her leadership extends to national and international organizations. Dr. Pacifico is a Founding Member, Past President, and long-serving Board Member of the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and has represented the Philippines on the International Developmental Pediatrics Association, serving on both its Secretarial and Executive Boards.
She has received numerous honors, including the Outstanding Clinical Clerk Award, the Presidential Merit Award, the Dr. Florosa Bautista Leadership Award, and multiple citations for academic and service excellence. As Vice President for Medicine of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, she continues to champion compassionate, evidence-based care for gifted and neurodiverse Filipino children.
Dr. Faith Anne B. Alcazaren, MD, DPPS
Vice President for Parents
Dr. Faith Anne B. Alcazaren is a Pediatrician and child development advocate whose work bridges clinical medicine, community engagement, and parent education. Board-certified by the Philippine Pediatric Society, she brings to PAG a deep commitment to supporting the families of gifted children — recognizing that the journey of a gifted learner is one that parents and caregivers navigate alongside their children every step of the way.
In her role as Vice President for Parents, Dr. Alcazaren serves as the primary bridge between PAG's programs and the parent community, ensuring that families are informed, equipped, and heard. She has been active in organizing PAG's conferences and outreach activities, and moderates the multidisciplinary panel on twice-exceptional learners — reflecting her conviction that gifted education must address the whole child in the context of family and community.
Dr. Alcazaren is also a member of the PAG Board of Trustees and has served in multiple capacities in the organization's national conference, from scientific committee member to co-director. Her clinical practice and advocacy are grounded in the belief that every gifted child deserves a nurturing environment where their unique potential is recognized and celebrated.
Dr. Darwin C. Rungduin, PhD, RPm,RPsy
Vice President for Education
Dr. Darwin C. Rungduin is a Personality and Social Psychologist whose scholarly work centers on forgiveness, positive psychology, and indigenous Filipino concepts of wellness. He has been teaching Psychology since 2002 and formally began his academic career at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 2005, where he eventually served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences of the Philippine Normal University, where he also serves as Graduate Coordinator.
Dr. Rungduin completed his Bachelor's degree in Psychology (Magna cum laude) from Adamson University and earned his master's and doctorate degrees in Psychology — with a specialization in Personality Psychology and a minor in Social Psychology — from the University of the Philippines Diliman under the Faculty Development Scholarship Grant of the Commission on Higher Education.
His research spans forgiveness psychology, the Filipino concept of ginhawa (wellness), and the indigenization of mental health. He is the founder of the Ginhawa Research Laboratory and the author of the Letran Ginhawa Program, an institution-wide mental health initiative rooted in indigenous Filipino frameworks. He serves as a consultant, resource person, and reviewer for CHED, DepEd, NEAP, and various higher education institutions across the Philippines.
As Vice President for Education of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, Dr. Rungduin brings a culturally grounded perspective to gifted education advocacy — championing approaches that are evidence-based, equity-driven, and deeply attuned to the Filipino learner.
Dr. Angelito G. Antonio, PhD, RPsy,
CSDP, LPT
Vice President for Psychology
Dr. Angelito "Angel" Antonio is a full professor and Developmental Psychologist with over four decades of service in education and psychology. He is currently the Acting Director of the Bachelor's degree programs in Early Childhood Education and Psychology at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), where he has also served as Program Head, Vice Dean, and Dean of the School of Education and Human Development.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Magna cum laude) from the Philippine Christian University, a Master's degree in Values Development from Miriam College (1993), and a Doctorate in Child and Family Studies from Miriam College (2002, with Distinction). He is a Certified Specialist in Developmental Psychology (CSDP) by the Psychological Association of the Philippines and a Registered Psychologist by the Professional Regulation Commission.
Dr. Antonio's research interests include fatherhood and father involvement, early childhood and adolescent development, developmental psychopathology, gifted education, mindfulness in schools, and cross-country research on family therapy. He is a lifetime member of the Psychological Association of the Philippines, a former Chair of its Developmental Psychology Division, and a member of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development. He has also served as an accreditor for PAASCU and as a technical evaluator appointed by the Commission on Higher Education.
A passionate educator and Renaissance man, Dr. Antonio brings warmth, depth, and scholarly rigor to his role as Vice President for Psychology of the Philippine Association for the Gifted.
Ms. Delila "Niña" Lojo
ㅤ
Secretary
Ms. Delila "Niña" Lojo is one of the founding pillars of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, having served as Corporate Secretary from the organization's earliest days. Her institutional memory, administrative dedication, and quiet constancy have been central to PAG's growth and continuity over the years — ensuring that the association's governance has remained grounded, well-documented, and true to its founding vision.
As Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Ms. Lojo is responsible for the faithful documentation of the Board's deliberations and decisions, the proper maintenance of corporate records, and the smooth conduct of PAG's formal governance processes. Beyond these duties, she has taken an active hand in the organization's operational activities, including its national conference initiatives in finance and ways and means — a testament to her breadth of commitment to the association she has helped build.
Her years of steadfast service embody PAG's spirit of dedication to gifted Filipino children — not from the spotlight, but from the foundation.
Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, MD, FPPS, MAHPS
Treasurer
Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla is a National Scientist and Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine — one of the country's most distinguished figures in clinical genetics, newborn screening, and public health policy. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the UP College of Medicine, completed her fellowship in clinical genetics at the Royal Alexandria Hospital for Children in Sydney, Australia, and holds a Master of Arts in Health Policy Studies from the UP College of Public Health.
A pioneer in genetics in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region, Dr. Padilla established genetic services at the Philippine General Hospital, co-founded the Asia Pacific Society of Human Genetics, and spearheaded the national newborn screening program. She was instrumental in the passage of the Newborn Screening Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9288) and the Rare Diseases Act of 2016 (Republic Act No. 10747).
She has held numerous landmark leadership positions, including Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila (2014–2023), Founding Director of the Institute of Human Genetics, Executive Director of the Philippine Genome Center, and President of the Asia Pacific Society for Human Genetics. Among her many honors, she has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World, received the Eric C. Nubia Excellence Award from the Professional Regulation Commission, and was conferred the title of National Scientist by the President of the Philippines in 2023 — the nation's highest recognition for scientific achievement.
As Treasurer of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, Dr. Padilla brings to the Board an extraordinary record of institutional leadership and a lifelong commitment to the flourishing of every Filipino child.
Dr. Grace H. Aguiling-Dalisay, PhD, RPsy
Immediate Past President
Dr. Grace H. Aguiling-Dalisay is one of the Philippines' most distinguished psychologists and academic leaders, whose life's work has strengthened Filipino psychology, enriched higher education, and shaped generations of learners and professionals. She holds a BS, MA, and PhD in Psychology — all from the University of the Philippines Diliman — and has devoted more than four decades to the advancement of psychological science, education, and community service.
Over her distinguished career, Dr. Aguiling-Dalisay served as Full Professor and former Chair of the UP Department of Psychology, Vice President for Academic Affairs of Miriam College, and System Director of the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungód. She currently serves as President and CEO of the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM), where she leads national efforts in assessment, research, and evidence-based educational development.
Her contributions span developmental psychology, Philippine psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino), and human capital development. She has represented the Philippines in global conferences on educational assessment, leadership, and gifted education, and has championed culturally grounded approaches to understanding and nurturing talent in Filipino children.
Dr. Aguiling-Dalisay has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Triple-A Outstanding Alumna Award from Miriam College (2021), Outstanding Professional in Psychology from the Professional Regulation Commission (2024), Gawad Pahinungód from the UP System (2025), and the Distinguished Leadership Award for Human Capital Development from the UP Alumni Association (2025). She is a lifetime member of the Psychological Association of the Philippines and the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino, and serves as Board Chair of ChildFund Philippines.
As Immediate Past President of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, Dr. Aguiling-Dalisay remains a vital pillar of the organization — a source of wisdom, continuity, and inspirational leadership.
Mr. Ernesto Mate
ㅤ
Director for Communications
Mr. Ernesto Mate serves as Director for Communications of the Philippine Association for the Gifted, where he oversees the organization's communications strategy, public outreach, and engagement with stakeholders across the educational and advocacy sectors. In this role, he works to amplify PAG's mission of identifying, nurturing, and celebrating gifted Filipino children — ensuring that the organization's programs, research, and advocacy efforts reach the families, educators, and communities who need them most.
Mr. Mate brings to the Board a commitment to purposeful communication and a passion for the advancement of gifted education in the Philippines. As a member of the Board of Trustees, he contributes to the strategic direction of the organization and its growing impact on gifted learners nationwide.