Governing Board
The governing board of AORA plays a crucial role in setting strategic direction, overseeing operations, and ensuring accountability. The specific functions of the board include:
Setting Strategic Direction:
- The governing board establishes the organization’s long-term goals, mission, and vision, providing guidance for the executive leadership and ensuring alignment with the organization’s purpose.
- Governing boards develop and approve policies that govern the organization’s activities. They also oversee policy implementation, ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
- Engage with stakeholders to understand concerns and ensure the organization’s actions align with stakeholder expectations.
- Advocate for the organization, representing its interests to external stakeholders, government bodies, and the public.
Ensuring efficient and effective governance
- Ensuring a diverse and skilled board composition, providing training for board members, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Ensure the organization operates within legal and ethical boundaries. They oversee compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards.
- Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the organization’s programs, ensuring they align with the mission and contribute to the desired outcomes.
- Assess and manage risks associated with the organization’s operations, overseeing the implementation of risk management strategies to protect its interests.
- Be involved in resolving conflicts within the organization, addressing issues among leadership or between the organization and external stakeholders.
- Monitor the organization’s performance against established goals and key performance indicators. They assess the effectiveness of strategies and make adjustments as needed.
Ensuring availability and Sustainability of Resources
- Boards hire, evaluate, and, if necessary, replace executive leadership such as CEOs or executive directors. They provide guidance and support to ensure effective leadership.
- Boards engage in succession planning, ensuring there is a plan for leadership transition and that the organization has a pipeline of talent for key roles.
- Communicate with stakeholders and ensure transparency in decision-making processes, keeping constituents informed about the organization’s activities and performance.
- Boards are responsible for financial stewardship, approving budgets, monitoring financial performance, and ensuring the organization’s fiscal health.
- Lead in fundraising, contributing to resource development strategies and helping secure financial support for the organization’s initiatives.
Board of Directors: Elected
Vincent (Achie) Atienza (Chairperson) pioneered and transformed Globe Telecom’s Peering and Interconnection Strategy for over a decade. He is responsible for managing the end-to-end evolution/optimization of Globe’s IP ecosystem, focused on the core infrastructure that functions as the local & international Internet gateway. His role extends to cost management, business development, and nation-building. Before joining Globe, he managed the Internet services portfolio for Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Incorporated (ETPI). Outside Globe, he is passionate about improving his home country’s Internet and Peering ecosystem and contributing to the global Internet community. He was instrumental in the Philippine Network Operators Group (PHNOG) rebirth and has led the group as Chair since 2015. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Internet Society Philippine Chapter (ISOC-PH) since 2013. Last February 2020, he was elected part of the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre – Executive Council (APNIC EC), the First and Only Filipino on the board, where he concurrently holds the secretary function. Achie also leads several Internet working groups and Program committees, with speaking engagements at global Internet conferences.
Maria Corazon (Maricor) Akol (Vice-Chairperson) is the Founding President of the Philippine National IT Standards (PhilNITS) Foundation, Inc. (formerly known as JITSE Phil Foundation, Inc.). PhilNITS is an NGO implementing a Certification Program for IT Professionals, a joint project of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Philippines’ Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI). She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, cum laude, from the College of the Holy Spirit. After graduation, she worked as a Scientist at the Physics Department of the Philippine Atomic Research Center and as a part-time Physics Instructor at the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering at the University of the East. Her career in IT started when she was hired as a Systems Engineer at Datronics Philippines, Inc. After three years in the company and after being promoted to Sales Manager of the firm, she opted to resign and, together with some friends, set up Hexa Integrated Services, Inc., a Computer Service Bureau specializing in data encoding services, programming, and manpower placement, where she served as its President and General Manager. However, when some of the original incorporators migrated and some accepted government appointments, they decided to close the company, and she set up Hexa Corporation, a family-owned company.
Arvin Sienna is the VP and Head of Technology Strategy and Transformation Office of PLDT-Smart. Mr. Sienna has worked for PLDT for almost 15 years. PLDT, Inc. is the leading telecommunications and digital services provider in the Philippines. Through its principal business groups – fixed line, wireless, and others – PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications and digital services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line and cellular networks. His prior designations at PLDT include VP and Head of Core Network Planning Engineering and Integration (Fixed and Wireless), VP and Head of Transport Planning and Engineering (Fixed and Wireless), AVP and Head of Access Planning and Engineering (Fixed Network), and AVP and Head of Network Planning and Engineering (Fixed and Wireless).
Jaybie A. de Guzman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, the University of the Philippines – Diliman. He received his Ph.D. Electrical Engineering Networks at the University of New South Wales (Sydney). He is working on air quality monitoring with a network flavor, as well as, on human-computer technologies. In addition, he is interested in working with future and emerging technologies- i.e., IoT, wearables, and mixed reality—with a flavor of security and privacy. Dr. de Guzman has co-authored papers on the Development of a handshake system for TV white space application based on OFDM in Proc. 2015 AUN-Seed-Net Regional Conference on Electrical and Electronics Engineering; Characterization of power line communications using FSK for home applications in Proc. 2014 AUN-Seed-Net Regional Conference on Electrical Engineering, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Mar 2014; Social graph-based partitioning and distribution for OSN content caching and proactive delivery in Proc. 2013 IEEE International Conference on IT Convergence and Security, Macau, Dec 2013, Improving the performance of content delivery networks through social partitioning in Proc. 2013 AUN-Seed-Net Regional Conference on Computer and Information Engineering, Bangkok, Aug 2013.
Alvin B. Marcelo, MD, FPCS, is a general and trauma surgeon by training and is currently the Chief Medical Information Officer of the St. Luke’s Medical Center. He is also the Executive Director of the Asia eHealth Information Network. Before this, he served as Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). As the Director of the University of the Philippines Manila National Telehealth Center and Chief of the Medical Informatics Unit, Dr. Marcelo established the Master of Science in Health Informatics program and conducted local and international research in eHealth and health information systems development. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in medical informatics at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, where he explored his research interests in telepathology, mobile computing, and bibliometric analysis of MEDLINE content. Dr. Marcelo previously managed the International Open-Source Network for ASEAN+3, a center of excellence in free or open-source software established by UNDP, and advises the Community Health Information Tracking System (or CHITS), a Stockholm Challenge finalist in the health category in 2006. He is the Philippine representative of the Asia Pacific Association for Medical Informatics (APAMI) and the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA). Dr. Marcelo is certified in the governance of enterprise IT (CGEIT), The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF), Archimate, and COBIT5 Foundation/Implementation. He is also a fellow of the Philippine College of Surgeons. Dr. Marcelo is an inaugural fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI 2017).
Gerard James Hayes, Ph.D., is the CEO and Founder of Wireless Research Center (WRC) with more than two decades of experience in government and commercial electromagnetic research and design. Previously, he was Director of Engineering at GreenWave Scientific, where he led the development of antenna and RF circuit designs for ultra-wideband Department of Defense applications. In addition, Dr. Hayes served in global leadership positions with Ericsson and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications in technology and research positions and at Lockheed Martin on research and development for space-based, phased array applications. He holds more than 75 US patents. WRC is an independent, private nonprofit research center dedicated to applied research and engineering. Located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle region, the WRC helps clients develop products and services worldwide that advance wireless technology innovation. In addition, the WRC fosters global collaboration among companies, industry groups, academic institutions, and other research organizations.
Mahesh D. Kasar is a Senior Vice President at Rakuten Symphony, responsible for Indirect & Channel Sales, and heads the APAC Sales operations. Before joining Rakuten Symphony, Mahesh contributed to Rakuten Mobile, Inc., as Vice President and Head of IoT, CPaaS, Media Services Platforms, and International Roaming Business. In addition, Mahesh was President & Representative Director at Innoeye (acquired by Rakuten Symphony), leading the operations for APAC and ANZ regions, among other roles. He has over 25 years of varied leadership experience in start-up entrepreneurship and large enterprises with engineering, sales, and business operations responsibilities for product and services businesses in the global telco space. Mahesh holds an Executives Degree in Management from MIT Sloan School of Management in Massachusetts, USA; a post-graduate degree from IIT Mumbai, India; and an Engineering degree in Computer Science from IST Pune, India.
Strategic Circle
Strategic Circle, as defined during the April 28 Governing Board Meeting, is a group of individuals who work together to set and implement the strategic direction of the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) and ensure it is on track towards achieving its long-term goals. The responsibilities include:
- Contribute to AORA’s strategic plan, which outlines the organization’s long-term goals and objectives;
- Monitor AORA’s progress towards achieving its strategic objectives, review key performance indicators, and adjust the strategic plan as necessary;
- Allocate resources to AORA, where plausible such as funding, staff support, meeting venues, and others as necessary to support the implementation of the strategic plan;
- Communicate AORA’s strategy to internal and external stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and partners, consistent with AORA’s intellectual property policy
- Identify opportunities and threats that may impact the organization’s ability to achieve its strategic objectives; and
- Foster a culture of innovation, encouraging stakeholders to bring new ideas and approaches to the table.
Strategic Circle: Appointments
Franz de Leon, Ph.D., is the Director of the Department of Science & Technology (DICT) Advance Science & Technology Institute (ASTI). Dr. Franz de Leon assumed the Interim Chair of AORA to convene a Governing Board when he presented the draft strategic plan on May 24, 2022. Dr. de Leon is the Director of DOST-ASTI, mandated to spearhead various activities and initiatives such as R&D projects in the advanced fields of ICT and Microelectronics, and long-term research to strengthen and modernize science and technology infrastructure. Dr. Franz de Leon is also an associate professor from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Dr. Franz is a graduate of BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering in 2003, and MS in Electrical Engineering in 2005. He earned his Ph.D. in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom in 2014. As the ASTI Director, Dr. Franz said, “He wants to make the Filipinos enjoy the benefits of innovative solutions in the field of ICT, Microelectronics and Space Technology”; He will also continue to work closely with their stakeholders to meet their expectations; He will also continue to invest not only in upgrading the facilities but more importantly in our human resources to be agile and ready for the next-generation technologies; and in his words; He believes that “During these challenging times, there is a need for solutions and applications that will uplift our spirits and help us adjust to the new normal.
Lennart Olaivar is a Bosconian Electronics and Communication Engineer who graduated Cum Laude and is among the top 5 students of his class. He has more than 23 years of experience in the Telecoms Industry from 10 different countries, serving more than 15 Mobile Operators around the world as an expert and consultant in RAN planning and optimization. He is currently leading PLDT/Smart Network Innovations, Strategy and Technology Laboratory, which explores, evaluates, and tests new and upcoming technologies that help improve customer experience and maintain PLDT/Smart’s standing as the leader in the Telecommunications Industry in the Philippines. One of his Major projects is Open RAN. He is a co-lead of the Disaggregation Project in NGMN (Next Generation Mobile Network – an alliance of the leading Telecom Operators in the world) where Open RAN is a Key Subject.
- Undersecretary Denis F. Villorente, Philippine Space Agency
- Bayani Lara, DOST-ASTI
- Dr. Edward Wang, Vice-Chancellor for Research, UP Manila
- Wilson Chua, FutureGen, Singapore
- Asokan Ram, Wireless Research Center, North Carolina
- Abhishek Dubey, Rakuten
- Dr. Jaymer M. Jayoma, Academic Circle Team Lead
- Team Lead, Enrichment Circle and
- Team Lead, Technical Circle
Secretariat
Antonette “Toni” Torres is the Executive Director at Asia Open RAN Academy and an accomplished project manager with extensive experience in guiding critical national government projects through their entire life cycles. With over three years as a Freelance Project Management Consultant and a significant tenure as Project Manager III at the Department of Information and Communications Technology, she has demonstrated her ability to lead from the front, managing projects from inception to the final handover. Toni’s earlier role as the Head of the Programs Development Division at the Commission on ICT from February 2005 to June 2012 fortified her expertise in governmental project mandates. This experience was further enriched through her consultancy at the Development Academy of the Philippines, where she provided strategic project management insights. Her academic background is equally impressive, boasting a Master’s Degree in Urban Management and Development from Erasmus University Rotterdam, completed in 2017, aligning with her Bachelor of Science in Tourism from the prestigious University of the Philippines in 2005.
Jelina Tetangco is the Enrichment Program Designer at Asia Open RAN Academy and a dedicated research specialist with over 13 years of experience at the Department of Science and Technology – Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI). In her current role as a Supervising Science Research Specialist since September 2023, she has been instrumental in supervising research activities that contribute significantly to the field of science and technology. A proud alumna of the University of the Philippines Los Banos, Jelina graduated with a degree in Development Communications in 1998. Her educational background lays a solid foundation in the theoretical and practical applications of communication strategies to drive development, a skill she has translated effectively into her professional endeavors. Notably, Jelina’s creative and strategic acumen led to her designing the Enrichment Program for the Asia Open RAN Academy.
Richard Matias is the Content Manager and Course Co-Creator at Asia Open RAN Academy and a seasoned expert in Radio Access Network Design and Optimization for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G systems. He possesses a robust background in the telecommunications field, marked by a noteworthy ascent from a Cadet Engineer at Globe Telecom to the President and Founder of Terra Hertz. His professional journey is characterized by his efforts to enhance the knowledge and skills of Filipino telecom professionals, driving progress and innovation within the industry. Under his leadership, Terra Hertz has emerged as a pivotal community for learning and development in wireless telecommunications in the Philippines, highlighting his commitment to mentorship and capacity building. Richard’s educational foundation, a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering, was obtained from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguig Campus in 2004.
Experts
Josyl Reyes, Ph.D., is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy and a full-time faculty member at the Electronics Engineering (ECE) Department of the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines. She handles the courses on Open RAN Architecture and the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). She is teaching several undergraduate courses on communications and computer networks. Dr. Reyes is also a PhD holder in the Department of Electronics and Information Engineering (EIE) at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and completed here Ph.D. thesis. Her current research is focused on wireless indoor positioning systems using channel state information (CSI) and machine learning.
Raymond Nunez is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy and provides security consulting with a special focus on financial services, government systems, and telecommunications industries while teaching Computer and Network Security to graduate students at UP Diliman and DLSU. He is currently getting his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, majoring in Computer Security. He and his teammate Siege won the much-coveted Black Badge at DEF CON 24, the world’s largest hacking conference held annually in Las Vegas, for winning the CTP Contest. They are now free for life at DEF CON, aside from bragging rights. Raymond regularly takes security certifications and is the first (GIAC Security Expert) GSE from the Philippines.
Engr. Noel C. Ocampo is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy and a Senior Project Consultant at OGS/United Health Care Group. He is also a part-time instructor at Ateneo de Manila University since February 2022, teaching in the Department of Electronics, Computer, & Communications Engineering. He has been a senior IT Project Consultant at Optum Global Advantage since 2017, working full-time on network project management and BPO. He was also a Regional PMO Head – AVP at Citi from January 2010 to December 2016, with project management and infrastructure delivery responsibilities. He also served as Senior Manager at Accenture from September 2007 to December 2009, working in network and voice operations at Cybergate II. He completed his BS ECE degree at Don Bosco Technical College and MBA at De La Salle University and graduated Cum Laude and 5th Placer in the 1987 ECE Licensure Examination.
Lyberius Ennio Taruc is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy, an NFV Infrastructure Engineer and Architect at Globe Telecom, a Part-Time Instructor at FEU Institute of Technology, and a Consultant at Asia Open RAN Academy, an experienced Core Network Engineer and NFVi Design Architect with a demonstrated telecommunications industry history. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from FEU Institute of Technology and graduated as Magna Cum Laude. Ongoing Master’s Degree for MS in Computer Engineering – Data Science and Engineering in PUP.
Melchizedek Alipio, Ph.D., is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy and a postdoctoral researcher in the System Testing Intelligent Laboratory (STILL) at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic. He has also been with the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines since 2019. He received the Best Paper award at the 2017 IEEE Global Conference in Consumer Electronics (GCCE) and the Best Presenter award at the 2020 IEEE Information Technology, Electronics, and Mobile Communication Conference (IEMCON). His research interests include Wireless Sensor Networks, the Internet of Things, Intelligent Systems, Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.
Peter Sy, Ph.D., is one of the course co-creators at Asia Open RAN Academy and is a distinguished figure in the intersection of technology, ethics, and health. As the Chairman of the Privacy Experts Group for eHealth at the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), he plays a pivotal role in safeguarding patient data and privacy in the digital age. His expertise also extends to the national stage, where he is a Consultant for developing a National AI Governance Framework with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). With a resolute commitment to ethics, Dr. Sy is an Independent Consultant with the National Ethics Committee (NEC) and a Member and Lecturer with the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), explicitly contributing to the Committee on Information Dissemination, Training, and Advocacy (CIDTA). His academic contributions include leading the Ad Hoc Committee on Open Data at the University of the Philippines Diliman and directing the Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) Program at the Philippine Genome Center and the Diliman Interactive Learning Center (DILC).
