Bayan-anihan

Press Launch
GK Selecta Farm, San Andres, Cainta, Rizal
8 July 2009, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

SPEAKERS’
PROFILES
ANTONIO “TONY”
MELOTO
NATION BUILDER, GAWAD KALINGA DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION INC.

Tony Meloto is a known to be a living Filipino

Hero. Thus, he is a recipient of the prestigious
Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s equivalent to the
Nobel Prize. In his endeavor to bring about change
in the society, he has touched the lives of many
Filipinos in all walks of life by uplifting the plight
of the poor through his vision and advocacy work
in Gawad Kalinga. He initiated a movement that
mobilized multi-sectoral groups to provide decent
housing for homeless and poor Filipino families.
He shifted the mindset of the needy from
worthlessness to empowerment and from culture
of lethargy to a culture of productivity. The effect
is so evident that it gives the community a higher
level of dignity and a reason to start life anew
with greater hope, faith and solidarity. Gawad
Kalinga, through his leadership, has created
positive transformation to the community and
exponentially brought improvement to the lives of
 ARTHUR CUA YAP
SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap,

throughout his long years of dedicated
service, has become a beacon of light for
those seeking a man worthy of trust and
support. The youngest to be appointed to
the Cabinet of President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo, Yap was originally a lawyer by
profession, affording him in-depth and
intimate knowledge of the law which helps
him tackle the complexities and issues
presented to him. He approved of GK’s
model for food sufficiency, Bayan-anihan,
and initiated a partnership with GK to make
sure that no Filipino ever goes hungry
again. Secretary Yap shares the vision of
Source:
GK Bayan-anihan and has committed to www.gawadkalinga.org
build an initial 500 farms in 2009. Bayan-
anihan’s mantra of “No idle land, No idle
hand” best exemplifies the holistic model
 JOHN MARIE ARANETA
CONCEPCION
CHAIRMAN, BAYAN-ANIHAN FOUNDATION INC.

John Concepcion is currently the Managing

Director of Unilever RFM Ice Cream,
Incorporated. Prior to this, he was President
& COO of Selecta Dairy Products and the
Liquid Milk & Juice Division. He also
managed the Hershey’s Chocolate Candies
distribution in the Philippines. He holds
degrees in Marketing from Seattle
University and in Business Administration
from Regis School, Denver, Colorado. He
started his involvement in Gawad Kalinga
when Selecta adopted a village in San
Source: Andres, Cainta. The GK immersion has
www.unilever.com
www.businessmirror.com
changed the spirit of Selecta’s labor force.
The employees, together with John
Concepcion’s family spearheaded
fundraising activities and gave all proceeds
to Gawad Kalinga. Selecta, through John’s
leadership, is one of Bayan-anihan’s
 RICHARD MICHAEL N.
DIMAGIBA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BAYAN-ANIHAN FOUNDATION INC.

Mike was one of the youngest and most

promising Filipino leaders at Unilever. He
spent a few years in the Philippines as
Selecta’s VP for Marketing and later went to
Thailand as the region’s VP for Marketing in
Asia. He was also the Global Brand Director
of Ice Cream Vitality and the European
Brand Director for Ice Cream Justified
Pleasure Platform based in Italy. He decided
to return to the Philippines this year to
serve as the Executive Director of Bayan-
anihan, the food-sufficiency program of GK.
Source:
Mike shares his expertise in making sure www.gawadkalinga.org
that every Filipino will no longer be hungry
in his own country. Together with Selecta
president and staunch GK partner John
Concepcion, they hope to make a global
template against hunger.
 JOE TALE
DIRECTOR, COUPLES FOR CHRIST

Joe Tale is the Director of the Couples for

Christ (CFC) community. He has had
extensive professional experience both in
the private sector and government. A
lawyer, Joe served as general Counsel of the
Shell Group of companies in the Philippines.
He was also invited to serve in government
twice. He was Cabinet Undersecretary and
Deputy head of the Presidential Management
Staff during the term of President Cory
Aquino. He returned to the private sector
but in 2001, upon the assumption of Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo as President, he was again
invited to serve in government as Deputy
Executive Secretary in the Office of the Source:
www.cfcpedia.wikia
President.