Congress Speakers

Dr. Napoleon M. Mabaquiao, Jr. is a Distinguished Full Professor in the Department of Philosophy at De La Salle University-Manila, where he has also served as Chair and Graduate Program Coordinator. His expertise lies in ethics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mind, with a notable contribution to the development of Filipino philosophy. Dr. Mabaquiao earned his bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) and master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and completed his doctoral studies in Philosophy at De La Salle University-Manila, where he was awarded gold medals for high distinction and outstanding dissertation. He has authored numerous journal articles in both English and Filipino and has written several books. Among them are Mind, Science, and Computation, which was a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award, and Ang Mabuting Kita: Mga Isyu ng Etika sa Negosyo, which received the 2024 NAST (National Academy of Science and Technology) Outstanding Book Award. Dr. Mabaquiao is also the editor of the forthcoming AI Ethics Primer for Filipinos.

Dr. Benito "Ben" L. Teehankee is the Corazon C. Aquino Professor of Business and Management at the Department of Management and Organization (where he served as founding Department Chairman in 2011-14) of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. He has taught the following courses at some point in his more than 40 years of teaching: sociology, statistics, research methods, total quality management, business ethics, organizational behavior, managing change, strategic management, corporate governance, management theory, business intelligence & analytics, humanistic management, service management, action research, and faith-based management. His recent publications include "Makataong pamamahala (person-centered management): Toward indigenizing Filipino management research and practice in the Philippines" in Decision Journal (2023), "Master and slave: The dialectic of human-artificial intelligence engagement" (with Tae Won Kim, et al.) in Humanistic Management Journal (2021), and "Managing for the common good: Catholic Social Teachings and ethical management practice" (with Margaret Que) in Journal of Business, Ethics and Society (2021). He was recognized by De La Salle University as an Outstanding Lasallian Partner in Formation in 2012. In 2021, he was awarded by the University for the Most Cited Scopus Paper in the Area of Business and Social Sciences for 2019 and 2020 for "A Call to Action Research for Transformations: The Times Demand It" in Action Research Journal.

Cheryll Ruth Soriano, PhD. is a Professor and Research Fellow at De La Salle University. She is actively engaged in global, regional, and national research networks on digital communication, platformization, and digital labor. Her work explores how platforms and advanced technologies such as AI are embedded within social, technological, and economic processes, as well as how these create new forms of work or shape labor conditions and organizing practices, particularly in global majority contexts. She is researching the local labor supply chains and skills critical to the production and sustenance of platforms and AI systems.

Cheryll is the Principal Investigator of Fairwork Philippines (2021–present), Partner-Investigator for the eight-country project Digital Transaction Platforms in Asia (2022–present), and co-leads an interdisciplinary FutureWORKSAsia action research project on the intersections of platform labor and climate change in the Philippines. Her books are Philippine Digital Cultures: Brokerage Dynamics on YouTube (Amsterdam University Press, with E. Cabalquinto), Asian Perspectives on Digital Culture: Emerging Phenomena, Enduring Concepts (Routledge, with S.S. Lim), and The Critical Prosumer (Communication Foundation for Asia, with Del Mundo, C, & Mariano, G., eds). She is one of the founding editors of the journal Platforms & Society and sits on the Editorial Boards of a number of journals in communication and media studies. She is a member of the International Panel for the Information Environment and co-leads the DLSU-College of Liberal Arts research group on AI, Platforms, & Society. Cheryll was also appointed as a member of the CHED Technical Panel for Broadcasting, Communication and Journalism (2025-2028).

Ezekiel Bernardo, Ph.D., recently completed his doctoral studies in Industrial Engineering at De La Salle University, where he also earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees through an accelerated honors program. His academic journey reflects a deep passion for Affective Design, exploring its critical role in shaping Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Ezekiel’s research initially focused on how emerging technologies could transform sectors like health, education, and e-commerce, but his work has evolved to center on creating more emotionally intelligent AI systems, emphasizing user trust and experience.

A pivotal achievement in his career is his groundbreaking work in Explainable AI (XAI), where he pioneered the integration of affective design principles. By merging emotional intelligence with traditional cognitive explanations, Ezekiel has redefined how trust is fostered in human-AI interactions. This innovation earned him the MDPI Editor’s Choice Award, recognizing his XAI article as particularly influential and insightful within the scientific community. Also, Ezekiel’s expertise also garnered him the IEA/Kingfar Award for Research in Human Factors and Ergonomics, an accolade awarded to early-career professionals for their outstanding contributions to the evolving landscape of human factors and ergonomics. His research offers a forward-looking perspective on how affective elements can reshape user-centered design in AI.

In addition to his research, Ezekiel holds certifications in Big Data (University of California, San Diego), Strategic Management and Innovation (Copenhagen Business School), Agile Development (University of Virginia Darden School of Business), and Project Management (University of California, Irvine). He currently teaches full-time, leading courses in physical and cognitive ergonomics, product design, statistics, and system dynamics at the undergraduate level, alongside design thinking and human-AI interaction at the graduate level. His role as thesis research coordinator allows him to guide the next generation of researchers, shaping the future of industrial engineering.

Ezekiel is a regular speaker at international conferences and has published numerous articles in Scopus-indexed journals. His thought leadership in Affective Explainable AI has brought him to prominent stages, including the 2023 International Ergonomics Association Webinar Series and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society’s Ergoneering 2022, where he shared insights on how emotions intersect with AI design.

Beyond academia, Ezekiel has made significant contributions as a consultant for non-profit organizations, focusing on the intersection of digital innovation and user-centric design. His projects include developing a telehealth platformin response to COVID-19 in collaboration with the World Health Organization, improving education systems with Australian Aid Pathways, and providing human-centric process policy recommendations for local health units with FHI 360. These experiences have sharpened his ability to implement human factors solutions in diverse systems, combining both systemic and user-centered approaches.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found 80/20 Design Labs, a consulting firm that helps students and startups excel in user experience (UI/UX) design. Currently, Ezekiel’s research focuses on advancing machine learning and deep learning technologies for ergonomic assessments, exploring the design of affective AI systems, and improving human-AI collaboration in the development of affective robots.

Geraldine “Dina” Bernardo is a graduate of Physical Therapy from the University of the Philippines, and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management at the Asian Institute of Management. Her foray into sports began when she trained as a National Athlete and Team Captain of the Philippine Women’s Dragon Boat Team, winning two gold medals in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. Dina was elected as Chairperson of the POC Athletes Commission. And was appointed as the first female Executive Director of the Philippine Sports Commission, handling the administrative functions and operations of the country’s sport governing body. A recipient of various international training from the International Olympic Committee, Babson College, and M.I.T., Dina is also the first Filipina accepted into the inaugural class of the Global Sports Mentoring Program under the U.S. State Department. From there, she launched programs such as SWEEP or Sport for Women’s Empowerment and Employment Program and RePLAY, ReLIVE, and ReCREATE using sport for psychosocial relief for survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.

She is an accredited sport mediator and a lecturer for Sport Management and Strategic Management at the De La Salle University. She is pursuing her DBA there, with research interests in athlete and sport entrepreneurship. She also recently assumed the position of Executive Director of the DLSU Office of Sports Development, overseeing the varsity teams across 16 sport categories.

Dr. Mark Anthony Dacela is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at De La Salle University Manila, specializing in epistemology while also exploring ethics and the philosophy of education. From 2012 to 2024, he served as the department’s Undergraduate Program Coordinator. He has been awarded the Dominga Cecilia Cabangon Chair in Comparative Philosophy (AY 2022–2023) and the Emerita S. Quito Chair in the History of Thought (AY 2023–2024), both conferred by De La Salle University. In 2025, he was nominated by the De La Salle University College of Liberal Arts for the St. Benilde Romancon Pillar of Lasallian Excellence Award in Teaching. He is also the Founding Convenor of the De La Salle University Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, leading the event from 2016 to 2024. Most recently, he co-edited the book “Stephen Hetherington on Epistemology,” published by Bloomsbury.

Engr. Mike Manguerra is currently the director of ASIST or the Academic Support for Instructional Services and Technology, an academic support unit of De La Salle University Manila that extends professional development and training in pedagogical and technological skills to Administrators, Faculty and Students. He has been an educator for over a decade and leads EdTech Innovations of the University.