2026 Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards gets distinguished panel of judges

MANILA, Philippines — The 2026 Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards ceremony was held last night at the Sheraton Manila Hotel. For the Inquirer’s second year of recognizing and celebrating remarkable ESG initiatives, six distinguished judges provided their expertise and insights in assessing this year’s submissions through a series of rigorous evaluations. The judges were divided into two panels that evaluated the participants’ written submissions, where shortlisted qualifiers had the opportunity to present their entries before the panel. Article continues after this advertisement Environment Category Ann Margret Francisco. With an extensive 17 years of experience in the Philippine power industry, Ann Margret Francisco, Asia-Pacific director and Philippine country manager at the Global Wind Energy Council, brings commercial and regulatory perspective to the panel. Her career spans key roles, starting in the public sector as an energy trader before moving to the private sector, where she spent over a decade managing renewable energy portfolios and business models. Since 2016, she has focused on renewable energy projects and business development. Her experience in both government and private sectors has given her a deep understanding of the energy landscape. Dr. Mylene Cayetano. Dr. Cayetano is professor and scientist at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, College of Science, and concurrently serves as assistant vice president in the Office of the Vice President for Development, UP System Administration. She brings to the panel a working scientist’s view of both atmospheric and emerging pollutant issues, with work that spans applying science to policy, collaborating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau on community interventions. As founding head of the Environmental Pollution Studies Laboratory, she aims to provide evidence-based scientific information leading to solutions that address pressing and emerging environmental pollution issues in the Philippines and Asia through teaching, research, extension, and service. Dr. Neil Aldrin Mallari. The president and chief scientist of the Center for Conservation Innovations Philippines, Dr. Neil Aldrin Mallari is a distinguished conservation scientist and senior leader with more than three decades of experience in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development. He co-developed the LAWIN Forest and Biodiversity Protection System and the Enhanced Biodiversity Monitoring System, both of which have strengthened the management of protected and conserved areas through improved enforcement and evidence-based decision-making. His contributions to conservation science and practice have been recognized nationally and internationally, including his distinction as a 2025 TOFIL Laureate, Ashoka Fellow, and National Geographic Explorer. Social, Governance, and Other Categories Dr. Leland Joseph dela Cruz. With his background and research focusing on corporate social entrepreneurship, Dr. Dela Cruz serves as the assistant vice president for social and environmental engagement for development and sustainability, and Laudato Si coordinator at Ateneo de Manila University. A seasoned associate professor of development studies at the same university where he has taught for more than 30 years, he holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from UP Diliman, as well as a master’s degree in Economics and a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies from Ateneo. Dr. Gary Ador Dionisio. A respected political analyst and governance expert, Dr. Gary Ador Dionisio currently serves as the dean of the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde and vice president of the Philippine Society for Public Administration. He holds a Doctor of Public Administration from UP NCPAG and a Master of Arts in Political Science from De La Salle University–Manila. With his deep-rooted experience in sector leadership and policy formulation, he is a local governance specialist, providing policy and governance advice to provincial governors and local chief executives, alongside providing expert commentary on a wide range of issues, including democratic governance, public administration, local governance issues, and international affairs. Atty. PoL Sangalang. With more than three decades of legal professional experience, Atty. PoL Sangalang is a seasoned human capital governance strategist and educator. Currently the national chair of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, his career includes serving as executive director of the National Labor Relations Commission-Department of Labor and Employment, chief legislative officer at the Philippine Senate, and university legal counsel of the University of the Philippines System. Today, he continues to share his expertise as a lecturer at the Philippine Law School, the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education program of the Supreme Court, while serving as mentor to business leaders, HR practitioners, and various organizations in the Philippines. /cb Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.