2026 Summit Speakers

Karla P. Delgado is a leading Filipina environmentalist, regenerative farmer, and the co-founder of Kai Farms in Silang, Cavite. A passionate advocate for food sovereignty, climate action, and women in agriculture, she transforms land into permaculture ecosystems featuring seed-saving hubs, medicinal forests, and solar-powered facilities. Beyond hands-on farming, Delgado serves as the Chief Sustainability Officer of the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG), bridging corporate responsibility with grassroots stewardship. As an active Slow Food movement member, she empowers local communities through agritourism and grow-your-own-food workshops, inspiring a deep shift toward ecological mindfulness and biodiversity preservation.

Joe Mari Fulgencio is a regenerative systems strategist, socio-permaculture advocate, holistic health coach, and cultural worker dedicated to sustainable, community-centered transformation. He is the founder of AECO-Weavers and the Philippine Natural and Traditional Medicine Advocates (PHILNATMA), integrating ecological restoration, traditional healing, and indigenous knowledge into regenerative programs. As Community Outreach Specialist for Luntiang Diwang and Pacita Organic Garden, he empowers grassroots communities through nature-based education, permaculture, circular economy, and participatory health initiatives. His work bridges ancestral wisdom with modern systems thinking to strengthen ecological resilience, cultural continuity, and community well-being while advancing regenerative agriculture and holistic development.

Patricia Maris Quizon, RND, is a registered culinary dietitian, researcher, and chef behind Ikapati Hands. Inspired by Lakapati, the Tagalog deity of fertility and agriculture, her work bridges scientific nutrition with a deep, spiritual connection to food and nature. As a biodynamic practitioner, Chef Pat advocates for sustainable food systems, ancestral wisdom, and holistic wellness. Through educational workshops and curated culinary experiences, she uses her platform to empower communities to view cooking as a sacred act of creation. By focusing on seasonal ingredients and mindful food preparation, she inspires people to reconnect with the earth and honor food as both physical sustenance and medicine.

Reena Gamboa is the president of Slow Food Negros. Based at her ancestral home, Casa A. Gamboa in Silay City, she champions sustainable farming and cultural preservation. Continuing the legacy of her relative, legendary food critic Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, Reena documents endangered regional ingredients like batuan and kadyos. She bridges grassroots farming with global initiatives, spearheading culinary heritage tourism and hosting the Terra Madre Asia-Pacific festival. Through her dedicated work with local farmers, indigenous communities, and tourism boards, she successfully positions Negros Occidental as a major international hub for biodiversity, food security, and eco-conscious dining.

Wit Holganza is an entrepreneur, farmer, and passionate advocate for regenerative agriculture and Philippine cacao. She founded Gran Verde Farm, a regenerative cacao and agri-tourism farm in Davao, and Wit’s Sweets & Savouries, creating artisanal products from cacao and local ingredients. She is also developing Mana Food Forest in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, an urban food forest that promotes food resilience and regenerative living. A founding incorporator of Cacao City Marketing Cooperative, Wit champions collaboration and market opportunities for cacao growers and makers. As Chairperson of the Davao City Cacao Industry Development Council, she leads programs and events that bring the cacao community together. At the heart of her work is a simple passion: growing good food, creating meaningful experiences, and helping Philippine cacao thrive.

Jennelyn C. Bengoa is a University Researcher II at the Vegetable and Legume Crops Unit of the Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a master’s degree in Horticulture, both from UPLB.

She leads and contributes to several research projects focused on crop breeding and varietal development, which resulted in the registration of new vegetable and ornamental varieties. Her work also includes publication of scientific journal articles and the development of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials to support the dissemination and application of research findings. She is also involved in national technical working groups (TWGs), contributing her expertise to programs and initiatives related to vegetable research and development.

In addition to her research work, she has served as a resource person in several seminars and training covering a wide range of topics, including vegetable breeding and seed production, organic vegetable production, introduction to indigenous vegetables, preparation and application of natural farm inputs, and organic vegetable seed processing and storage.

In recognition of her contributions, she was recognized as the UPLB Outstanding Researcher in the Junior Category in 2023.

Rafael Silva is an organic farmer, educator, and the founder of Kayumanggi Farm in Lipa City, Batangas. Melding permaculture principles with bio-intensive market gardening, he transformed their lot into a thriving, chemical-free food system. Recognized by the Department of Agriculture as a Successful Organic Agriculture Farmer, Rafael champions tropical agroecology, food self-sufficiency, and closed-loop farming. Beyond managing KFarm, he heads the Asociacion Organico Agricultura de Lipa, the city’s group of organic and natural farmers. They actively collaborate with agricultural networks to mentor urban growers and rural farmers. Through hands-on workshops and online platforms, Rafael inspires communities to build resilient, sustainable ecosystems that restore soil health and produce food locally.

Mabi David is a writer, plant-based advocate, and Head of Advocacy and Partnerships at Good Food Community, a social enterprise in the Philippines pioneering Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) or Pamayanihan. Through this solidarity model, she bridges the gap between smallholder organic farmers and urban consumers to foster a fair, ethical, and sustainable food system. As a passionate voice for food justice, seed sovereignty, and agroecology, David co-edited the book Makisawsaw: Recipes x Ideas, framing plant-based food as a medium for social resistance and worker solidarity. By organizing local markets, leading workshops, and defending farmers’ rights, she inspires conscious consumption and collective action.

Haley Atienza (“Hal”) is a Cebu-based Filipino NGO worker, environmentalist, and digital creator who champions seed sovereignty and sustainable agriculture across the Philippines. He works directly with rural communities to promote organic farming, native crop preservation, and climate-resilient practices, using his social media platforms to educate the public and bridge the gap between urban consumers and local farmers. When he is not on the farm, Hal pursues his passions as an avid mountaineer, spelunker, and scuba diver, blending his deep love for outdoor exploration with environmental conservation and professional landscape photography.

Olive Puentespina is a pioneering Filipino artisan cheesemaker and agricultural entrepreneur from Davao City. In 2008, she founded Malagos Farmhouse Cheese, turning a backyard experiment with pet goats into a premier brand crafting over 25 varieties of European-style cheeses from local milk. Her innovative culinary craftsmanship earned her the ASEAN Women Entrepreneur Award. Following the passing of her husband, Dr. Bo Puentespina, she also became CEO of Davao Thermo Biotech Corporation. Today, Olive champions environmental stewardship by using advanced thermophilic technology to convert organic waste into biofertilizers, seamlessly uniting sustainable agriculture with world-class Filipino gastronomy.

Tey Krishna Lopez is a cultural worker, food justice advocate and rights activist based in Manila. He is a founding member of Food Today, Food Tomorrow, a coalition of food justice advocates, artists, and urban poor organisations working towards food sovereignty in the city. He advocates for agroecology through collective gardens as a strategy for food security, empowerment, and assertion of the urban poor’s right to the city. He is also a Farmers Development Programme staff of Good Food Community, and secretariat member of People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS).

Jed Guinto is an agricultural economist, development consultant, and former professor at the Camarines Norte State College – College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CNSC-CANR). An alumnus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, he furthered his expertise in Technology and Society at Wageningen University in the Netherlands under the Ford Foundation Fellowship. At CNSC-CANR, he shaped future agricultural leaders before expanding his impact into community development and rural welfare. Guinto has lent his expertise to prominent non-governmental organizations, serving as a consultant for Save the Children Philippines and working with the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement to champion sustainable countryside growth.

Rica Villanueva-Gadi is the CEO and Founding Principal of Bamboo Bootcamp, an educational movement elevating native bamboo into a climate-resilient building material in the Philippines. Shifting from a corporate BPO career after a 2020 workshop, she now champions sustainable architecture alongside Architect Jed Michael de Guzman. Based at Hayag Farm School in Marilog District, Davao City, Gadi leads intensive masterclasses for architects, engineers, and local builders. Her programs span the entire supply chain, covering sustainable harvesting, treatment, and advanced structural joinery. Featured by Vogue Philippines, her grassroots work empowers communities and fosters economic regeneration through modern bamboo eco-structures.

Dr. Ann Frances R. Rodrigues is a Lifestyle Medicine physician, educator, and community steward whose work connects human health, ecological well-being, and social responsibility. Trained in Lifestyle and Culinary Medicine, she has worked in community healthcare, corporate well-being, and public health initiatives. She currently serves as a full-time faculty member at Mapúa University School of Medicine, where she teaches future physicians to understand health through the interconnected relationships among people, culture, place, and environment.

As a co-steward of the Sanghiblayan Collective, Dr. Ann explores regenerative approaches that reconnect communities with land, food, and traditional wisdom. Her work reflects the shared principles of permaculture and Lifestyle Medicine, including prevention, stewardship, resilience, and creating systems where people and ecosystems can thrive together. She is also a mixed media artist and advocates for holistic approaches to healing, learning, and regeneration.

Atty. Mark Martinez is an environmental lawyer and staff attorney for the Philippine non-profit Tanggol Kalikasan Inc. He is best known for his legal leadership in halting the 247-megawatt Banahaw Wind Power Project, successfully defending the Mounts Banahaw–San Cristobal Protected Landscape from large-scale turbine infrastructure. Martinez advocates for community rights, constitutional protections for a healthy ecology, and intergenerational equity. Notably, he exposed the regulatory “procedural shortcuts” used to clear protected land for meteorological masts. His strategic legal and civic campaigns led to the official cancellation and voluntary surrender of the project’s renewable energy contract in 2026.