Board of Trustees

VICE CHAIRPERSON
Ms. Ma. Rosario Apostol
Community Economic Ventures, Inc.

Maros is the Executive Director of CEVI. She has spent more than 30 years in development work as a microfinance practitioner and technical advisor in the field of operations, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, marketing research, new product development, resource fund mobilization, impact assessment, system audit, and transformation from a project to a regulated MFI institution. She also has more than 12 years in international development work experience in development finance, rural development, capacity building and post conflict management.

Maros’ microfinance competency has been honed and developed by working and exposure in different countries such as the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Uganda, Senegal, Fiji and Samoa

Maros attended the Wharton – Aresty Institute of Executive Education in Advanced Leadership. She received her MBA in Marketing Research from De la Salle University – Graduate School of Business and Economics and finished her bachelor’s degree in agriculture at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos.

CORPORATE SECRETARY
Mr. Josef M. Leron
CARD, Inc.

Josef M. Leron is a native of Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. He has an undergraduate degree of BS Accountancy in Ateneo de Naga University and a master’s degree in International Community Economic Development in Southern New Hampshire University. He also attended advance courses in executive program in general management and executive in management, innovation and technology in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Sloan School of Management. He started working in CARD, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) in 2002 as a teller and has since rose through the ranks. With more than 20 years of experience in microfinance, he now acts as the Director for Compliance of the said organization and covers other CARD companies. Consequently, he also serves as the Managing Director and a member of the Board of Director of CARD Myanmar CO. LTD. He also has relevant experience in risk management, financial inclusion, and corporate governance.

Ms. Maria Regina Pacifico
ASA Philippines Foundation

Ms. Maria Regina Pacifico aka “Shayn” is currently the Senior Director I – Head for Operations of ASA Philippines Foundation. She started to work in the foundation as Microfinance Officer. She headed Human Resource Department with other two departments for 12 years. Before working in ASA Philippines, she was hired as Research Associate in Institute on Church and Social Issues (ICSI) in Ateneo De Manila University and Urban Poor Associates (UPA) in Quezon City.

Ms. Pacifico earned units for Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology from Miriam College, took a certificate course for Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management in School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) from University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City; and Management in Business Administration from University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), Pasig City. Ms. Pacifico attained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Manila Central University (MCU), Caloocan City.

Mr. Ritzie Mar Apaitan
Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc.

Ritzie Mar B. Apaitan joined TSKI or Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc. (A Microfinance NGO) in 1997 as a Project Officer. His many years of experience in TSKI had afforded him extensive expertise in the field of microfinance including lending methodologies, product development, financial and operations management. He is currently holding a post as Chief Operating Officer of TSKI.

He has been an active member of the Microfinance Data Sharing Inc. (MiDas, Inc.) Technical Working Group by which he served as Chairman from 2016 until 2020. He has attended various national and international conferences in leadership and microfinance in Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Cambodia. He has also been a recipient of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Scholarship Program at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India in year 2017.

Mr. Apaitan earned his Baccalaureate Degree on AB Philosophy at the University of San Carlos Cebu City. He finished his Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Philippine Christian University Manila, and is currently doing his PhD in Education with concentration in Psychology and Guidance at the West Visayas State University in Iloilo City.