CHAIRPERSON
Mr. Eduardo Jimenez
Kabalikat para sa Maunlad na Buhay, Inc.
Eduardo Jimenez is currently the President of Kabalikat para sa Maunlad na Buhay, Inc. (KMBI). He was the former Executive Director of KMBI and Alliance of Philippine Partners in Enterprise Development (APPEND). He also works as a Microfinance Consultant of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and also the Regional Coordinator for Asia of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI).
He took up BSC Economics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and did graduate studies at the University of the Philippines-Diliman and at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. He attends the Victory Christian Fellowship and is also actively serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of several Christian Development Organizations like REACH Discipleship Ministries, World Vision Philippines and WV International, Resources for the Blind (RBI).
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Mr. Gilbert Stephan S. Maramba
Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc.
“Gilbert “Gomby” Stephan S. Maramba is currently the Director for Operations of NWTF. He has been with the organization for almost 21 years. He is also currently a board member of the Microfinance Data Sharing Credit Bureau and Restart Micro-Enterprise Inc.
Gomby earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at the University of the Philippines Visayas.
CORPORATE SECRETARY
Ms. Marilyn Magampon-Manila
CARD, Inc.
She has been in the world of development work for 24 years. Currently, she is the “legacy keeper”of the CARD MRI group in the Philippines, translated in her functions of being the Chair and President of two companies in the group, CARD MRI Publishing House and the CARD MRI Hijos Tours Inc. The Publishing House documents how the CARD MRI group evolves and grows as a social development group, how it responds to changes in the market and how, through time, it approaches its mission to eradicate poverty in the Philippines. This is being done across all communication platforms both traditional (print, broadcast) and online, including management of the group’s social media presence and relationship with the media, ensuring that the core values of the group are not misinterpreted or not lost as platforms vary. The Hijos Tours is a tour and events curator specializing in community based, cultural heritage tours and events both for staff and clients of the group, ensuring that through its tours and events, the core values of the group are explicitly embedded and communicated. Both companies safeguard the group’s culture and core values through creatively crafting the group’s tangible (books, etc) and intangible forms of documentation such as official hymns, dances which tells what is CARD MRI, films, etc.
Her bachelor degree is Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. She is a graduate of Masters in Entrepreneurship in Social Development from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila. She is also a recent alumnae of the Senior Executive Leadership Program of the Harvard Business School.
She is a fulfilled career woman, a happy mother to her 9 year old son and a staunch advocate of finding life’s true north.
TREASURER
Mr. Nilo B. Cellon, Jr.
ASA Philippines Foundation, Inc
Nilo is the Chief Field Operations Officer of ASA Philippines Foundation, bringing over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and development sector. His career includes a significant tenure in Ghana, West Africa, where he contributed to Oxfam UK’s market access promotion project.
A pioneering staff member of ASA Philippines Foundation, Nilo played a crucial role during the organization’s formative years, helping to shape its growth into one of the leading microfinance institutions in the Philippines. With deep expertise in microfinance operations, he has led key initiatives in policy formulation, branch expansion, delinquency management, and disaster response.
He is a licensed forester and holds academic degrees from Bicol University and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM). He further enhanced his professional qualifications through the Management Development Program at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations(UPSOLAIR).
INTERNAL AUDITOR
Mr. Jonar Dorado
RAFI Micro-Finance, Inc.
Jonar Dorado is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive background in financial management, human resource development, strategic planning and development, systems and process improvements. He served various leadership capacities for over 20 years in development international organizations. He is a former Executive Director of the microfinance arm of Work Vision Philippines and currently the Chief Operating Officer of RAFI Micro-Finance, Inc.
MEMBERS
Ms. Maros Apostol
Community Economic Ventures, Inc.
Maros has more than thirty years in development work as a microfinance practitioner and technical advisor, with a further six years in training and management consultancy and four years in civil service focusing on urban poor livelihood security.
Her prior work experience includes General Manager for SPBD Microfinance Samoa Technical Advisor for SPBD Fiji and Tonga, COO and Chief of Party for – Thaneakea Phum (Cambodia) Ltd. Chief of Office – Catholic Relief Services – USCC, Project Manager for Savings and Credit program – Concern Worldwide, and Program Manager at TSPI Development Corp. (Philippines)
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 graduate of Agriculture from the University of the Phils at los Banos, she received her MBA in Marketing Research from De la Salle University – Graduate School of Business and Economics (Philippines) and attended the Wharton – Aresty Institute of Executive Education in Advanced Leadership on March 2010
Maros was the Executive Director of Community Economic Ventures from 2015 until 2023. She re-joined CEVI in March 2026.
Fr. Rex Paul Arjona
SEDP-Simbag sa Pag-asenso, Inc.
Fr. Rex Paul Arjona is currently the President and CEO of SEDP-Simbag Microfinance, Board Vice President of SEDP-Mutual Benefit Association, Executive Secretary of Diocesan Pastoral Council, Diocese of Legazpi, and a Roman Catholic Bishop of Legazpi.
He finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy at Mater Salutis College Seminary and earned his Master’s in Theology at Loyola School of Theology and Master’s in Development Management at Asian Institute of Management.
Mr. Jeffrey Dela Cruz
Alalay Sa Kaunlaran Microfinance Social Development Inc.
Jeffrey D.G. Dela Cruz is a seasoned microfinance professional with over two decades of experience in microfinance operations, leadership, credit management, and recovery.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, major in Entrepreneurship, from Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST). He began his career with ASKI in 2003 as a Project Officer and has since held various leadership and management positions, including Team Leader, Project Unit Supervisor, Branch Manager, and Area Manager.
Throughout his career, Mr. Dela Cruz has gained extensive experience in managing microfinance operations across different areas, including Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac. His professional background has equipped him with strong expertise in operational management, credit risk assessment, delinquency management, collection, recovery, and people development.
Since 2022, he has been serving as the Legal and Recovery Department Manager at the ASKI Head Office, where he leads initiatives in strengthening collection and recovery strategies and managing delinquent accounts.
Mr. Dela Cruz is also an accredited trainer of the ASKI Skills and Knowledge Institute. He is passionate about leadership and people development and believes that effective leadership is measured by the ability to develop, empower, and inspire others.
Mr. Peter Montalban
Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc.
Peter Montalban is the President-CEO of Taytay sa Kauswagan (A Microfinance NGO), Inc. (TSKI) and a member of the TSKI Board. Prior to his appointment last December 2022, he was TSKI’s Corporate Treasurer and at the same time the Chief Financial Officer of TSKI Subsidiaries. He founded and headed, as the President-CEO, Kauswagan Micro Solutions Inc. (KMSI) which primary purpose was to recover TSKI’s past due and written-off accounts. KMSI evolved through time and is now one of the biggest manpower agencies in the country providing services to various business sectors such as healthcare, shipping, food processing, transportation, and hotel services.
Presently, Mr. Montalban is also a Board of Director of Restart Micro-Enterprise Inc. (RestartMe), Microfinance Information Data Sharing Inc. (MiDAS Inc.), APPEND Inc., and InsuranceKo.
He is a Certified Public Accountant. He finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy at Central Philippines University and earned his Master’s in Public Management from the University of the Philippines.