Research group IBON’s newly-elected Board expressed readiness to usher IBON Foundation’s research, education, information and advocacy work to a new level as the country anticipates a transition from one administration to another and beyond.

In a General Assembly, IBON Foundation members elected Thursday the members  its 2016-2017 Board of Trustees (BOT). After the assembly, the BOT elected its officers.

Elected as Board officers were retired  University of the Philippines Diliman (UP) women and development studies  professor Dr. Judy Taguiwalo (Chairperson); United Council of Churches of the Philippines bishop Solito Toquero (Vice Chairperson); University of the Philippines-Manila development studies professor Roland Simbulan (Secretary) and labor rights advocate Reynaldo Oliveros (Treasurer).

Other Trustees include Fr. Pedro Arguillas, MSC; former UP College of Fine Arts Dean  Prof. Neil Doloricon; Ateneo history professor Dr. Francis Gealogo; IBON executive editor Rosario Bella Guzman; IBON Partnership in Education for Development head Jazminda Lumang; IBON International director Antonio Tujan; UP Manila economics professor Dr. Edilberto Villegas; long time labor and women’s rights advocate Sr. Emelina Villegas, ICM; Atty Antony Charlemegne Yu and IBON executive director Sonny Africa.

Chairperson Taguiwalo said that IBON has fulfilled its mission of providing scientific and alternative economic and social analyses of policies and programs of various Philippine administrations since its establishment in 1978. IBON will continue to do so whoever emerges victorious in the May 9 elections. The Board looks forward to coming challenges as elections have not ever been able to deliver the genuine, strategic socio-economic and political change the country needs, said Taguiwalo.