last updated on Tuesday July 01, 2008 15:41           

G.S.E.  TEAM  VISIT

               The Team Members

Danilo “Danny” K. Villena                                          

Team Leader, Group Study Exchange

Lecturer

Sponsored the Rotary Club of Metro Lipa

A Past President of The Rotary Club of Metro Lipa and currently, District Secretary for Administration of the Rotary International, District 3820, Danny, as he is fondly called by his close friends and colleagues in Rotary, is a full professor at the Philippine Normal University, the premier teacher education institution in the Philippines where he teaches some courses in Education both in the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is also the Head of the Department of Educational Management in the College of Education of the same university. Aside from university teaching, Danny is very much involved in conducting lectures in various seminars, workshops and conferences in different schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines. He is also very much active in giving review lectures for the licensure examination for teachers.

He is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Education with majors in English and History. He has to his credit two master’s degrees, Master of Public Management and Master of Science in Education, major in Secondary School Leadership, which he took and finished at the University of Central Arkansas, USA under an ambassadorial scholarship program of the Rotary Foundation of the Rotary International. He finished his Doctor of Philosophy major in Educational Management as Summa Cum Laude at the Royal Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, the oldest university in the Philippines.

Danny finds joy and fulfilment both in his works in the university and in Rotary. Despite his very busy schedule in the academy, he always finds time to participate in his club’s projects and activities. He loves to read a lot during his free time, sometimes, attend some ballroom dancing sessions or just have some fun with his favourite niece and nephew.

Felisa L. Malabayabas

Government Training

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Bay

 Lisa or Liz as fondly called by her friends and colleagues is the eldest daughter of Clemente and Aurea Malabayabas.  She finished her primary education at the Maquiling School, Inc in Los Baños, Laguna and attained her secondary education at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna.  In 1995, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Development Communication degree, major in Community Broadcasting at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

In the same year, she started working as a Research Assistant at the then Institute of Environmental Science and Management of UPLB under the Environmental Resource Management Program, which was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.  Two years after, she was accepted at the Training Centre for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability (TREES) of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources UPLB as a University Extension Associate.

She spent her pastime by cooking, playing badminton and reading all kinds of stuff that interest her.

Emily Ann P. Gonzales

Public Servant                                    

Sponsored by Rotary Club of Calamba City

Emily is a third generation public servant and teacher.  Immediately after graduation from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB) with a degree in Development Communication (major in Development Journalism), she entered the Colegio de San Juan de Letran as an English Instructor.

She remained in Letran as a full time instructor for 4 years and later joined the City Government of Calamba in various positions as a public servant.  She is currently working as Secretary  (Administrative Assistant V) to the City Mayor.

A consistent scholar, she graduated top of her class in college as a Foundation for Philippine Progress Scholar.  On her senior year, she served as Editor in Chief of the UPLB Perspective (the official campus paper of UPLB).  In high school, she was Class Salutatorian and Editor in Chief of the LCBA Chronicle.  She was also given the Special Achievement Award for placing first in various oratorical and essay writing contests.

A licensed professional teacher, Emily has taught English in Letran on a part time basis since 2001.  She also serves as thesis defense panellist, editor and consultant to City Mayor. 

She cooks, sings, reads, and takes care of her cats.  She works and writes best while listening to her personally selected songs.

Edmer A. Borja

Banker/Branch Manager         

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Metro Lipa

Edmer, a professional banker, academician and a management practitioner, has been in the field of universal retail banking and investment / fund management for the last thirteen years. After earning his master’s degree in Management Technology in 2001, he transformed himself into a “corporate entrepreneur” in the local banking and capital market sectors. The first ten years, he served in various supervisory capacities in Equitable PCI Bank, one of the Philippines’ largest banks, where he harnessed his acumen in portfolio and relationship management. He is currently a bank manager of Banco de Oro Universal Bank, the financial arm of one of the most successful business conglomerates in Asia, the SM Group of Companies.

Edmer is a resident professor at the De La Salle Graduate School of Business teaching Marketing Management course. Occasionally, he conducts lectures on   Leadership, Strategic Management and Breakthrough Service. While in the midst of crafting his banking career, he is also pursuing his degree in Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Batangas College of Law, still hoping to become a lawyer.

Completing his multi-dimensional personality, Edmer plays the piano, loves to sing and frequently hosts company programs and even wedding receptions.

Francia M. Salapre

Teaching

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Juan

Francia M. Salapare was born an educator. Having started teaching at the age of ten, gathering all her younger neighbours and teaching them in her backyard. She became an Outstanding Student-Teacher in high school. Since she cannot imagine herself in other fields, she pursued the degree in Bachelor of Elementary and Secondary Education and graduated with flying colours in 1994 at The National Teachers College, Manila. Her first experience as a professional teacher took place at Joseph Marello Institute, her high school alma mater, in San Juan, Batangas. After more than a year in private school, she felt that something was missing. She went to Manila and applied at the Division of City Schools and was assigned at Juan Luna Elementary School. There, she found the happiness she was longing for.

She was named Outstanding Teacher by her co-workers and parents in March 2000. She discovered and nurtured talents of her pupils and turned them into winners having bagged several championship awards. She directed school plays and programs and choreographed dances.  She devoted all her time and effort in looking after the welfare of her children, her students.

She believes that poverty and adversities are not hindrances in reaching her dream and happiness in what she does is her true measurement of success.

France, as she is dearly called by family and friends is happily and blissfully married to Romuel Salapare who manages their small business and a hands-on mom to their 4-year old son Aaron Joshua.