The University of the Philippines congratulates its seven alumni who are among this year’s 15 The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service!
Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba is a lawyer who has bravely championed peacebuilding, good governance, and participatory and inclusive leadership in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and in her expansive history of public service. Following BARMM’s creation in 2019, she was appointed as the region’s first Attorney General. In 2022, she was appointed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament, and she subsequently served as the region’s Minister of the Interior and Local Government from 2023 to 2025. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from UP Diliman.
Atty. Maria Kristina Conti is a human rights lawyer and activist who has fearlessly defended victims of extrajudicial killings, unjust arrests and red-tagging from the streets, to courtrooms, to the International Criminal Court as the first Filipina lawyer registered at the international tribunal. From 2011 to 2012, she served as the 29th Student Regent of the UP System. Atty. Conti earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Juris Doctor degrees from UP Diliman.
Maria Salve Ibañez-Duplito is a business journalist who has advocated for financial literacy and empowerment across her work in broadcast media, digital platforms and various community programs. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree from UP Diliman.
Dr. Decibel Faustino-Eslava is a geologist, researcher and educator who has tirelessly worked to make environmental science education accessible, especially to climate-vulnerable communities across the country. She finished her Bachelor of Science in Geology and Master of Science in Geology degree in UP Diliman, and she is currently a professor at the UP Los Baños School of Environmental Science and Management.
Dr. Maria Cielo Magno is an economist and educator who has fought for fiscal transparency without compromise. She firmly stood for evidence-based policymaking during her tenure as Undersecretary for Fiscal Policy and Monitoring of the Department of Finance. Even after leaving her post, she continues to advocate for good governance and reforms, be it in classrooms or the streets. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Economics and Master of Arts in Economics from UP Diliman, and is currently a professor at the UP Diliman School of Economics.
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla-Taborlupa is a distinguished military officer who has led pioneering work in cybersecurity along with empowering communities towards peace and development. She made history as the first female spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its 89 years of existence, representing the military and defending our nation’s sovereignty with pride, courage and integrity. She finished her Master of Information Systems degree from the UP Open University.
Dr. Katherine Ann Reyes is recognized for her groundbreaking research and leadership in public health, and a career dedicated to ensuring that vulnerable communities receive quality, accessible and evidence-based healthcare. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from UP Manila, and she currently leads the Health Promotion Program of the UP Manila National Institutes of Health.
Padayon, and continue serving the people!
