Gemma Bautista Sumague

Gemma is the current ESSA Program Coordinator. She developed herself and skills through the challenges and experiences in her various field of profession.  She worked at Smart Agriculture Program(SAP) of Lifebank Foundation that focused on holistic and sustainable agricultural value chain and functions as the Office Manager, Finance and Administration.   She co-founded SEA, Inc. and later became the Program Coordinator. She also had an extensive experience in retail operation as a Department Manager and was awarded as Star Employee in the year 2004.  As a social worker with a passion of developing sustainable communities, she was awarded for her exemplary leadership in Community Extension Service (1996). As a nurse, she is also a health advocate and volunteer in school promoting educational institution and community health.

She graduated Cum laude in her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSSW) and recipient of several awards as one of the outstanding students of Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus.  She holds multiple professional eligibilities under Philippine Professional Commission and earned units in Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration, Bachelor of Laws and Diploma in Teaching.

Lorela Locsin

Lorela is the current Senior Researcher of ESSA. She has experience as a Community Organizer for a Non-Government Organization, Technical Staff in the Office of the Liga Ng Mga Barangay in Bacolod City, Finance Analyst in DSWD KALAHI CIDSS Project, and as Administrative Staff in private companies. She’s a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Bachelor of Laws at the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod and the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos respectively.

Keziah Lei Santiago Sarmiento

Keziah Lei or much known as Ninya is a young advocate of Youth Empowerment and Environment Protection specially in Sustainable Agriculture. She took Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at Batangas State University PB Main I. As a catalyst of change, she initiated different community projects such as LEAD: Learn. Exeperience. Advocate. Workshop, a workshop where the youth are encouraged to learn sustainable farming, which was funded by the Erasmus Mundus and European Commission. Aside from that, she is a Youth Pass Certificate Holder of Erasmus+ as she took job-shadowing program in Palermo, Italy.

Enrique Canizares III

Enrique is the Mindanao based Researcher of ESSA. He is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology at the West Visayas State University. He is currently the Executive Director of Bayaw-ANI Inc., a loose network of social entrepreneurs based in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental. He is also the Co-Founder of Dawani Café that engage in vegetarian and organic food production. He used to be a Movement and Games Teacher at Gamot Cogon Waldorf School, a Rudolf Steiner based educational system in Brgy. Liboncogon, Zarraga, Iloilo.

Ma. Leeyan C. Dasmariñas

Ma. Leeyan is the Event/Community Organizer of ESSA. She is a graduate of Bachelor in Elementary Education major in General Education at Iloilo Science and Technology University. She is a License Professional Teacher and a consistent Student Leader and a working student under the Safety & Security, Environmental Disaster Mitigation and Management Office. She is currently taking her Master of Science in Industrial Education major in Educational Management.

Mary Claire Artiaga

Mary Claire is currently the Website Administration Officer of ESSA. She took Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Iloilo Science and Technology University.