The World CIO 200 Summit Philippines, presented by OutSystems, was successfully held on 29 April 2026 at The Westin Manila, bringing together an exceptional gathering of CIOs, CISOs, digital leaders, and enterprise decision-makers from across the country.
As part of a global initiative by the Global CIO Forum, the World CIO 200 Summit serves as a premier platform to celebrate technology leadership, foster collaboration, and drive conversations around digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity, and the evolving role of CIOs. The Philippines gathering marked the 3rd edition of the roadshow in the country, reinforcing its growing influence in the regional technology ecosystem.
The success of the summit was further strengthened by the leadership and support of the Philippines Country Heads, including Ryan Jay A. Cabrera, Marilen Vibar, Joseph Victor S. Generato, Mark Rivera, and Arlene Romasanta, whose collective efforts played a pivotal role in bringing the community together.
A day of insightful leadership & collaboration
The summit commenced with opening remarks from Ronak Samantaray, CEO of Global Enterprise Connect, followed by a global perspective from Venkatesh Mahadevan, Global Board Member, Global CIO Forum, and a country address by Arlene Romasanta, President, Global CIO Forum Philippines.
The agenda featured a strong lineup of keynote sessions, panel discussions, and leadership conversations.
Philip A. Varilla delivered a keynote on Digital connectivity & ICT leadership, highlighting the evolving role of connectivity in national and enterprise transformation.
Gary Romualdez, Regional Sales Director at OutSystems, presented the vendor keynote “The future isn’t more AI tools: It’s context and governance,” focusing on structured and scalable AI adoption.
The Power Panel on “From competition to co-creation: Why cio communities win faster” was moderated by Robert Sanchez Paguia (Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)) and explored how collaboration and shared ecosystems accelerate innovation.
Panelists included:
- Allan Salim Cabanlong (ASCRIBE Cybersecurity Consulting Inc.)
- Teresa M. Manabat (Pag-IBIG Fund)
- Francis Adrian Viernes (Megaworld Corporation)
- Engr. George P. Tardio (Department of Information And Communications Technology)
Antonilo D.C. Mauricio from Innovation PH delivered a keynote on “AI, data sovereignty & the next knowledge economy,” addressing enterprise AI maturity and responsible intelligence.
Rajeev Dutt, Managing Director – MEA & APAC at Swiss GRC, shared insights on Automation, governance, and compliance for future-ready enterprises.
Joseph Victor Generato from Department of Transportation – Maritime Industry Authority presented a Case study on digital transformation, showcasing a real-world implementation with measurable ROI from the public sector.
Marlon Sorongon, CISO at Maybank Philippines, delivered the leadership session “The burnout-proof CIO.” focusing on resilience and sustainable leadership.
The Fireside Chat on “Sustainable Leadership in a 24/7 Digital World” was moderated by Dr. Richard Amansec (DOST-PCAARRD’s Management Information Systems Division (MISD) ) and explored leadership balance, cyber crisis response, and executive pressure in an always-on environment.
Panelists included:
- Angel S. Averia Jr. (Lito) (Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team)
- Col. Francel Margareth Padilla (Armed Forces of the Philippines)
- Roger A. Adaya (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts – Philippines)
Dominic Vincent Ligot from CirroLytix Research Services concluded the keynote sessions with “Human-centric digital transformation,” emphasizing ethical AI and inclusive leadership.
The summit concluded with a closing note by Mark Rivera from Pluxee Philippines, reinforcing the importance of community, collaboration, and future-focused leadership.
The success of the World CIO 200 Summit Philippines, presented by OutSystems, was made possible through the support of our valued partners:
- Title Partners: OutSystems, DB Results
- Gold Partners: Swiss GRC, Seagate
- Roundtable Partners: Questronix Corporation, IBM
- Exhibiting Partners: Akriviah, Sangfor, IT Depot
- Supporting Partner: eMudhra
CIO 200 awards & recognition ceremony
A key highlight of the summit was the CIO 200 Recognition & Felicitation Ceremony, celebrating outstanding technology leaders across four distinguished categories:
Next-Gen (5–10 Years of Experience)
- Mohammad Nizhar Acmad, Bangsamoro Transition Authority
Leader (10–15 Years of Experience)
- Joseph Victor Generato, Department of Transportation – Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
- Mary Joy Abueg, Palawan State University and National ICT Confederation of the Philippines
- Jon David Frilles, Kenvue
- Andrei Fereras, PJS Law
Master (15–20 Years of Experience)
- Anthony Monteras, Worldwide Resource Solutions
- Aljohn Bonifacio, HC Global Resource Asia, Inc.
- Mariam Chaouni, Al Barid Bank
- Talal Al-Aamer, Labour Market Regulatory Authority
- Marcelo Jr Rivera, Hospitality Innovators Inc.
- Kristian Melquiades, InLife
Legend (More Than 20 Years of Experience)
- Noel Adalia Dimasacat, VidaXL International Limited
- Aldrine Villanueva, Accenture
- Kenneth Catugas, ING Hubs B.V. Philippine Branch
- Julius Caesar Principe, Sumifru Philippines Corporation
- Frank Vibar, Asian Hospital and Medical Center
- Richard Amansec, Philippine Community eCenter Network, Inc.
- Lloyd Sioson, Philippine Guarantee Corporation
- Roselie Alday, Golden Key Integrated School of St. Joseph
- Bryan Leo Asis, Benby Enterprises
- Anmol Sharma, IGT Solutions
- Christopher Eslava, Sysu International Inc. and McCormick Philippines Inc.
- Lito Villanueva, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
- Albert Silva, San Beda University
- Sheridan Laroza, Thermo Fisher ScientifRoger Adaya, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts – Philippines
Looking ahead
The Philippines edition once again demonstrated the power of community, knowledge-sharing, and leadership in driving meaningful transformation across industries.
As the World CIO 200 Summit continues its global journey, more editions are scheduled across regions throughout the year, bringing together CIOs and technology leaders worldwide to collaborate, innovate, and lead the future of digital enterprise.
More editions to come in 2026.
