Who We Are

The Knowledge Channel Foundation’s Board of Trustees is composed of esteemed leaders and advocates from diverse fields, unified by their commitment to advancing education in the Philippines. With expertise spanning media, education, business, and social development, the board provides strategic guidance and governance to ensure the foundation’s mission is fulfilled.

Board of TRUSTEES

Our Board of Trustees is composed of esteemed leaders from various fields who share the same advocacy as KCFI—improving the accessibility of quality education.

FEDERICO R. LOPEZ

Chairman

Mr. Federico R. Lopez is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. He is Chairman and CEO of publicly-listed companies First Gen and FPH. He is also Chairman of Energy Development Corporation (EDC). He is a Director of ABS-CBN Corporation, Vice Chairman of Rockwell Land Corporation (Rockwell), and Chairman and CEO of Lopez Holdings Corporation, which are also listed companies. Mr. Lopez is Chairman of the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation (OML Center) and the Sikat Solar Challenge Foundation, and Chairman of Ang Misyon, Inc. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and Teach for the Philippines. Mr. Lopez is a member of the New York Philharmonic International Advisory Board, Asia Business Council, World Presidents’ Organization, Chief Executives Organization, ASEAN Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and Makati Business Club.

FRANCIS GILES B. PUNO

Vice Chairman

Mr. Francis Giles B. Puno is the current Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. He sits in the boards of publicly listed companies FPH and Rockwell, and is the President of First Philippine Industrial Park. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and is concurrently the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Development Corporation (EDC). Mr. Puno sits in the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc., Lopez Group Foundation, Inc., and Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc.

ELVIRA R. LOPEZ

President

She is the co-founder, President and Executive Director of the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI). She sits on the Boards of Lopez Inc., Philippine Business for Education, Southeast Asian Foundation for Children and Television, and Lopez Group Foundation, Inc., and the Asia Philanthropy Circle. She is the Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District and co-founder and Lead Convener of the Building Bridges Leadership Journey. With her father, Oscar M. Lopez, Ms. Bautista’s work with the Knowledge Channel was recognized and personally cited by former US President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative Asia 2008. She is the recipient of several awards, including: Ulirang Mandaleño by the Municipality of Mandaluyong in 2017; Lasallian Achievement Award for Distance Learning from De La Salle Alumni Association in 2008; Woman of Style and Substance by People Asia in 2008; Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan by the Ateneo de Manila University in 2006; Award for Advocacy in Child’s Education by Rustan’s Essences in 2006; Peace Builder International Hall of Fame Award by the Chicago Filipino-American Via Times in 2006; Manuel L. Quezon Award in Communications and Distance Learning by the Federation of Catholic Schools Alumni/ae Associations in 2006; Peace Award for Literacy Rotary International District 3780 in 2006; and CEO Excel Award of Excellence by IABC Philippines in 2005. 

EMMANUEL ANTONIO P. SINGSON

Treasurer

Mr. Emmanuel Antonio P. Singson is a member of the board of trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. He is presently the SVP, Treasurer and CFO of First Gen Corporation. He was appointed Vice President of First Gen in 2005, and Head of Investor Relations in 2007. He was appointed Treasurer in 2010, and CFO in 2011. He is currently the President of First Philippine Development Corp. He is likewise Director and Treasurer of First Philec, Inc., FPH Land Ventures, Inc., First Philippine Properties Corp., First Philippine Realty Corp., FP Island Energy Corp., First Industrial Science and Technology School, Inc., Grand Batangas Resort Development, Inc., First Philippine Utilities Corp., Pi Energy, Inc. and Pi Health, Inc. Mr. Singson is Director of First Balfour, Inc., Terraprime, Inc., First Philippine Electric Corp., First Industrial Township, Inc., First Industrial Township Utilities, Inc., First Industrial Township Water, Inc., First Philippine Industrial Park, Inc. FPIP Property Developers & Management Corp., FPIP Utilities, Inc. and FPH Capital Resources, Inc. He is likewise Treasurer of First Sumiden Realty, Inc.

ATTORNEY RODERICO V. PUNO

Trustee

Attorney Roderico V. Puno is a leading authority on Philippine energy law practice. Mr. Puno draws on more than three decades of experience serving as a strategic advisor to clients involving diverse industries, with a particular focus on energy and infrastructure. Over his career, he applies a commercially focused approach and his institutional knowledge of the industry to help clients structure and execute transactions.

Mr. Puno was part of the Technical Working Group of the Committee on Energy of the Philippine Congress representing the private sector that drafted the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, the primary law governing the energy industry in the Philippines. He has consistently received recognition as a leading lawyer in the field of energy law, project finance, and corporate finance by the International Financial Law Review 1000, Asia Pacific Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, Asialaw, Lawyer Monthly, Acquisition International Magazine, Asia Law and Business, ACQ Global Awards, Deal Makers Monthly Magazine Country Awards, Lawyers World Global Awards, Inter Continental Finance Magazine and M&A International Awards, and Legal Media Group of Euromoney Institutional Investor, M & A Today – Global Rankings, and Lawyer International – Legal 100, Leading Energy and Natural Resources Lawyer of the Year, Philippines – Acquisition International’s (AI) 2019 Leading Adviser Awards, to name a few.

Mr. Puno has also held key positions in some of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines prior to his current role as the managing partner of Puno and Puno Law Offices.

VICTOR EMMANUEL B. SANTOS, JR.

Trustee

Mr. Victor Emmanuel B. Santos, Jr., is a member of the board of trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. He is the Executive Vice President of First Gen Corporation (“First Gen”) and heads its Legal and Regulatory Group and Power Marketing, where he actively participates in discussions to promote the development and advancement of the power industry as engaged by regulatory and other government agencies.

Before joining First Philippine Holdings (FPH) and the Lopez Group in 2001, he worked as Director for Global Markets at Enron Singapore. Mr. Santos is currently a Director of the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation and the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association.

RAISSA C. HECHANOVA-POSADAS

Trustee

Ms. Raissa C. Hechanova-Posadas is a member of the Board of Trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. She is a Director at publicly-listed Concepcion Industrial Corporation (CIC) and an advisor to the Board of Directors of BDO Private Bank. She is a member of the Board Audit Committee and the Strategic Investments Committee at CIC. She is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District and currently holds positions at the district level. Raissa was previously a Director at RFM Corporation and had a 25-year banking career with Citibank, N.A. Philippines, where she last held the position of Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking and Corporate Finance focusing on power generation, telecoms and other infrastructure financing.

RICHARD RAYMOND B. TANTOCO

Trustee

Mr. Richard Raymond B. Tantoco is a member of the Board of Trustees of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. He is a Director of First Gen, First Philippine Holdings and Energy Development Corporation and Cebu Pacific Airlines.

He is also a Trustee of the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, KEITECH Educational Foundation Inc., Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., and the City College of Ormoc.

He previously worked with the management consulting firm Booz, Allen and Hamilton, Inc. in New York and London where he specialized in mergers and acquisition advisory, turnaround strategy advisory, and growth strategy formulation for media and manufacturing companies. His most recent operational role was as President and COO of Energy Development Corporation.

ATTORNEY MARIA AMINA O. AMADO

Corporate Secretary

Attorney Maria Amina O. Amado is the Corporate Secretary of the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. and the Vice President for Legal and Compliance Officer at Lopez Holdings Corporation. She is also the Director and Assistant Secretary of ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. and a Board Member of ADTEL, Inc.

Attorney Amado also serves as the Corporate Secretary of ADTEL, Inc. and INAEC Aviation Corporation, as well as the Assistant Corporate Secretary for Sky Cable Corporation, Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., and Lopez, Inc. Her leadership extends further as she chairs TGServices, Inc. and serves as the President of the Phil-Asia Assistance Foundation, Inc.