Founder and Executive Director
Mylene V. Matti, M.D.
Mylene attended the University of the Philippines Diliman where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, magna cum laude, in 1984. In 1990, she earned her MD from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.
Immediately after passing her Philippine Medical Licensure Boards in 1990, she moved to the United States where she undertook all of her postgraduate training in the specialty of Anesthesiology. She trained at various medical institutions on both East and West Coasts of the United States namely New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, The Hospital for Special Surgery New York and Stanford University.
She became a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology in 1997 and continues to practice her specialty of Anesthesiology in the United States.
Residing in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2000-2014 has drawn her to the green movement. She realized that although well-trained doctors know how to treat disease, many do not know how to preach and practice wellness. Through serious readings, membership in various green organizations, she has fully embraced the organic movement and has become a strong advocate of its value and merits in achieving a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. After “connecting the dots”, Mylene came to the realization that everyone’s good health is ultimately dependent on how we take care of the environment and the soil . “But how can this happen if if the primary stewards of the soil and our environment–farmers and fishermen— continue to be the poorest of the poor? The efforts toward poverty alleviation must begin with the people who bring food to our tables.”
Compelled by Christ’s love, her life vocation as a physician, deep concern and passion to alleviate poverty, provide opportunity and actively promote environmental stewardship in the land of her birth, the Philippines, GreenEarth Heritage Foundation was born.
Since GreenEarth Heritage Foundation’s founding date on May 22, 2009 up to the present time, Mylene continues to serve faithfully as its energetic Executive Director pro-bono.
Board of Trustees
James Patrick G. Matti
James Matti holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce, major in Marketing Management from De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
He presently serves as Managing Consultant of Willis Towers Watson Philippines, the Philippines’ leading people and financial services consultancy. At Willis Towers Watson, he is in charge of strategic leadership and general management whereby he is able to provide proper counsel and effective solutions to their vast array of clients’ senior management consisting of the Philippines’ respected “blue-chip” companies, Global 500s and venerable institutions in their human capital and benefits requirements.
Prior to joining Willis Towers Watson in late 2006, James was the chief executive officer of Aon Philippines, the Philippines’ leading insurance brokerage, risk management and employee benefits consultancy where he served for over 9 years. His role was to enhance new business development, senior client relationship management and strategic direction. Under James’s leadership, Aon Philippines became the country’s largest and most respected insurance brokerage and risk management consultancy in 2006.
James also serves on the board of directors of ATR-Kim Eng Insurance Brokers, Inc.
James is an avid environmentalist having led his two firms’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) thrust in the reforestation of the Ipo Watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Philippines.
Lalaine V. Abonal
Lalaine Villafuerte-Abonal received her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines. Her specialty is attending to God’s economy by investing wisely in the work of God’s Kingdom.
Her big heart for the small Filipino farmers and grower groups inspired her to establish the Organic Farmers and Processors Association of the Philippines (OFPAP), a non-stock, non-profit association duly registered with the SEC in 2009. Under her umbrella organization, well represented throughout the country, she was able to help each farm group earn international organic certifications which served as stepping stones to successfully exporting quality products worldwide.
Lalaine was instrumental in helping GreenEarth Heritage Foundation, one of the members of OFPAP, earn its US FDA, Kosher and Fair Trade certifications from Ecocert France.
Lalaine is the founder and president of eAsia Outsourcing & Marketing Services, a brokerage boutique firm that serves select international top wholesalers and retailers in the global market. Her stellar service is backed by more than 20 years of experience as a buying agent.
She is the youngest member of the Board of Directors of the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP). She served as Treasurer and for a time, also as its Public Relations Officer.
She is the founder of Coconut Republic, the country’s leading exporter-provider of coconut -based products marketed by prominent international brands in the U.S., Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and key cities in Asia.
Lalaine is an accomplished publisher and author of 5 books:
Abaca Philippines, Coconut Philippines, Moringa Philippines, IT Outsourcing Opportunities in the Philippines, and 101 Lessons Learned by a Buying Agent.
Raquel V. Ragrario
Raquel Ragrario’s career with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has spanned 32 years. During this period, she has lived in New York, the African continent and traveled to over 100 countries. She has held senior executive positions within the UNDP in post-conflict countries such as Mozambique, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Angola, and the Republic of Guinea Bissau. Prior to her recent retirement from the UNDP, she served as director of the UNDP in Macedonia.
Raquel Ragragio has extensive experience in addressing problems in the areas of environment and poverty alleviation in conflict regions around the world. She is now retired in the Philippines where she is active in organic gardening, gourmet cooking and numerous personally- funded livelihood projects within her community.
Mercedes A. Favis, M.D.
Mercedes Favis enjoyed over 2 decades of successful medical practice in Obstetrics-Gynecology in California prior to retiring in the Philippines in 1991 . She obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.
A natural cook who took after her maternal grandmother, Dr. Favis loves to create and re-create Filipino comfort food. What started as a post-retirement avocation to feed her family and frequent guests has blossomed into a thriving retail business centered on a Filipino delicacy –VIGAN-style sausages! Her homemade garlicky sausages are being served in fine establishments as well as being sold in upscale artisanal stores. Gardening is one of her passions too.
Hilario F. Abonal, M.D.
Larry is a medical doctor-turned entrepreneur. Together with his wife Lalaine, he has developed in short of a decade, a highly successful enterprise, COCONUT REPUBLIC based in Pasadena, CA where he presently serves as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Coconut Republic , Larry served as administrator of a Home Health Agency in Glendale, CA. Larry is a natural gardener and green thumb.
Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Atty. Ronald V. Bernas
Atty. Ronald V. Bernas holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce, major in Legal Management from De la Salle University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Ateneo de Manila University. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1999.
He presently serves as a partner at Quisimbing Torres Law Offices, a member firm of Baker McKenzie International, one of the leading law firms in the Philippines.
Atty. Bernas regularly advises Philippine and foreign clients on various tax and corporate matters. His work includes rendering of advice on various issues affecting corporate investments and transactions; tax-efficient corporate schemes taking into consideration applicable tax laws and regulations; corporate strategies to reduce tax liabilities for taxpayers doing business in multiple taxing jurisdictions; transfer pricing issues affecting multinational enterprises and groups of companies. He also has extensive experience in dealing with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs and various local government units and appearing in various Philippine courts to represent client in tax assessment and refund cases. He also performs corporate secretarial work for corporate clients.
Advisory Board
Patricia Gonzales-Cruz
Early Childhood Education and Literacy Development
Patricia is a devoted teacher who comes to GreenEarth Heritage Foundation’s Advisory Board with over 16 years of teaching experience both in the Philippines and the United States, including top-rung private Manhattan educational institutions such as the West Side Montessori School and Horace Mann School for Nursery Years in New York. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory League.
In 2002, she pioneered the preschool program of the International School Manila where she headed program conceptualization, planning, development and implementation of a developmentally integrated curriculum.
A certified Montessori Teacher, Patricia believes that literacy education can be made fun through games; thus the Learning Lion early education program was born (www.learninglion.ph).
She describes her brainchild as a “game-based learning system geared towards helping children gain the essential skills for reading and math” at the earliest possible age. Her goal is to see children begin reading at age 3. After all, “reading is the KEY to learning”. The Learning Lion program “creates a learning environment for the children where learning to read becomes fun and easy.”
Patricia holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Philippines and received her Masters degree in Art and Early Childhood Education with distinction (GPA 4.0) from the Teachers College,Columbia University in New York City.
Patricia presently lives in Manila, Philippines with her husband Jose Edgardo and their three children.
Marita V. Pierce
Early Childhood Education and Literacy Development
Marita Villafuerte-Pierce, M.E is an exporter-turned-educator. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines and a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola College, Maryland. She is a U.S. licensed therapist for children with learning disabilities and has Diplomas in Primary and Elementary Education from the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), USA. She is also a scholar of the Haggai Institute for Leadership, Hawaii.
Marita is the founder and director of Preppi School Foundation, Inc, located in Pasig City, Philippines. Preppi School imparts the best of the inner disciplines of the East and the advance ideologies of the West to prepare the child of the future become a global leader.
Inspired by her 13 years of global business experience as an international designer and exporter, she devised the TRUTH Curriculum: a value –based educational program. FUNdamental life skills are presented through a series of attractive lessons that apply academic skills and concretize the abstract concepts.
She has conducted educational training programs and seminars for teachers and parents under the theme: “ I Am A Child“. She has served as monthly columnist in BABY magazine, Animal Scene magazine and MOMS, BABIES and DADS column in the Philippines’ longest-running daily newspaper with nationwide circulation, Manila Bulletin newspaper. She has spoken in international educational conferences and has represented the Philippines in the International Reading Association and World Forum on Early Childhood Education.
Odette Marie Go
Finance
Odette received her undergraduate degree in Political Science at Stanford University and obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business.
In 2003, she was featured in America’s Treasury and Risk magazine as one of the Forty Men and Women under Forty who are shaping the world of finance in America. She has served as Treasurer of Genentech, the world’s leading biotechnology company. Odette lives in San Francisco, California and has two children.
Dr. Paul Reed Hepperly
Organic Agriculture and Development
Prior to migrating into the world of private consultancy in January of 2010, Dr. Paul Reed Hepperly was Director of Research at The Rodale Institute from 2002 to 2009. Rodale is a leading nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of the organic movement since 1947.
The Rodale Institute is a strong voice addressing the challenges of global climate change, better nutrition in food, famine prevention and poverty alleviation. Paul joined the team of experts at Rodale in 2002, lending his extensive expertise in organic and conventional agriculture.
As an accomplished researcher, author and educator, Paul has been a sought-after keynote speaker throughout the world, including Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, India and Africa. He has contributed to over 150 publications on plant pathology, fungal diseases, plant disease resistance, disease management, epidemiology, seed pathology, agronomy, horticulture, carbon sequestration and research program management.
He holds a doctorate in plant pathology, a master’s degree in agronomy, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, from the University of Illinois.
In September of 2007, he became a Fulbright Scholar and in 2005, he received the Rachel Carson Council Sense of Science Award. He was also recognized as a Princeton Premiere Business Leader. For his efforts in helping the African people, he was given the African Humanitarian Award. Paul also received the da Vinci Community Award from the da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology.
It is Paul’s passion to help increase public awareness of the benefits of a more natural agricultural system which respects God’s laws of nature and biodiversity, most especially in many parts of the world where the consequences of environmental destruction and unequal distribution of wealth has led to massive hunger and poverty. He is equally committed to philanthropic projects for his local community of Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
After having a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul desires to put his extensive knowledge in organic agriculture to help the suffering and the needy for God’s glory. He firmly believes that Faith, Food, and Fitness are all woven intricately in the Almighty’s plan for health and wellness.
Paul lives in Kutztown, Pennsylvania with his wife Karen. He is active in his home Christian Church’s music ministry. In his spare time, he enjoys reading Scientific American, hiking and activities with family.
Dr. Guillermo Q. Tabios III
Water Resource Management
Dr. Guillermo Q. Tabios III is a Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering and Director of the National Hydraulic Research Center (NHRC) of the College of Engineering at the University of the Philippines (UP), Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado (1984) specializing in hydrology, hydraulics and water resources engineering. He has an M.S. in Land and Water Resources Engineering (1979) and a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering (1977) from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos.
Prior to joining the faculty of the University of the Philippines in 1996, Dr. Tabios was a Research Associate at the Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University from February 1985 to June 1987 and then Research Faculty at the Hydraulic and Coastal Engineering Program, Department of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley from July 1987 to May 1996. In June 1996, he was appointed as Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at UP Diliman until his promotion to Professor in 2005. He also served as Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering from April 2004 to May 2006.
Dr. Tabios’ professional organization and other affiliations are as follows:
- Board Member, National Water Resources Board (Executive Order No. 123)
- Country Representative, APFRIEND Design Rainfall and Flood Studies, Regional Steering Committee of Asia-Pacific Region (RSC-AP), UNESCO International Hydrology Program (since 2004)
- Board of Trustee, Philippine Water Partnership
- Head, Water Resources Group of the Institute of Civil Engineering , University of the Philippines , Diliman, Quezon City
- Editor, International Hydrologic Environment Society Journal (since 2006)
- Guest Editor (Environmental Engineering Papers, July 2008-present), Philippine Journal of Engineering
- Member, American Geophysical Union (since 1982)
- Member, International Association of Hydraulic Research (since 2002)
Dr. Tabios was recently awarded Most Outstanding Engineering Professor (academic year 2008-2009) of the College of Engineering of the University of the Philippines and Outstanding Agricultural Engineer in Land and Water Engineering (April 2009) by the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers.
