Atty. Benavidez is currently serving as Undersecretary for Labor Relations, Social Protection and Policy Support Cluster of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Prior to his current role, he served as Assistant Secretary and and Assistant Regional Director of the Bureau of Labor Relations. He started his career with DOLE in 2008 as a Mediator-Arbiter.

Undersecretary Benavidez finished his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, Camarines Sur and graduated Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Bicol University.

Khalid Hassan is the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines. He firmly believes that putting decent work at the heart of economic, social and environmental policies, and national development strategies is crucial to leaving no one behind.

Mr Hassan is responsible for leading the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) in the Philippines, which provides the framework for ILO’s support to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The DWCP reflects the commitment of the government, workers and employers organizations, and echoes the aspirations of Filipinos for decent jobs that bring sustainable income and entrepreneurship opportunities under the AmBisyon Natin 2040.

Mr Hassan strongly promotes a human-centred agenda for the future of work by increasing investments in people’s capabilities, in institutions of work, and in decent and sustainable work. These investments would drive growth, equity and sustainability for present and future generations in the Philippines.

Mr Hassan led the team in the fight against child labour, inequality and poverty in Africa as Chief Technical Adviser of the Achieving Reduction of Child Labour in Support of Education (ARISE) in 2013-2016, and the Support to National Action Plan on Child Labour (SNAP) in 2010-2013. Both initiatives have contributed to significantly reducing child labour while building partnerships and implementing national actions plans.

Mr Hassan has an extensive background on fundamental principles and rights at work, rural development and primary education. Prior to the Philippines, he served for 17 years in the ILO Country Offices for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique and in Tanzania and Pakistan.

Mr Hassan obtained a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Peshwar. He speaks English, Pashto and Urdu.

Atty. Michael "Mike" Montero is the current APAC Regional General Counsel, DPO, and Government Affairs of Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Prior to his current role, he served as Director at eTelecare Global Solutions, inc., Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Manager for British American Tobacco, and Senior Director for Ernst & Young / SGV & Co.

He is also active in the academe having started teaching in 1998 in San Beda College and De La Salle University. In 2001, he was asked to teach at the Ateneo Law School and has taught all taxation subjects since then.

He is married to the former Arlene Bobadilla who is also a lawyer and they have one son, Vincent. He is an avid sports fan and tries his best not to miss any of his son's baseball team. He has shot a hole-in-one in golf and is pretty sure that he will not be able to do so ever again.