Member
Agreement

Board of DIRECTORS

Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi

Board Chair

Michelle Aventajado

President & Executive Director

Atty. Charmane Kanahashi

Corporate Secretary

Jake D. Roxas

Director

Jocelyn D. Gonzales

Treasurer

Marayma Kris Laco

Director

Daniela Marie Vazquez

Director

Larry Aguirre

Director

Pia Guanio Mago

Director

Angeli SJ Daza

Director

Neva Arboleda Santos

Director

Nino Aventajado

Director

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Best Buddies Philippines © 2025

Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi

Board Chair

Global business leader that has led various regional and global teams across several countries in covering P&L responsibilities and/or functional leadership. Has experience building teams from the ground up and growing businesses and has built and expanded an NGO.

Michelle Aventajado

President & Executive Director

No stranger to working with children and adults with IDD, she has been working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilites for over 30 years. Attending the first training and open house for Best Buddies Philippines in 2014 would eventually put Michelle on a path where she was encouraged to make a difference in the special needs community by collaborating with other organizations and foundations.

Atty. Charmane Kanahashi

Corporate Secretary

Admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2005, she soon worked as Associate Lawyer at Lazaro Law Firm and continued managing her family’s leasing and lending businesses before she joined the firm as Junior Associate in 2011. She then rose from the ranks as Senior Associate in 2012, then as Partner in 2018. Charmane is a devoted mother who enjoys spending time at home with her children as well as travelling, reading, and watching movies. As a breast cancer survivor, she remains strong and enjoys coloring, acrylic painting, and shooting some ammos during her spare time.

Jake D. Roxas

Director

Jake was a key figure in the creation and running of Megaworld’s sales department at Megaworld’s inception. Was also partly responsible for the successes of Alveo’s sales. A BBP volunteer alongside his daughters , from a while back.

Jocelyn D. Gonzales

Treasurer

With a career spanning over 15 years, since 2009 She has demonstrated a deep understanding of accounting principles and auditing standards, ensuring accuracy and integrity in financial statements.

 

Jocelyn has been blessed with a granddaughter that is in the spectrum, always been active in letting her ausome grand daughter explore and join BBP.

 

Jocelyn has been a BBP Volunteer since 2017.

 

Her dedication to upholding rigorous standards and delivering thorough analyses makes her a valued professional in the field.

Marayma Kris Laco

Director

Marayma Kris “Max” Laco brings over 18 years of expertise in Business Analysis, Information Technology, Project Portfolio Management, and Strategic Management. She has been a driving force behind transformative initiatives for various national and multinational companies. Currently, she serves as the Senior Program Manager and HR Chief of Staff at Asurion Philippines.

 

Max’s educational journey, including a master’s in philosophy and a comprehensive background in Social Sciences and Education, reflects her commitment to holistic understanding and diversity. She is also currently participating in the National University of Singapore’s Accelerated Management Program.

 

Her passion is dedicated to creating a fairer, more empowered, inclusive, and sustainable society.

Daniela Marie Vasquez

Director

Daniela Vazquez is a mother to two children on the Autism Spectrum and has advocated for the acceptance and inclusion of all special needs individuals for the last 15 years. She aided in bringing teacher, parent and student based tool kits into the Miami Dade Public School system through a volunteer program, was awarded for her fundraising efforts for the Walk Now for Autism Speaks Miami.

Larry Aguirre

Director

Larry is an assistant physical education instructor at The Vanguard Academy. He is also a BBP ambassador.

Pia Guanio Mago

Director

Pia Guanio Mago is a follower of Jesus, a wife and a mother of two. She is also a TV host, a writer for broadcast/ print and an endorser.

Angeli SJ Daza

Director

Gigi and her husband Congressman Paul Daza advocate for individuals of all abilities. Understanding the need for inclusion and furthering opportunities for individuals with autism to live independently and contribute to society in real and meaningful ways is just one of the ways that this power couple serves the Filipino people.

Neva Arboleda Santos

Director

Neva Arboleda Santos is Regional Head of the Client Reporting Team of Partners Group, a global private equity firm with more than USD 90 Billion assets under management.

 

The company is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with international offices in Manila, Philippines where she also serves as the Deputy Office Head. Prior to joining Partners Group, Neva was Executive Director of the Corporate Governance Team in MSCI.

 

She has over 20 y ears of professional experience, 15 of which have been in team and operations management roles as well as client services. Neva holds a bachelors degree in Business Economics form the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Nino Aventajado

Board Director

When Nino Aventajado is not working as a land development consultant, you can find him with his family enjoying simple bonding activities. His degrees in both art history and physics allow him the ability to approach his parenting with creativity, theory, and trial and error, while taking the time to appreciate the beauty in even the most mundane of moments.

 

His passion for inclusion continues to grow with the propagation of Best Buddies in the Philippines. Being part of several organizations open to furthering inclusion of individuals of all abilities like the Down Syndrome of the Philippines and the Center for Possibilites allow im to share parts of his parenting journey while being part of something bigger.

Best Buddies Member Agreement

To join Best Buddies, all applicants must agree to the terms set forth in the Member Code of Conduct, Acknowledgement, and General Release as laid out below.

Member Code of Conduct

As a Best Buddies member:
  • I will be respectful, truthful, and inclusive in my interactions with others.
  • I will recognize and celebrate the diversity of character and abilities of all people.
  • I will conduct myself ethically, obey all laws, and act in good faith at all times.
  • I will abide by the rules, directives, and guidelines set forth by Best Buddies International.
  • I will respect the decisions and requests made by Best Buddies staff members and chapter leadership.
  • I will NOT harass, threaten, embarrass, or insult others.
  • I will NOT say or do anything that is harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, vulgar, sexually explicit, or objectionable.
  • I will NOT make inappropriate or unwanted physical, verbal, or sexual advances.

Acknowledgement

As a Best Buddies member:
  • I agree to follow the Member Code of Conduct when participating in Best Buddies and at all Best Buddies activities and events.
  • I understand that if I am matched in a one-to-one friendship, I will do my best to honor my commitment to my Buddy.
  • I understand that a Best Buddies member acts as a friend and a peer and NOT as a caregiver or dependent.
  • I give permission to be photographed and/or filmed at any Best Buddies activity, and I understand that any photograph or videotape may be used at the discretion of Best Buddies for publicity purposes (members may opt out).
  • Prior to the commencement of my participation, I will furnish Best Buddies with any medical information that may be necessary in treating me in the case of an emergency.
  • I consent to Best Buddies’ use and disclosure of such medical information to medical professionals that may need the information in order to treat me in the case of an emergency.
  • I understand that I must have a valid auto insurance policy if operating a motor vehicle in relation to a Best Buddies activity.
  • I understand that Best Buddies is in no way obligated to assign, or match, or actively seek to assign or match me in a one-to-one friendship, and that Best Buddies makes no guarantees, assurances, or other commitments, either express or implied, as to the impact or results of a match upon any of the parties involved.
  • I acknowledge that I have completed this application to the best of my knowledge and that all information I have provided is true, and I understand that any false or misleading information given by me in connection with my application for, or my membership with, Best Buddies International may result in termination of my membership.
  • I understand that Best Buddies International reserves the right to deny entrance into our programs to anyone, for any reason, at any time. Best Buddies also reserves the right to revoke membership from our programs for any reason, at any time.
  • I understand that, in cases where appropriate and necessary, Best Buddies International may require a background check prior to participation in our programs.
  • I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the terms of the Best Buddies International privacy policy. Best Buddies considers all personal information collected to be confidential and will not sell, share, or rent this information to others.
  • I understand that I am also responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all privileged information that I receive through participation in Best Buddies.

General Release

In consideration of the benefits and opportunities afforded to me through participation in the Best Buddies organization, the participant states as follows:

 

  1. I hereby agree to release Best Buddies International, Inc., from any liability for any accident, injury, or illness suffered at, during, or in connection with any Best Buddies activities, except for any accident, injury, or illness which results from gross misconduct by Best Buddies International, Inc., or its staff.
  2. I authorize Best Buddies International, Inc., to obtain medical treatment in the event of injury or illness in connection with a Best Buddies activity and agree to pay any expense incurred for treatment.
  3. I understand that, in connection with any Best Buddies activity, if I am riding in a private passenger automobile which is involved in an accident, I may be primarily covered for bodily injury under my family automobile policy, and I agree to submit any medical bills incurred to my insurance company for payment. If my policy has been issued with a deductible clause relative to the personal injury protection, I understand that I have assumed that deductible on primary coverage.
  4. If I am being transported in a commercial carrier or other leased or rented vehicles in connection with a Best Buddies activity and an injury occurs, I understand that I shall look to the commercial carrier or owner of the leased or rented vehicle to pay any medical bills incurred as a result of such injury.

 

NOTE: The participant agrees to assume all risk of accident, injury, or illness that may occur at, during, or in connection with any Best Buddies activity.


Last updated: 2/6/2024