Dr. Francisco Magno is a professor of Political Science and Development Studies at De La Salle University (DLSU) where he occupied such positions as Director of the La Salle Institute of Governance, Director of the Social Development Research Center, and Chair of the Political Science Department. He is currently coordinating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Localization Project of DLSU with the City Government of Manila. He has conducted teaching and research in various universities, including Osaka University, Waseda University, Hiroshima University, Florida State University, University of Hawaii, and University of the Philippines. Elected as President of the Philippine Political Science Association from 2015 to 2017, he was selected to head the Commission on Higher Education Technical Panel on Political Science from 2020-2024. In the year 2000, he became the first Political Scientist to receive an Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines. He finished his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa under an East-West Center scholarship, and his BA and MA in Political Science from the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Jessa joined the Institute in 2009 as a research and project assistant. She obtained her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Makati, graduating magna cum laude. As an administrative assistant, she provides project support and coordinates DLSU-JRIG's events. In addition, Ms. Pacheco is the organization's Financial Officer and manages all of the Institute's project grants and financial reporting.

Benz is the Program Manager for the Institute. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UPLB and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Sociology at UP Diliman. Before joining the Institute, he worked as a Research Assistant on a national socio-economic study on corn and vegetable production funded by DOST-PCAARRD and as a Program Associate at the Asian Institute of Management. His research interests include religion and spirituality, politics, and governance.

Ana is the Office Assistant in the Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance. She is a graduate of BS in Office Management with Efficiency Award at Kalinga State University. As an Office Assistant, she performs administrative and office support for the Director and assists in the operational activities of the Institute in areas such as office and events management.

Ian Jayson R. Hecita is currently a Faculty Member of the Department of Political Science and Development Studies at De La Salle University. He is a trained and experienced public policy and governance specialist with over twenty-two (22) years of experience working with national government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, Philippine and foreign universities, and international development institutions. He has co-led and implemented research programs, capacity development projects, and community engagement initiatives focusing on local governance, sustainable development, open government, and participatory governance. He was a Visiting Research Scholar at the Institute for Energy Systems, Economics, and Sustainability of Florida State University in 2010. He was a Fellow at the International Academy of Freedom of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung in 2009.  His research thrusts include local governance,  decentralization, open government, and citizen/ civil society participation. 

Erika is a Program and Research Coordinator at the Institute. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Social Psychology at the same institution. Her research interests lie in the field of social and political psychology, with a focus on social identities, collective action, and group behavior. She has participated in research studies on the same topics.

Dana is a Program and Research Associate at the Institute. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines - Diliman, with a bachelor of arts degree in communication research. 

Her internship and organizational work during her undergraduate years allowed Dana to engage in market research projects and public relations. She also enjoys researching mediated political communication, religion and power, and construction of identities.

Danela is a Program and Research Associate at the Institute. 

She graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines- Diliman in 2024 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. In the same year, she presented her undergraduate research, the impact of one’s schema of forgiveness on their forgiveness of a historical injustice, in the 48th National Conference of PSSP. Since graduation, she has been facilitating and participating in psychosocial support sessions for various organizations. Her current research interests lie in clinical and community psychology, with a focus on psychosocial support and collective care practices.

Matthew is a Program and Research Associate at the Institute. He graduated summa cum laude from Adamson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Political Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman, specializing in Comparative Politics. His work focuses on the Localization of Women’s and Children’s Policies Project, particularly in the areas of disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation.

Before joining the Institute, he served as Creative Director and Minister for Artistic and Cultural Affairs of a university-based political science organization and completed his internship at the Manila City Hall under the Agenda and Briefing Division.

His research interests include political behavior, governance, and the intersections of race, class, and gender.

Shai is a Program and Research Associate at the Institute.

She graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2024 with a BA in Philippine Studies (Creative Writing and Film). In 2023, she was a Philippine Embassy of Seoul scholar for a student exchange program at the Busan University of Foreign Studies under the International Studies program.

Before joining JRIG, Shai contributed to a project under the Program on Alternative Development of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS). Since 2021, she has also served as a volunteer teacher, researcher, and co-organizer at the Aeta Learning Center in Capas, Tarlac.

At JRIG, she has worked on projects such as the impact evaluation of a Philippine labor program funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and supports the institute’s communications and media initiatives. Her interests include social movements, labor, media, and women’s studies, and the intersections of policy and grassroots action by Filipinos, for Filipinos. Outside academe, she is a freelance filmmaker and a proud furmom.