Officers

Sec. J.R. Nereus “Neric” Acosta
Head, CALD Climate Change Committee

Sec. Neric Acosta is an experienced legislator, educator, ardent advocate of the environment, and international scholar. He is currently the Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection and General Manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). He is also the incumbent Vice President for International Affairs of the Liberal Party of the Philippines (LP). Sec. Acosta was formerly the Secretary General of LP and served as representative of Bukidnon province in Northern Mindanao to the Philippine House of Representatives.

His major legislation included bills on clean water, solid waste management and biodiversity protection. He was also the principal author of the groundbreaking Clean Air Act, a model of environmental legislation in Asia.

Sec. Acosta’s passion for education earned him various scholarships. After completing his BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Political Science from the University of the Philippines, he went on to complete an MA (Masters in Arts) in Public Affairs (International Relations and Political Studies concentration) from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii as an East West Center Scholar. He also attended the special programs Leaders in Development (1999) and Environmental Economics (2002) at the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.

Dr. Monthip Sriratana-Tabucanon 
Member, CALD Climate Change Committee

Dr. Monthip Sritana previously held key positions at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand (MNRE) including the posts of Principal Inspector General, Director General of the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion (DEQP), Deputy Permanent Secretary, and Director General of the Pollution Control Department. Until recently, she served as Senior Adviser to the Senate and House of Representatives Commissions on Natural Resources and Environment, Office of the Parliament of Thailand. She is Director of Climate Change Research Strategy Center, National Research Council of Thailand.

She serves as a Board Member of Prince of Songkhla University, Member of the Royal Institute of Thailand, and Board Member of the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park Foundation under the Patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. She served as leader of several environmental cooperation and capacity building projects in Thailand including her contribution as the Leader of Evaluation Team of the Project on Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of the Indochina Mangrove Ecosystems (TDA-IME) with funding support from the Swedish International Development.