Guest Speakers’ Profile

Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the Founder and Managing Director of the Stratbase Group and President of its policy think-tank, Albert del Rosario Institute for Strategic and International Studies or the ADRi. Stratbase is a full-service advisory and research consultancy group, specializing in building the relationship of corporate clients with the various sectors of Philippine society to promote their specific interests and address their corporate concerns.

For more than a decade, Prof. Manhit and the Stratbase team have been developing innovative and disruptive political and legislative strategies that position clients for success. A well-regarded strategist, he has built winning public affairs campaigns integrating message development, public relations, and the mobilization of grassroots support. With his extensive experience, he helps clients understand the interplay between business and government, and the impact of legislative, regulatory, and electoral outcomes on their business strategies. He also provides top-level strategic analysis and thought leadership on global issues in the Philippines.

Concurrently, he is Philippine Country Head of the renowned BowerGroupAsia (BGA), formerly known as BrooksBowerAsia. BGA has an unmatched expertise and experience in helping clients develop strategic expansion initiatives in the Asia Pacific Region.

He was a former Chair and recently retired Associate Professor of the Political Science Department of De La Salle University. He has authored numerous commentaries and papers on geopolitical issues, governance and political reforms. Today, he regularly contributes articles and columns to leading newspapers Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, and Business World.

He obtained his Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Philippine Studies (major in Political Science and History) from the University of the Philippines. A member of Phi Gamma Mu International Honors’ Society Beta Chapter, he specializes in Strategic Studies and Management, Legislative Research, and Public Policy Analysis. His research interest and field of specialization had led him to pursue active involvement in legislation, bureaucratic work, and civil society advocacy.

Among the government positions he held include Undersecretary for External Affairs and Special Concerns of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and Deputy Secretary for Administration and Financial Services of the Philippine Senate. Meanwhile, his legislative experience encompasses the 8th, the 9th, 10th and the 12th Congress as Chief of Staff and senior policy research consultant in key senate committees, such as Education, Agriculture, Economic Affairs, Social Justice and Electoral Reforms, and Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws. Since 1987, he has been involved in all national elections in different capacities, from policy consultancy to campaign strategy.

After his stint in government, he became involved with many different consortiums and networks of civil society groups. His civil society agenda range from governance reform to environment stewardship, as Lead Convenor of citizen-led initiative Democracy Watch and Convenor of pro-industry group Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship or PBEST, respectively. He is also a Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Freedom, a public advocacy organization dedicated to advancing economic and political liberty and other market-oriented reforms.

Similarly, his involvement with the distinguished Philippine Trade Foundation is aligned with the group’s commitment toward building a strategic and reformed business environment. As a member and adviser to the Board, Prof. Manhit contributes to the crafting of initiatives geared to attract investments.

His international reach is evident in his key role in the establishment of the U.S.-Philippines Strategic Initiative (USPSI) with the Philippine Eminent Persons Group. The trans-Pacific effort underlines the critical linkage of economic ties between the U.S. and the Philippines as a foundation for enduring security relations through research and programs. He is also an advisor to the Board of Asia Society Philippines, another cooperative organization, this time in the area of education. He was recently appointed as one of the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons (ARF EEPs) by the Department of Foreign Affairs.