About the Event
The Philippines' workforce landscape is shifting rapidly as industries demand stronger digital, managerial and mid-skill capabilities. Recent reporting based on the World Economic Forum shows that a significant portion of Filipino workers will require upskilling by 2030 as job roles evolve more quickly than traditional training systems can keep up (Inquirer). At the same time, economists from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies note that skills mismatches are increasingly affecting productivity, especially in technical and digital roles where industry expectations are rising faster than academic preparation (PIDS).
With the government allocating ₱1.055 trillion to education in 2025, the largest share of the national budget (Reuters), organizations are under growing pressure to translate investment into real capability gains. Yet World Bank data shows national education spending remains below global benchmarks at around 3-4% of GDP, underscoring the need for stronger collaboration between public systems and corporate learning strategies (World Bank).
Marking its latest addition to the rockbird media X-change series, this event brings together leaders shaping how learning, skills, and performance development evolve across Philippine industries. Insights from the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024 show that organizations across Southeast Asia now prioritize manager capability, leadership readiness, and business-aligned skills pathways: areas where modern L&D has the most direct operational impact (LinkedIn).
Join us as we explore how Philippine organizations are redesigning capability development from hybrid learning models and digital training frameworks to measurable skill systems that align with real operational demands.
Two Strategic Conferences.
One High-Value Day.
This event is co-located with hrX Manila 2026, creating a shared environment for leaders shaping people strategy, workforce development, and AI-driven HR. By attending l&dX, you gain proximity to parallel conversations, decision-makers, and opportunities that extend beyond a single track — without extending your time commitment.
2026 Speakers
Tonik
Vane Macatangay
Chief People Officer
Monde Nissin Corporation
Luzviminda Mercurio
Chief People and Culture Officer
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Nissan Philippines
Ericson A. Del Castillo
Vice President, Human Resources
Program Flow
8:30 - 9:00
Registration
9:00 - 9:25
Opening Keynote Presentation
Upskilling the Filipino Workforce: Preparing for a Digital and AI-Driven Future
Jack Madrid, IBPAP
10:00 - 10:50
1st Roundtable Sessions
10:50 - 11:20
1st Session 1-2-1 Meeting/Networking
12:10 - 12:50
Fireside Chat
Tracking Progress: How Career Pathing & Continuous Learning Strengthen Loyalty
Moderator: Karlo Jay Plata, Netflix Philippines, Profer Giganan, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc.
| Ronald Hilaria, Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI Global)
12:50 - 13:40
LUNCH
11:25 - 11:55
2nd Session 1-2-1 Meeting/Networking
9:25 - 9:55
Keynote Presentation
Building a High-Trust Workforce: The Role of Data in Driving Performance, Safety, and Growth
Ivy Ramirez, CIBI
"The roundtable session was very insightful"
Golden Scoop Sdn.Bhd. (Baskin-Robbins M'sia)
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
L&DX is curated for Chief Learning Officers, VPs, Department heads, CHROs, Presidents, CEOs, Directors, Managers, Professors, and other specialists with the following expertise in:
Talent & Knowledge Management
Learning and Development
Performance Management
Education and Training
Human Resources
instructional Design
Employee & Leadership Dvelopment
eLearning
Learning Technology
Employee Exp. & Engagement Innovation
Organizational Effectiveness
Continuous Improvement
Premium
Delegate
Experience
Premium Delegate Experience
Peer-to-Peer Content Sharing
Gain actionable insights and strategies directly from industry peers through engaging and thought-provoking content.
Interactive Sessions
Participate in dynamic, hands-on discussions designed to foster collaboration and address real-world challenges.
Director-Level Attendance
Connect with an exclusive group of decision-makers, ensuring high-value discussions with impactful outcomes.
Unique Networking Opportunities
Build meaningful relationships with industry leaders in an environment conducive to forging long-term partnerships.
Access to Solution Providers
Meet with top-tier solution providers who offer tailored tools and technologies to help overcome your business challenges.
1:1 Meetings
Engage in strategic conversations addressing critical business priorities, trends, and opportunities.
Intimate Environment
Experience a focused and curated setting designed to maximize interaction, learning, and collaboration.
2026 co-locating Sponsors
Gold
Founded in 2015, Darwinbox is a globally trusted HR technology provider that offers a unified, AI-powered Human Capital Management (HCM) suite. The Darwinbox platform enables enterprises to streamline their entire employee lifecycle – from recruitment, onboarding, workforce management and payroll, to talent development, engagement, and analytics – on one scalable cloud platform with an intuitive, mobile-first user experience. Nearly 4,000,000 employees across 1,000+ enterprises in 130 countries use Darwinbox every day to enhance productivity and elevate their workplace experiences. Darwinbox is backed by leading global investors including Microsoft, Salesforce Ventures, TCV, Lightspeed, Sequoia India (Peak XV), and others. It is the youngest and the only Asian-origin player to be consistently recognized as a Challenger in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites for large enterprises. Industry analysts globally have lauded Darwinbox for its deep functionality, outstanding user experience, and rapid AI innovation. More at www.darwinbox.com
With payroll coverage spanning 150+ countries, Ramco has been processing 35+ million annual payslips for 500+ large MNCs and Fortune500 customers. Leveraging award-winning AI and ML technology and integrating with major HR tech partners like Workday, Ramco has been transforming global payroll for 25+ years.
silver
ELSA Corp owns ELSA Speak, a top 5 AI-based English communication app, with over 90 million downloads across 193 countries, and more than 1,000 educational and corporate partners worldwide. Key partners include NashTech, Ajinomoto, Huali Industrial Group, Bosch, and Siemens Healthineers. With the mission of empowering English communication skills in the workplace, ELSA provides a comprehensive end-to-end English solution: For employees: an Enterprise AI Learning Agent that goes beyond the basics — featuring context-aware, factual, and dynamic conversations across highly specific workplace topics to ensure a deeply contextual learning experience. For managers: a centralized dashboard with real-time visibility into learning goals and progress, along with actionable insights at both company-wide and individual levels, making it easy to measure performance.
ZingHR is a global Human Capital Management platform driving the next phase of workforce transformation through its pioneering GHROWTH™ philosophy. Backed by advanced AI and intelligent automation, GHROWTH moves HR technology beyond traditional record-keeping to outcome-driven workforce intelligence. It connects employee potential with measurable business performance, enabling organizations to translate people data into strategic value. By combining responsible AI, actionable insights, and enterprise-grade governance, ZingHR empowers CXOs with real-time visibility into productivity, engagement, and operational performance. Through GHROWTH, ZingHR enables forward-looking enterprises across global markets to build agile, high-performing workplaces while aligning human capital strategy with sustainable business growth.
bronze
Disprz offers an AI-powered enterprise Learning Experience Platform that helps align your enterprise learning and skilling programs with business outcomes. Be it a knowledge or frontline workforce, Disprz skill stack helps in building a steady pipeline of capable, skilled employees ready to be productive now and in the future. Disprz helps organisations identify and benchmark themselves against trending skills required in their industry, create impactful skilling pathways for bridging skill gaps, and drive digital skilling adoption to facilitate capability building. Our mission is to "enable every person to advance at work and life, through the best technology-led, scientifically-backed skilling experiences" With a global presence spanning every continent, we are proud to have a diverse team of over 300 colleagues and a growing customer base of 350+. Our reach extends far and wide, impacting the lives of over 2.8 million learners worldwide.
CIBI Information Inc. (CIBI) is the Philippines’ first and only local credit bureau and a pioneering workforce solutions company, established in 1982 under the Central Bank of the Philippines (now Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas). Accredited by the Credit Information Corporation (CIC), CIBI provides credit, business, workforce, and fraud risk solutions to over 500 organizations. With over 200 professionals, CIBI enables data-driven decision-making for responsible lending, secure hiring, and business growth. Backed by Creador and strengthened through partnerships with FICO, GDS, Smart Consulting, and CTOS, CIBI continues to advance financial inclusion and build a more trusted data ecosystem in the Philippines.
interaction
SAVii, a sister company of GoTyme Bank, helps businesses drive performance through financial wellness. Trusted by 150+ companies and 800,000+ employees nationwide, SAVii delivers salary-linked benefits that boost productivity, reduce turnover, and strengthen engagement. With reliable salary loans, free insurance, practical financial education, and savings powered by GoTyme Bank, SAVii empowers employees to achieve financial stability and perform at their best. Now part of the GoTyme Bank family, SAVii is backed by a larger financial ecosystem—enabling smarter, more seamless benefits that deliver measurable business results. When employees thrive, businesses thrive.
presentation sponsor
Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 90 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world. Gallup provides data-driven solutions and consulting services to help Business and HR leaders improve employee engagement, performance, and organizational culture. Their offerings include workplace analytics, talent assessments (like CliftonStrengths), leadership development, employee experience design, and culture transformation programs.
exhibitors
Sprout Solutions is the People-First AI platform for Payroll, Compliance, and Work, built for businesses in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Founded in 2015, Sprout delivers end-to-end HR and payroll software and managed services covering recruitment, timekeeping, payroll, performance, and employee engagement — powered by AI-driven insights and intelligent automation. Our built-in AI assistant, Sidekick, helps both HR teams and employees work faster and make smarter decisions, while embedded financial wellness solutions such as salary-on-demand and responsible financing support employees beyond payday. Trusted by over 2,000 companies and 350,000 users, Sprout combines enterprise-grade security and compliance with industry-leading implementation and responsive local support — ensuring long-term success, not just software deployment. Sprout exists to impact the lives of employees by improving businesses in the communities we serve.
Hive Health is a tech-enabled HMO that offers hassle-free plans tailor-made for small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and growing enterprises in the Philippines. We provide a hassle-free experience through our all-in-one platform, ensuring that all employees and their loved ones get the best care possible from 1,700 hospitals, clinics, and dental clinics, and 20,000 doctors nationwide. Founded at Harvard and Stanford and backed by top global investors such as Y Combinator, BEENEXT, Gentree, Amasia, etc., this award-winning startup is revolutionizing access to quality, affordable healthcare for millions of Filipinos, one SME at a time.
HONO is a global next-generation HR technology company offering AI-driven HCM solutions trusted by 300+ clients with workforce spread across 50+ countries. The platform delivers end to end HR management, global payroll, recruitment, talent management and workforce analytics, enabling organizations to streamline operations and foster a culture of excellence from hire to retire. With a strong focus on ROI, transformation, and customer success, HONO is trusted by enterprises like Novotel, Samsung E&A, AG&P, InterContinental, Indomas, Ayala, Dole, IHG, Accor, Marriott, Toyota Boshoku and IEE along with other large global enterprises, in transforming their people operations at scale. HONO’s robust AI capabilities, intuitive user experience, and regional expertise make it a partner of choice for organizations looking to stay ahead in today’s fast-changing landscape.
Event Passes
Standard End User
The fees are for the end-user only and not applicable for sponsors/vendors.
$375.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
*End-user only. Subject for approval.
VIP End User
The fees are for the end-user only and not applicable for sponsors/vendors.
$495.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
Priority Access in securing 1-to-1 meeting and seat at roundtable discussion
*End-user only. Subject for approval.
Vendor Fee
This pass is intended for Vendors, Solution Providers & Consultants only
$999.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
Event Passes
Standard End User
The fees are for the end-user only and not applicable for sponsors/vendors.
$375.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
*End-user only. Subject for approval.
VIP End User
The fees are for the end-user only and not applicable for sponsors/vendors.
$495.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
Priority Access in securing 1-to-1 meeting and seat at roundtable discussion
*End-user only. Subject for approval.
Vendor Fee
This pass is intended for Vendors, Solution Providers & Consultants only
$999.00
Full Access to all conference segments including keynote and Roundtable Discussion
VIP Hospitality Experience featuring a curated buffet lunch, premium canapés and beverages
Exclusive Networking Access to closed-door business matchmaking and booth interactions
Premium Content Takeaway: Digital copies of keynote and roundtable session presentations (subject to availability)
All conference went great, quite a smooth experience, thank you for offering a seat!
PPB Group Berhad
Venue & Logistics
Hilton, Manila
Newport City Complex, 1 Newport Blvd, Pasay City, 1309 Metro Manila
+63 (02) 7239 7788
