Rhea Baladjay Peñaflor is a Bachelor of Laws graduate and a humanitarian and development worker currently in the role of Assistant Secretary for Specialized Programs at the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Prior to her appointment to DSWD, she was appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines as Commissioner of the National Youth Commission. Rhea has worked in several international and local non-governmental organizations over the last ten years, supporting their humanitarian, child’s rights, adolescent health, public health, and development work. Her areas of expertise include public policy and governance, management and operations, program development, media and advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and partnership building. She is also a Cum Laude graduate of the West Visayas State University with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications major in Journalism. She is an international scholar of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation Young Politicians Program and the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program. She is the first-ever Filipino scholar who completed the European Journalism Institute Program at Charles University, Czech Republic. Recently, she also completed the Public Management Development Program in Phronetic Leadership. Currently, Rhea is also the Deputy National Program Director of the Kalahi-CIDSS National Community Driven Development Program and the Deputy National Project Director of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. She is likewise the Chairperson of the DSWD’s Committee on Decorum and Investigation on Sexual Harassment.