Alma has over 30 years of experience managing Water Supply and Sanitation Programs and PPP Programs involving urban infrastructure, including seven years as Chief of Party for the USAID Philippine Water Revolving Fund Project and Follow-on Program, and three years of the current Safe Water Project.
Under her leadership, her projects developed an innovative blended financing scheme for water supply and sanitation projects, using ODA (JICA) and private commercial bank funds. She also led policy and institutional reform initiatives in the sector, such as championing proposed legislation for reforms in economic regulations to strengthen the enabling environment; as well as utility reforms, particularly: improving water utilities’ operational, financial and governance systems, development of toolkits on strategic business planning for water utilities.
Under Safe Water she leads the preparation of water security plans that integrate water and sanitation service provision, sustainable water resource management and strengthening sector institutions and enabling policies. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and Master’s degree in Urban Planning, both from the University of the Philippines.