Converge elects former Senior Associate Justice Perlas-Bernabe as first female Board Chair, veteran leader De Jesus stays on as Independent Director

The Board of Directors of leading fiber broadband and technology solutions provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE: CNVRG) has elected former Senior Associate Justice (SAJ) Estela Perlas-Bernabe as its new chairperson during its organizational Board meeting following the company’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (ASM) on Friday.

SAJ Perlas-Bernabe succeeds veteran business leader and former Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), now Department of Transportation, Jose De Jesus who will stay on as Converge Independent Director. De Jesus served as Chairman of the Converge Board since it was listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) in October 2020.

“It is with heartfelt delight that I pass the baton to Justice Perlas-Bernabe who is a respected jurist celebrated for her unshakeable integrity. Being the first female chairperson of Converge, she ushers in a new era of fairness and accountability into the Board,” said De Jesus who led Converge to its Five Arrow Award, the highest distinction in corporate governance handed by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD).

SAJ Perlas-Bernabe joined the Converge Board in May 2023, and served as chair of the Remuneration Committee and Related Party Transactions Committee. Other directors elected during the ASM were former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., Reyes Tacandong & Co. Chairman Manuel Felipe Reyes, former Naver Cloud CEO Woengi Park, and Converge founders Maria Grace Uy and Dennis Anthony Uy.

“I am deeply honored to serve as Chairperson of the Board of Converge. In the past three years, I have witnessed the company’s adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance and seen its subscriber base rise to over three million in a highly competitive industry. I am truly excited to lead the Board as the fiber internet provider evolves into a future-forward technology company,” said Perlas-Bernabe.

“I am also elated to add to the growing number of women leading in the boardroom. I have always believed that increased diversity would only bring out the best decisions in any organization,” she pointed out. Of the over 280 PSE-listed firms, less than ten companies have women as their chair.

In recognition of her outstanding service to the Supreme Court (SC) from 2011 until her retirement in 2022, the high court has created a special award called “The Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe Exemplary Career Jurist Award” to be given to retiring SC justices who have served as magistrate in all levels of court without leaving any case pending for resolution upon promotion to a higher court — a feat only Perlas-Bernabe had accomplished so far with zero-backlog or zero docket upon her every promotion to the next level court.

In her 26 years in the Philippine judiciary, SAJ Perlas-Bernabe also served as associate justice of the Court of Appeals, Regional Trial Court judge of Makati City, Metropolitan Trial Court judge of the same city, and as technical assistant in the Office of the Court Administrator.

Since February 2025, Perlas-Bernabe has been a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), bringing her decades of complex judicial and dispute resolution expertise to the international stage.

She also received various awards and distinctions namely, “Judicial Medal of Distinction” in 2022 (Supreme Court of the Philippines), “Distinguished Alumni Award for the Judiciary” in 2018 (Ateneo de Manila Alumni Association, Inc.), “Gawad Dangal ng Lipi” in 2012 (Provincial Government of Bulacan), Gawad Parangal 2008 as Outstanding Alumna for Dedicated Service to Country and People (St. Paul University Manila), Court of Appeals Award for Exemplary Performance in 2007 (CA Award of Recognition for Outstanding Performance in Case Disposition), and Natatanging Babaeng Hukom in 2003 (Municipality of Plaridel, Bulacan) among others.

Justice Perlas–Bernabe completed her Bachelor of Science in Commerce Banking and Finance at St. Paul College of Manila and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1972. She earned her law degree in Ateneo College of Law, graduating as Class Salutatorian in 1976 and passed the bar in 1977 with a rating of 85.15%.