Board Of Directors
Board Of Directors
Meet the people behind SouthBank Inc.
Dr. Rafaelita P. Pelaez has served as the Bank’s Chairman and is the majority stock holder since February 2005 when the Pelaez family acquired it in 2004. She is the Chairman of the ZEALEP Group of Companies with business interests in education, real estate and finance among others. Aside from the Bank, among these corporations in which she heads as Chairman are: Liceo de Cagayan University, Zealep, Inc., Gopel Finance Corporation, Factors Lending Corporation, Paseo del Rio, Bently Realty and Development Corporation, Cagayande Oro Academy for International Education, Divine Shepherd Memorial Gardens, and Pelaez-Golez Management Corporation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Colegio dela Immaculada Concepcion, a Master of Arts in Literature from the University of San Carlos and Doctor in Management from University of San Jose Recoletos. She has attended the Corporate Governance Seminar conducted by Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP).
Dr. Rafaelita P. Pelaez
Chairman
Non-Executive Director
Filipino, 71
Mr. Wilhelmino R. Mendoza has served as the Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer and Director since December 2013. He has also been Director of Gopel Finance Corporation and Factors Lending Corporation. Mr. Mendoza has worked in the banking industry for more than 40 years and has attended many leadership management and financial trainings and seminars, foremost of which are his attendance in the Pacific Rim Bankers Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA and a Leadership Program conducted by the National Defense College of the Philippines at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig, Metro Manila. He worked in various capacities in other banks. He started his banking career at the Philippine National Bank and rose to become manager of Republic Planters Bank. Afterwards he became Vice President and Region Head of Land Bank of the Philippines and Solid bank Corporation. He retired in 2013, as First Vice President and Area Head of BDO Unibank. For a time, he also worked as Senior Vice President and Consultant of A. Brown Company and other affiliates of the said group in Cagayan de Oro. Mr. Mendoza holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ateneo de Zamboanga. He has attended the Corporate Governance Seminar and Advance Corporate Governance Course conducted by RBAP last September 2016 and October 2017, respectively.
Wilhelmino R. Mendoza
President and CEO
Executive Director
Filipino, 71
Dr. Mariano M. Lerin has served as a Director of the Bank since 2005 and corporate secretary until 2018. He was President of Liceo de Cagayan University from 2007 until his retirement in 2020. Dr. Lerin held directorship and officership positions in Gopel Finance Corporation, Factors Lending Corporation, Paseo del Rio, Zealep Hotels, Inc., Bently Realty and Development Corporation, Divine Shepherd Memorial Gardens, Zealep Insurance Agency and Allied Services, Inc., Zealep Holdings, Inc. and Propiedades Maternales, Inc as Director; and Cagayan de Oro Academy for International Education as Director and Corporate Secretary. He is an accomplished educator and has been faculty and dean of various schools before joining Liceo de Cagayan University. He was President of Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) in 1991 and of ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA) in 1996. He has attended various seminars in his field, including Corporate Governance Seminar which was conducted by RBAP in 2016. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from the University of San Carlos, AB Economics from University of San Carlos, Bachelor of Science in Education Major in Economic from University of San Jose Recoletos, Master in Business Administration from University of San Jose Recoletos and Doctor in Management from the University of Sto. Tomas.
Dr. Mariano M. Lerin
Non-Executive Director
Filipino, 79
Dr. Alain Marc P. Golez has served as a Director of the Bank since 2005.He has also been the Bank’s Treasurer from 2005 to 2018. He was elected as President of Liceo de Cagayan University in 2020. He also holds directorship and officership positions in Gopel Finance Corporation, Factors Lending Corporation, Paseo del Rio, Bently Realty and Development Corporation, Divine Shepherd Memorial Gardens, and Pelaez-Golez Management Corporation as Corporate Secretary; Cagayan de Oro Academy for International Education and Golez and Golez Ventures as President; Zealep Holdings, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer;; and Zealep, Inc. and Zealep Insurance Agency and Allied Services as Director. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree major in English from the University of San Carlos, Master in Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management and Doctor in Philosophy Major in Commerce from the University of Sto. Thomas. He attended the Corporate Governance Seminar in 2016.
Dr. Alain Marc P. Golez
Non-Executive Director
Filipino, 44
Engr. Paras has served as a Director of the Bank since 2005. Engr. Paras is one of Cagayan de Oro City’s prominent and pioneering businessmen. He is the President and CEO of UC-1 Corporation, Parasat Cable TV, Inc., Arriba Telecontact Inc. and Paramedix Inc. His newest business establishment, Seven Seas, is a popular and the only water sports adventure park in Cagayan de Oro City. He has been the President of Cagayan De Oro Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Xavier University in 2007. Engr. Paras holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from De Lasalle University. He attended the Corporate Governance Seminar in 2016.
Engr. Elpidio M. Paras
Director
Filipino, 68
Dr. Anselmo B. Mercado has served as one of the Bank’s Independent Directors since 2016. He is the Chairman of the Board of Water Consumers Cooperative, Cagayan de Oro Cooperative Advisory Committee, and First Community Credit Cooperative Foundation (FCOF). He served as Dean of Xavier University – College of Agriculture and previously held directorship in various institutions. Dr. Mercado holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Major in Animal Science from Xavier University, Master of Science in Education, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and Doctor of Philosophy major in Adult and Extension Education from North Carolina State University. He attended the Corporate Governance Seminar in 2016.
Dr. Anselmo B. Mercado
Independent Director
Filipino, 77
Atty. Ramon M. Velez has served as a Director of the Bank since March 9, 2017. He is the Senior Manager for Legal Services of Del Monte Philippines, Inc. He is also engaged in restaurant business and is an avid golfer. Atty. Velez holds a degree in AB Economics from Xavier University and Bachelor of Laws from University of the Philippines. He attended the Corporate Governance Seminar on September 2017.
Atty. Ramon M. Velez
Director
Filipino, 59
Dr. Ferdinand A .Rodriguez has served as one of the Bank’s Independent Directors since 2016. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is the Managing Director of FAR Management Consultancy and Accounting Office and the Review Director of Professional Review and Training Center (PRTC) – Cagayan de Oro City. He has been the President of Philippine Council of Deans and Educators in Business in 2016 up to 2017; President of National Association of CPAs in Education in 2014 up to 2015. He was appointed as Second Member of Professional Regulation Commission-Continuing Professional Development Council for Accountancy in 2017. He is also the Regional Director of Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 2018 and National Director of Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice since January 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Master of Business Administration from Xavier University and Doctor in Management from Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City. Recently, he completed academic requirement in Doctor in Business Administration from La Consolacion University Philippines in Malolos, Bulacan.
Dr. Ferdinand A. Rodriguez
Independent Director
Filipino, 55
Mr. Jaime Rafael U. Paguio has served as a director of the Bank since 2016. Currently, he is the President of Allied Power Industries of Mindanao, Inc. (A Power); Senior Vice President of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co., Inc. (CEPALCO) and Vice President of the CEPALCO Energy Services Corporation (CESCO). He is past President of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. and the 2020 Vice President for the Manufacturing and Industry Sector of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (Oro Chamber) and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree major in Economics from Xavier University; Finance and Economic Analysis of Energy Projects at the Colorado School of Mines; Electric Utility Management at Swedpower-Vattenfall, Sweden and Finance for Senior Executives at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). He attended the Corporate Governance Seminar in January 2017
Mr. Jaime Rafael U. Paguio
Director
Filipino, 65
Atty. Jairo M. Ladera was appointed as the Bank’s Corporate Secretary on May 12, 2021. He has been the acting corporate secretary from February 2020 until appointed as full fledge corporate secretary last May 12, 2021. Atty. Ladera holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from Xavier University. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Xavier University and passed the Bar Examination in 2010. Atty. Ladera is a partner of Almirante Ladera and Associates, auditor of Integrated Bar of the Philippines Misamis Oriental Chapter, commissioner at IBP Commission on Bar Discipline. He was former Legal Officer of Department of Agriculture and former Professor of Xavier University and Liceo de Cagayan University College of Law.
Atty. Jairo M. Ladera
Corporate Secretary
Filipino, 36
