DEXTER A. GALBAN, RN, MD, MBA, MPM, RBP

​Dr. Dexter A. Galban serves as Assistant Secretary for Strategic Management, where he oversees Education Futures, Planning, Policy Research, and Programming at the Department of Education. He leads long-term reforms, innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, and foresight initiatives aimed at future-proofing basic education.

At 28, he became the youngest Commissioner of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD). At 31, he became one of the youngest Assistant Secretaries in DepEd history, successively overseeing Youth Affairs and Special Concerns, Operations, and now Strategic Management.

Under Operations, he expanded Learner Support Services, introducing key reforms such as the universal and year-long School-Based Feeding Program, School Mental Health Program, PhilHealth Konsulta integration, Bakuna Eskwela, School Sports Clubs, and Barkada Kontra Bisyo. He also scaled Gulayan sa Paaralan and WASH in Schools (WINS), launched regional Learners TeleSafe Helplines and Learner Support Centers, and pioneered both the National Career Expo and Learners’ Convergence.

Under Strategic Management, he leads the integration of AI in K-12 education through Project AGAP AI (Accelerating Governance & Adaptive Pedagogy through Artificial Intelligence), the agency’s umbrella program for AI, and oversees the streamlining of national policies and real-time data.

Dr. Galban is a registered nurse from the University of the Philippines–Manila. He earned a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Business Administration (MD-MBA) dual degree and a Master in Public Management (MPM) from Ateneo de Manila University and completed both the Artificial Intelligence Program of the University of Oxford & Said Business School and the Leadership and Management in Health Program of the University of Washington.

He is an Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leader, a finalist for The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM), and a United States YSEALI Top Future Professional, ranking second nationwide in the Career Executive Service Written Examination. He is also an inductee of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

With over 15 years of leadership experience, he has served as International Digital Solutions Expert for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Technical Working Group member of the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Panel Member for Restless Development, founder and CEO of digital health enterprise Alaga Health, and strategic adviser to national and global NGOs such as GoodGovPH, 2030 Youth Force, and Junior Achievement.