Angelica Christine Acaylar-Takashima joined the US ASEAN Business Council in July 2022 as the Manager for the Philippines, based in the Manila office. With a profound dedication to promoting policy advocacy and research in the Philippines, Angelica began her journey with the Council in May 2022, making significant contributions to its Philippine portfolio prior to her role as a Manager. With an impressive background as an Environmental and Social Considerations Specialist, Angelica brings a wealth of experience to her role. Prior to joining the Council, she played a pivotal role in social infrastructure development projects under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program such as the Metro Manila Subway Project in the Philippines funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Angelica holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry and UC Davis through the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training's scholarship program.  During her time as an undergraduate student, she conducted studies on topics related to climate change and indigenous peoples in Northern Vietnam.  

Continuing her pursuit of knowledge and expertise, Angelica is currently pursuing a master's degree in ASEAN Studies at the University of the Philippines (Open University). Her studies focus on ASEAN's three pillars, and she is leading groundbreaking research in this area, further solidifying her commitment to enhancing regional cooperation and understanding.

Angelica is fluent in Filipino and English and speaks conversational Vietnamese and Japanese. She is married to a Japanese Architect, Haruki Takashima.