Icons of Change International Awards 2026
Government Sector Recognition
International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development
Undersecretary Angelo M. Tapales
Executive Director V
Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)
Philippines
SDG Focus: Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Changemaker for Child Rights Protection, Prevention of Violence Against Children, International Advocacy, and Systemic Child Welfare Coordination (Philippines)
Undersecretary Angelo M. Tapales is a distinguished public servant, lawyer, and unwavering advocate for children’s rights, currently serving as Executive Director V of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the Philippine government’s premier coordinating body for policies, programs, and initiatives that safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of every Filipino child.
A member of the Philippine Bar since 2005, Undersecretary Tapales graduated Cum Laude and as Class Salutatorian from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law. He is a founding partner of Tapales Prodon Wee-Toe Hio Tatel & Rodriguez Law Offices and an accredited arbitrator. He is currently pursuing a Master in Public Safety Administration at the Philippine Public Safety College, further deepening his expertise in governance and justice systems.
Throughout his career in legal practice, policy development, and high-level government leadership, Undersecretary Tapales has been instrumental in strengthening the Philippines’ national framework for child protection and violence prevention. As head of the CWC, he has spearheaded inter-agency coordination, policy formulation, and program implementation to ensure comprehensive safeguards for children across sectors.
On the international stage, he has represented the Philippines in critical engagements with the United Nations. He led the Philippine delegation in constructive dialogues with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, presenting national progress, best practices, and commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. As the Philippine focal person for interactions with the UN Special Representatives on Violence Against Children and on Children and Armed Conflict, he played a key role in advancing compliance, accountability, and reforms—contributing directly to the Philippines’ successful delisting from the UN list of countries with grave child rights violations in armed conflict in 2025.
Undersecretary Tapales’ leadership embodies a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to child rights: championing legal reforms, institutional strengthening, multi-sectoral partnerships, and proactive measures to protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect—including emerging threats in digital spaces. His work reinforces transparent, accountable institutions that uphold justice, reduce violence, and ensure every child’s right to protection, participation, and development.
