Rafaelita Aldaba is assistant secretary of the Industry Development and Trade Policy Group (IDTPG) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). She fulfills a key role in the formulation and implementation of the new Philippine industrial policy and Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), formerly the Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy (CNIS), including the Industry Roadmapping Project (IRP), the Manufacturing Resurgence Program (MRP), and the rolling out of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program. She is in-charge of DTI’s initiatives in establishing an inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the country, in coordination with other government agencies, industry, and the academe.
 
Prior to her appointment, Aldaba served as senior research fellow and acting vice-president of PIDS. She has extensive research experience and authored various publications on development issues in the Philippines and ASEAN. She has also conceptualized and managed research projects with various international organizations, including The World Bank, the ADB, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Canadian International Development Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).