Dr. Elsa Palao Manarapac is the first female President of the Western Philippines University (WPU). She holds a master’s degree in Community Development from the University of the Philippines Diliman and a Ph.D. in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She rose from the ranks of Instructor to an Accredited Professor of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and was designated to various positions in the university as dean of the College of Agriculture, Vice President for Academic Affairs, External Affairs, Research, Development and Extension, and SUC Vice President. She is a licensed teacher, a licensed agriculturist, an accreditor of the Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP), and the Local Governance Training Research Institutes-Philippine Network (LoGoTRI-PhilNet). She was recognized as one of the Most Outstanding Alumni of the Palawan National Agricultural College, Most Outstanding Women of Aborlan, Palawan, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Bayanihan Leadership Awardees. Her advocacies include gender and development, environmental protection, and people empowerment. During her second term as University President, WPU was adjudged as one of the national winners in the Search for Most Sustainable and Eco-friendly School in the Philippines.