Rommel C. Banlaoi (27 April 1970) is a Filipino political scientist, security analyst, an international studies expert, counterterrorism scholar, and a sinologist. He was nominated and designated as a Deputy National Security Adviser with the rank of Undersecretary in July 2022 to lead in the transition process at the National Security Council Secretariat. But he has returned to his work as an independent scholar and a non-government subject matter expert on geopolitics, peace and security studies; counterterrorism research; and, China studies. He is a celebrity professor and policy influencer known for his scholarly works on international terrorism (specifically on the Abu Sayyaf Group), South China disputes, foreign affairs and geopolitical issues. He is the Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR) and President of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies (PSISS), both academic and non-governmental organizations.
Education
Banlaoi finished his BA and MA in Political Science at the University of the Philippines in Diliman where he also worked on his PhD in Political Science (ABD Status). He earned his PhD in International Relations at Jinan University in Guangzhou, China.
Career
Banlaoi began his career as Instructor in Political Science at the University of the Philippines Los Banos (1992-1995). and a University Research Associate at the University of the Philippines in Diliman (1996). Afterwards, he became Assistant Professor of International Studies at De La Salle University (1997-1998). He was a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the National Defense College of the Philippines (1998-2008) where he was also designated as Vice President from 1998-2001. Prior to his academic stint at NDCP, he worked at the Office of the Secretary of National Defense (OSND) during the administration of President Joseph Estrada. While at NDCP, he was detailed to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs (OASPP) during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It was also during the term of President Arroyo when Banlaoi served as a senior adviser at the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), founding Director of the Mayor's Development Center (MDC), and a consultant at the National Counter-Terrorism Action Group (NACTAG), the forerunner of the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) established by the Human Security Act of 2007, otherwise known as the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Law currently replaced by the Philippine Anti_Terrorism Law of 2020. He was then appointed as a member of the Advisory Council of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. He was also appointed member to the Advisory Council of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. In 2021, he was reappointed as member of the National Advisory Group of the CIDG and eventually elected as its Vice Chairman for External Affairs. Banlaoi also received appointment as Professor and Director for Research and Publication at the World City College (WCC)in 2004-2005 and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Eastern Pangasinan (UEP) in 2006. Since 2011, he has been teaching at the Department of International Studies at Miriam College, the Philippines.
Awards
Banlaoi received in June 2021 the Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Promotion of Philippines-China Understanding offered by the Association of Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines. Because of his involvement in peace education, terrorism research and non-violence studies, he received the Albani Peace Prize Award for Peace Education. He also received the "Kahanga-hangang Pilipino" (Outstanding Filipino) Award in 2012 for peace research and national security education. On the occasion of the 2016 World CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Congress Day in Mumbai, India, Banlaoi received the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Humanitarian and Social Cause. Banlaoi has been called "the father of Philippine counter-terrorism research" and the "leading Philippine scholar" studying radical Islam.