June 11, 2026 The Power of Alignment: Meet Atty. Gideon V. Peña, Chief Commercial Officer, Corporate Secretary, and General Counsel of iCare
At iCare, Atty. Gideon V. Peña serves as Chief Commercial Officer, Corporate Secretary, and General Counsel. His responsibilities span commercial strategy, legal, digital commerce, communications, marketing, public relations, and corporate affairs. His role reflects iCare’s belief that organizations are stronger when strategy, business-oriented legal counsel, communications, and corporate reputation reinforce one another in pursuit of a shared purpose.
Gideon first joined the Company in 2019, when it was still InLife Health Care, as Head of Legal and Data Protection Officer. During this period, he helped strengthen the Company’s legal and compliance framework. He also represented the organization in the HMO Data Privacy Council of the National Privacy Commission, contributing to industry discussions on responsible data governance within the healthcare sector.
After serving until 2021, Gideon returned to private practice and academia while continuing his work in corporate advisory. Following the acquisition of iCare by Singapore-based Value-Based Healthcare in 2023, he returned to the Company as Head of Legal. He joined the leadership team supporting iCare’s next phase of growth and transformation.
Working closely with the leadership of Value-Based Healthcare broadened Gideon’s perspective on commercial leadership, communications, and organizational growth. The experience reinforced his belief that enduring organizations are built through disciplined execution, continuous learning, and a shared commitment to serving customers, partners, and communities.
As iCare evolved under its new ownership, Gideon’s role evolved with it. What began as legal leadership gradually expanded to include communications, marketing, commercial strategy, and corporate affairs, reflecting the Company’s increasingly integrated approach to growth. Among the initiatives he later oversaw was the development and implementation of iCare’s new corporate identity and purpose-driven brand platform, “Say Yes to Better Health.” The rebranding initiative marked an important chapter in the Company’s evolution. It reflected iCare’s commitment to becoming a more accessible, consumer-oriented healthcare organization while reinforcing its distinctive DNA of blending Singaporean efficiency with Filipino care.
His work has also included initiatives that strengthened iCare’s visibility and public engagement. These included iCare’s mainstream celebrity brand campaign featuring Janine Gutierrez, reflecting the Company’s growing focus on consumer engagement and brand building. Gideon has likewise authored articles, legal explainers, and industry commentaries on healthcare regulation, governance, medical inflation, employer-sponsored healthcare, and other issues affecting the HMO industry. Through these publications, he has helped make complex legal and healthcare topics more understandable for employers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and the public.
The same philosophy guides iCare’s Legal Department. Rather than serving solely as a control function, the team works alongside colleagues across the organization to simplify legal processes, strengthen organizational capability, and support informed decision-making. It also helps business units address legal and regulatory issues early so opportunities can move forward with greater confidence. By providing business-oriented legal counsel, the department supports innovation and responsible growth.
Beyond iCare, Gideon is a Partner of Sta. Barbara, Receno & Peña Law Offices (MCPERST Law). His work in private practice includes advising corporations, entrepreneurs, business leaders, public officials, and clients in the media and entertainment industries on corporate, commercial, labor, insurance, regulatory, and dispute-related matters.
Earlier in his career, Gideon taught Constitutional Law and Statutory Construction at the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, Ateneo de Naga University and Manila Law College. His experience in legal education reflects a longstanding commitment to developing future members of the legal profession and promoting responsible leadership.
His commitment to service likewise extends beyond the legal profession. He has served on the Philippine Air Force Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Board, contributing civilian perspectives on institutional development. Earlier in life, he served as President of the Supreme Student Council of the University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi and was a youth leader of the Anduyog Youth Volunteers Movement, which was recognized among Luzon’s Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO).
Raised in Albay, Gideon brings to his work an appreciation for the diverse communities that healthcare organizations serve across the Philippines. That perspective continues to shape his approach to leadership and stakeholder engagement.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi before completing his Juris Doctor at the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, where he served as Associate Editor of the Far Eastern Law Review. Since his admission to the Philippine Bar in 2014, he has built a career that bridges law, business, communications, and commercial leadership.
For Gideon, alignment is more than organizational coordination. It means ensuring that strategy is understood, decisions are informed, and communications are credible. Most importantly, it means helping every part of the organization move toward the same purpose. Working alongside colleagues across iCare, he continues to support the Company’s growth as one of the Philippines’ leading Health Maintenance Organizations while advancing its purpose of enabling more Filipinos to say yes to better health.
