Stephanie Naval

Access to mental healthcare remains difficult for many Filipinos, held back by cost, stigma and a shortage of professionals. Through Empath, founder and CEO Steph Naval is working to make support easier to find, using technology to connect individuals and organisations with mental health services.

The company has supported more than 100,000 individuals and worked with hundreds of organisations across the Philippines, bringing its services to people navigating personal challenges as well as workplaces looking to improve employee well-being. For Naval, the figures matter because they represent people who might otherwise struggle to find appropriate care.

Her focus now is on expanding Empath’s reach to more communities nationwide and exploring how artificial intelligence can help address gaps in access. The opportunity comes with important questions around responsible use, particularly in a field where trust, privacy and human connection are essential. Naval has also become an advocate for human-centred AI, arguing that technology should support people rather than diminish the care they receive.

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday services, her work sits at the intersection of two urgent concerns in the Philippines: making mental healthcare more accessible and ensuring that new technology serves people with dignity.