Alberto Romulo

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Gatmaitan and the surname or paternal family name is Romulo.

Alberto "Bert" Gatmaitan Romulo (born August 7, 1933) is a Filipino politician and diplomat. He served in the Philippines in various capacities as executive secretary, finance secretary, foreign affairs secretary, and budget secretary. His most recent office is his leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs^[1] before and during the early period of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

The Honorable Alberto Romulo
Romulo in 2010
Chairman and Director of the Board of the Development Bank of the Philippines
In office March 2017 – December 22, 2022
Appointed by	Rodrigo Duterte
President	Emmanuel G. Herbosa
Succeeded by	Dante Tiñga
24th Secretary of Foreign Affairs
In office August 23, 2004 – February 23, 2011
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Benigno Aquino III
Preceded by	Delia Albert
Succeeded by	Albert del Rosario
34th Executive Secretary of the Philippines
In office May 8, 2001 – August 23, 2004
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Renato de Villa
Succeeded by	Eduardo Ermita
26th Secretary of Finance
In office January 23 – June 30, 2001
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Jose Pardo
Succeeded by	Jose Isidro Camacho
Senate Majority Leader
In office July 22, 1991 – October 10, 1996
Preceded by	Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
Succeeded by	Francisco Tatad
Senator of the Philippines
In office June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1998
Minister of Budget and Management
In office February 25, 1986 – March 13, 1987
President	Corazon Aquino
Preceded by	Guillermo Carague
Succeeded by	Manuel Alba (as Secretary)
Member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa
In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986 Serving with Ismael Mathay, Jr., Orlando Mercado, and Cecilia Muñoz-Palma
Constituency	Quezon City
Personal details
Born	Alberto Gatmaitan Romulo (1933-08-07) August 7, 1933 (age 91) Camiling, Tarlac, Philippine Islands
Political party	LDP (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	UNIDO (until 1987) Lakas ng Bansa (1987–1988)
Spouse	Rosie Lovely Tecson-Romulo
Children	5 (incl. Roman and Bernadette)
Alma mater	De La Salle University Manuel L. Quezon University University of Madrid
Profession	Lawyer
Website	Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Romulo was born in Camiling, Tarlac from Pangasinan and Kapampangan parents.^[2] He was then elected as member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa representing Quezon City in 1984. He then joined government service as the interim Minister of the Budget of President Corazon Aquino during the transition period following the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. He was a senator from 1987 to 1998, during which time he served as Majority Leader for five years. As Majority Leader, he greatly helped then Senate President Neptali Gonzales, Sr. in running the plenary sessions of the Senate and in executing its legislative mill.^[3] In November 1989, Romulo avoided a fatal helicopter crash near Maulong, Catbalogan when an Army commander convinced him to ride another helicopter going to Catbalogan.^[4]

He became finance secretary in January 2001, having been appointed when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took office and formed her own cabinet. He left this position in May 2001; Romulo was later appointed as an executive secretary.^[5] On August 18, 2004, he was appointed foreign secretary,^[5] and which he would hold until February 25, 2011, under President Aquino.^[6] He served as Chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN in 2007.^[7]

In March 2017, Romulo was appointed chairman and director of the board of the Development Bank of the Philippines.^[8]