Bernadette Romulo-Puyat
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Short description|Filipino economist and government official}}
{{Philippine name|Tecson|Romulo|Puyat|ph=married}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Bernadette Romulo-Puyat
| image = Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (BSP Portrait).jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| office = Deputy Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
| term_start = June 6, 2022
| term_end =
| president = Rodrigo Duterte
Bongbong Marcos
| governor = Benjamin Diokno
Felipe Medalla
Eli M. Remolona Jr.
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office1 = Secretary of Tourism
| term_start1 = May 11, 2018
| term_end1 = June 30, 2022
| president1 = Rodrigo Duterte
| predecessor1 = Wanda Tulfo Teo
| successor1 = Christina Frasco
| birth_name = Bernadette Fatima Romulo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|05|14}}{{fact|date=April 2024}}
| birth_place = Quezon City, Philippines{{fact|date=April 2024}}
| nationality = Filipino
| occupation =
| profession =
| residence =
| alma_mater = University of the Philippines Diliman (BEcon, M.Ec)
| spouse = {{marriage|David Puyat||2010|end=died}}
| party =
| relations = Carlos P. Romulo
(granduncle)
Roman Romulo
(brother)
| children = 2
| parents = Alberto Romulo and Lovely Tecson
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Bernadette Fatima Tecson Romulo-Puyat (born May 14, 1971{{fact|date=April 2024}}) is a Filipino government official, economist, and academic who served as the Secretary of Tourism{{Cite web |last=Plaza |first=Marane A. |title='Days of despair over': Berna Romulo-Puyat shares optimism in 2022 travel outlook |url=https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/2021/12/07/2146129/days-despair-over-berna-romulo-puyat-shares-optimism-2022-travel-outlook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207034522/https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/2021/12/07/2146129/days-despair-over-berna-romulo-puyat-shares-optimism-2022-travel-outlook |archive-date=2021-12-07 |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=Philstar.com}} under the Duterte administration from May 2018 to June 2022, heading the Philippines' tourism industry through the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. She has since been appointed Deputy Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in charge of financial inclusion, regional operations, and the BSP's Program Management Office.{{Cite web |last=Manuel |first=Pilar |date=June 1, 2022 |title=Outgoing Tourism chief Puyat appointed as BSP deputy governor |url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/business/2022/6/1/Bernadette-Romulo-Puyat-BSP-deputy-governor.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601113732/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/business/2022/6/1/Bernadette-Romulo-Puyat-BSP-deputy-governor.html |archive-date=2022-06-01}} Her previous positions include terms as a consultant for the Presidential Management Staff, Undersecretary for the Department of Agriculture, and lecturer at the UP School of Economics.{{Cite web |title=Outgoing Tourism chief Puyat to join Bangko Sentral as Deputy Governor |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/01/22/outgoing-dot-chief-puyat-to-join-bsp-as-deputy-governor |website=ABS CBN News and Public Affairs |access-date=June 12, 2022 |archive-date=November 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128120411/https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/01/22/outgoing-dot-chief-puyat-to-join-bsp-as-deputy-governor |url-status=live }}
Early life and education
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is the fourth{{fact|date=July 2022}} amongst the five children of Filipino politician and diplomat, Alberto Romulo and Lovely Tecson. She attended the University of the Philippines Diliman and pursued an undergraduate and a master's degree in economics. She once aspired to become like her mother but later on, considering her exposure and familiarity to politics at early age, she ended up joining the Philippine political scene.{{cite news|last1=Arnaldo|first1=Ma. Stella|title=A woman for women|url=https://businessmirror.com.ph/a-woman-for-women/|accessdate=May 20, 2018|work=BusinessMirror|date=March 20, 2015|archive-date=May 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521022514/https://businessmirror.com.ph/a-woman-for-women/|url-status=live}}
Career
=Early career=
Romulo-Puyat was an instructor at the UP School of Economics. After being in the academe, she joined politics in 2004 by attempting to become the First District Representative of Quezon City. However, she lost the elections to Vincent Crisologo by 2,000 votes with Puyat readily conceding Crisologo's victory and deciding to thereafter spend more time with her family instead. Her brief political experience made her more aware of the conditions of the people affected by poverty, as a result, she put up "Botika ng Bayan" (People's Pharmacy) across some areas in Metro Manila to provide affordable medicines or generic drugs.
=As Presidential Management Staff consultant=
Puyat also worked with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) as deputy cabinet secretary and economic consultant during the tenure of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
=As agriculture undersecretary (2007–2018)=
In January 2007, Puyat became the undersecretary for special concerns at the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the former Secretary Arthur Yap.{{cite news|last=Mediavilla|first=Sam|title=Ex-police official gets new post|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X5Q1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=false|access-date=March 28, 2025|work=The Manila Times|publisher=The Manila Times Publishing Company, Inc.|date=January 11, 2007|page=A3}}{{cite news|last1=Coralles|first1=Nestor|title=Who is Bernadette Romulo-Puyat?|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/988667/who-is-bernadette-romulo-puyat|accessdate=May 20, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=May 8, 2018|archive-date=May 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521191508/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/988667/who-is-bernadette-romulo-puyat|url-status=live}} She ensured that foreign grants were directed accordingly to projects intended for farmers. She also focused on working with the agricultural concerns of women from the rural community that include financing technical support in provision of seedlings, planting materials, fermentation boxes and processing equipment for the Manobo women farmers, promotion and marketing of agricultural products for the coffee farmers across Kalinga, Bukidnon and Mt. Kanlaon; and pili, cacao and cassava farmers across Camarines Sur. She also took part in the establishment of an organic village for indigenous women farmers in Davao.
=Secretary of Tourism (2018–2022)=
Following the resignation of Wanda Teo due to her alleged involvement with issues surrounding a {{Philippine peso|60 million}} tourism advertisement placement on People's Television Network (PTV), Bernadette Romulo-Puyat was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) on May 11, 2018. Romulo-Puyat announced her plan to give farm tourism a focus and also made review on the Philippines' possible hosting of the Miss Universe 2018 pageant which her predecessor was involved in.{{cite news|last1=de Vera|first1=Analou|title=DOT chief Romulo-Puyat to focus on farm tourism|url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/05/09/dot-chief-romulo-puyat-to-focus-on-farm-tourism/|accessdate=May 9, 2018|work=Manila Bulletin|date=May 9, 2018|archive-date=May 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509091510/https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/05/09/dot-chief-romulo-puyat-to-focus-on-farm-tourism/|url-status=dead}} Romulo-Puyat dropped the Philippines' hosting bid due to budgetary concerns.{{cite news|url=http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/18/no-miss-universe-hosting-for-ph-this-year-says-tourism-chief|title=No Miss Universe hosting for PH this year, says tourism chief|work=ABS-CBN News|date=May 18, 2018|access-date=May 20, 2018|archive-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518120115/http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/18/no-miss-universe-hosting-for-ph-this-year-says-tourism-chief|url-status=live}}
In her first month as Secretary of Tourism, Romulo-Puyat alleged that corruption was rampant in the DOT, claiming the existence of schemes involving "hundred of millions" of funds within the government agency. She ordered the suspension of all projects of the DOT pending review from the Commission on Audit.{{cite news|last=Cabalza|first=Dexter|title=It's 'shocking' – not fun – in DOT; corruption makes new chief weep|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/992428/its-shocking-not-fun-in-dot-corruption-makes-new-chief-weep|accessdate=May 22, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=May 20, 2018|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522033610/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/992428/its-shocking-not-fun-in-dot-corruption-makes-new-chief-weep|url-status=live}} She also directed all undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, including Cesar Montano and Kat de Castro, to submit their courtesy resignations except for undersecretary Bong Bengzon.{{cite news|last=Uy|first=Jerald|title=Tourism Chief asks for courtesy resignation of all DOT executives but reveals she will retain at least one undersecretary|url=http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/05/15/Tourism-Secretary-Bernadette-Romulo-Puyat-Wanda-Teo-resignation.html|accessdate=June 20, 2018|work=CNN Philippines|date=May 16, 2018|archive-date=June 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620101344/http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/05/15/Tourism-Secretary-Bernadette-Romulo-Puyat-Wanda-Teo-resignation.html|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Romulo-Puyat was married to David Puyat, a lawyer, until his death in 2010. She has two children. Romulo-Puyat began dating politician Charlie Cojuangco in 2016, though they eventually separated sometime before 2020.{{cite news|last=Suralta|first=Bryle B.|title=Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat: integrity is her last name|url=https://peopleasia.ph/secretary-berna-romulo-puyat-integrity-is-her-last-name/|access-date=March 28, 2025|work=PeopleAsia|publisher=Stargate Media Corp.|date=October 9, 2018}}{{cite news|title=LOOK: Charlie Cojuangco betrothed to China Jocson|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/01/04/21/look-charlie-cojuangco-betrothed-to-china-jocson|access-date=March 28, 2025|work=ABS-CBN News|publisher=ABS-CBN Corporation|date=January 4, 2021|location=Manila}}
Although rumors persisted that she had dated Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte during her tenure as agriculture undersecretary,{{cite news|last=Figueroa|first=Jovi|title=Mayor Duterte's ideal first lady is…|url=http://lifestyle.asiandragonmagazine.com/2015/10/10/mayor-dutertes-ideal-first-lady-is/|work=Asian Dragon|publisher=Foresight Books Publishing|date=October 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020033351/http://lifestyle.asiandragonmagazine.com/2015/10/10/mayor-dutertes-ideal-first-lady-is/|archive-date=October 20, 2015|quote=There is a thick history behind the Department of Agriculture Undersecretary [Berna Romulo-Puyat], who is now the apple of the eye of Mayor Rody Duterte.}}{{cite news|last=Figueroa|first=Jovi|title='Election or no election' – Duterte|url=http://lifestyle.asiandragonmagazine.com/2015/10/15/election-or-no-election-duterte/|work=Asian Dragon|publisher=Foresight Books Publishing|date=October 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020020021/http://lifestyle.asiandragonmagazine.com/2015/10/15/election-or-no-election-duterte/|archive-date=October 20, 2015|quote=But in an exclusive interview with Asian Dragon that Monday night [October 12], Mayor Duterte says, 'Election or no election, Berna remains to be my ideal first lady.' He adds, 'she's one person I’m proud of showing to the world.'}}{{cite web|last=Tulfo|first=Ramon|author-link=Ramon Tulfo|title=We are the best of friends.|url=https://www.facebook.com/isumbongmo.kaytulfo.5/posts/pfbid0N3JYHkakke17nQNM5CMpRoHnFi3a7qqBY9AwXni3Q7fF17gChiCnHmkfFYDHK91Al|website=Facebook|publisher=Meta Platforms, Inc.|access-date=March 27, 2025|date=March 28, 2025}} Duterte denied the allegation in 2018, stating that she was simply his good friend from working with each other in government.{{cite news|author=Politiko|title=Duterte sets record straight on Berna Romulo Puyat: BFF ko siya, ‘di girlfriend!|trans-title=Duterte sets record straight on Berna Romulo Puyat: She's my BFF, not girlfriend!|url=https://politiko.com.ph/2018/06/07/duterte-sets-record-straight-on-berna-romulo-puyat-bff-ko-siya-di-girlfriend/features/|access-date=March 28, 2025|work=Politiko|publisher=MCD Multimedia Corporation|date=June 7, 2018|language=English, Filipino}}
References
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External links
{{Commons category}}
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{{s-bef|before=Wanda Tulfo Teo}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of Tourism|years=2018–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Christina Frasco}}
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{{Duterte Cabinet}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romulo-Puyat, Bernadette}}
Category:Arroyo administration personnel
Category:Bongbong Marcos administration personnel
Category:Benigno Aquino III administration personnel
Category:Duterte administration cabinet members
Category:Secretaries of tourism of the Philippines