Daily Tribune‘I stand by the ideals of the Rotary Club of Manila, which is service above self; I am grateful to be a Rotarian and grateful beyond words to be an honorary member of the Club again’
Alberto G. Romulo, whose various designations during a public service career covering nearly four decades are legion, was given a rousing welcome back home by the Manila Rotary Club which he was president of in 1978. Romulo stands second from left beside PP Santiago Dumlao, wife Mrs. Lovely Romulo, RC Manila president Rafael Alunan III, PDG Roberto Pagdanganan, and IPP Herminio Esguerra, during RC Manila's meeting last 9 September at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City. | photograph by Dianne Bacelonia for the Daily Tribune
The Rotary Club of Manila last Thursday gave a warm rousing homecoming welcome to quintessential public servant, diplomat, politician, technocrat and former RC Manila president Alberto Romulo.
"I stand by the ideals of the Rotary Club of Manila, which is service above self, and in fact during my entire public service career, I have always been guided by its 4-way test. I am grateful to be a Rotarian and I am grateful beyond words to be an honorary member again of the Rotary Club of Manila," Romulo said after he was re-inducted as honorary member of the Club during the latter's members' meeting at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City on 7 September 2023.
Romulo served as president of the Rotary Club of Manila in 1978 and became among its highly successful members who chose to extend help to the entire nation through his multiple government executive and legislative positions.
He finished studies in Accounting and Doctor of Laws and was a director of Administration and Finance of JCI USA, a global network of professionals.
Using his specialized knowledge, he headed the Senate's economic committee, creating and sponsoring bills, such as The New Central Bank Act, The Social Security Law and The Philippine Veterans Bank Act.
As secretary of Budget, Romulo also saved the Philippine National Bank and the Government Service Insurance System from falling into bankruptcy during the term of former President Corazon Aquino.
As a foreign affairs chief, Romulo initiated and coordinated the passage of the Philippine Archipelagic Baseline Law in 2009 which affirmed the Kalayaan Group of Islands and Scarborough Shoal as part of the national territory of the Philippines.
Romulo also made possible the issuance of machine-readable passports in that same year.
He was also chairman of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation and had likewise served global institutions as governor of the Asian Development Bank and alternate governor of the International Monetary Fund.
Romulo, who turned 90 last August, could look back with pride at a career spanning nearly four decades of public service, including being a member of the Batasan Pambansa in the mid-1980s, as well as a two-term Senator (1987-1998) with an exemplary track record all through out unblemished by any taint of corruption.
