The #MarcosCabinet: Fred Pascual, DTI secretary


International development banker Alfredo “Fred” Pascual has been nominated by President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to take the reins as Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Alfredo Pascual (Photo from Wikipedia/ Office of the President, University of the Philippines)
Alfredo Pascual (Photo from Wikipedia/ Office of the President, University of the Philippines)

“I’ve asked Fred Pascual to head the DTI and he has agreed,” Marcos said in a Thursday, May 26 interview.

Read more here: https://mb.com.ph/2022/05/26/marcos-names-his-dof-dti-secretaries-bares-pick-for-dpwh-post/

The 74-year-old Pascual is the Governor of the Management Association of the Philippines and a trustee of the non-profit Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) which advocates for good corporate governance.

Pascual was the president of the University of the Philippines (UP) from 2011 to 2017, and before that a Regent of UP.

In 1969, he graduated cum laude from UP with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, and in 1972 earned a Masters of Business Administration.

Economist, ally to incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo, and re-electionist lawmaker Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has praised Marcos’ nomination of Pascual.

“All in all, the Diokno, Balisacan, and Medalla appointments are solid choices and I expect to work with the economic team more closely in the weeks ahead,” said Salceda in a message to the press on Thursday, May 26; the same day Marcos announced his appointees.

Pascual, as DTI Secretary, will inherit the department’s responsibilities which include employment generation, consumer empowerment, and pushing for development in the private sector.