[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 2, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING AMBASSADOR ROBERTO R. ROMULO

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 2, 2022

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, as Co-Chair of the U.S.-
Philippines Friendship Caucus, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
Philippine statesman and friend to the United States, Ambassador 
Roberto ``Bobby'' R. Romulo, who passed away on January 23, 2022.
  Ambassador Romulo graduated from Georgetown University with a 
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Ateneo de Manila University 
with a Bachelor of Law. He started his professional career as an IBM 
marketing trainee in New York City. During his IBM career; he held 
marketing and management positions in New York, Thailand, Burma, 
Bangladesh and the Philippines, where he was President and General 
Manager.
  In 1989, he was appointed Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the 
Commission of the European Communities. He was then elevated to the top 
of the Philippines's Department of Foreign Affairs in 1992. As a 
diplomat, he was decorated by the governments of Belgium, Thailand, 
Spain, Chile, France and the Philippines.
  In 1995, Ambassador Romulo rejoined the private sector and was 
elected Chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), and 
Vice-Chair of San Miguel International. He was Chairman of Interpharma 
Investments Ltd. (Zuellig Pharma) from 1997 to 2007 and was a board 
member of MIH (a subsidiary of NASPERS, a South African Company) from 
2002 to 2013. From 2003 to 2010, he served as an independent director 
of Singapore Land and UIC. Most recently, Ambassador Romulo was the 
Chairman of various organizations including AIG Philippines Insurance, 
Inc., MediLink Network Inc. and Nationwide Development Corporation 
(NADECOR). He also held board memberships at various corporations 
including PLDT, Equicom Savings Bank, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., 
Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, and McLarty Associates.
  In 1996, Ambassador Romulo was the founding Chairman of the APEC 
Business Advisory Council and continued as Chairman of the Philippine 
representation of the Council until 2010. From 1999 to 2001, he was 
Chairman of the e-ASEAN Task Force. From January 2001 to January 2007, 
he served as pro-bono senior advisor on international competitiveness 
to Philippines President Gloria Arroyo. He was a Co-Founder and Trustee 
of the US-Philippines Society. He administered the Society's ``Carlos 
P. Romulo Awards'' in recognition of the contributions of Filipinos and 
Americans who have strengthened Philippines-U.S. ties, a core mission 
of the Society.
  He was also chairman of non-profit foundations: the Carlos P. Romulo 
Foundation for Peace and Development, which raises awareness of 
critical issues that significantly impact the peace and development of 
the Philippines and the region at large; the Zuellig Family Foundation, 
which focuses on improving health conditions in rural Filipino 
communities by providing training programs for local government health 
leaders; and the Asia-Europe Foundation of the Philippines, which 
brings together the peoples of Asia and Europe to address common global 
challenges.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to an 
extraordinary diplomat, statesman, and friend to the United States. 
Ambassador Romulo will be sorely missed by so many for his frankness, 
honesty, and dedication to deepening relations between our two 
countries.

                          ____________________