Pres. Arthur Tugade, man on a mission

AS A young boy, he grew up in the slum area of Tatalon in Quezon City. In this environ, he developed strength of character and fueled his drive to excel.

By dint of hard work and ambition, and empowered by a scholarship awarded him by Benedictine priests, Arthur Tugade became a lawyer.

After a number of years as co-founder of the Transitional Group of Companies, he put up his own realty company named after his departed son Perry.

Soon the success-driven, highly-energetic lawyer ventured into trucking and equipment leasing. Later the family patriarch launched into the fuel business, logistics and retail.

The growth of the Perry’s Group of Companies has become a classical profile among the country’s successful SMEs. This feat was not attained without a cost to the apostle of efficiency and achievement. Hard work and a Spartan lifestyle took its toll on Atty. Tugade. After an imploded colon nearly took his life, his doctors advised him to take it easy.

Taking a government job like the presidency of the troubled Clark Development Corporation may not really be the best option of Atty. Tugade for a long and quiet life. The old pressure and challenges attendant to managing his expanding business conglomerate still hound him in his CDC job.

It’s because Atty. Tugade has brought the culture, values and ways of doing things -- the key principles of his private business -- at CDC. Old habits die hard, indeed, as the new CDC president continues to apply and inculcate his rigid work ethics in the state-run firm.

It is quite early to fairly assess his thee-month performance. “He is a man on a mission. By the looks of it, nothing-and nobody will deter him from his pursuit to turn around CDC from its present course into an exciting and rich future,” said PR Department head Angelo “Sonny” Lopez Jr.

Pres. Tugade may suffer a busted ulcer to attain his goals. This may not be caused by unsmiling personnel, who come late, and receive gifts and favors but by the recalcitrance of delinquent locators. The biggest problem of CDC is that while its operating cost keeps rising, its revenues are leveling of.

CDC personnel should not take lightly Mr. Tugade’s three caveats. At Perry’s Group the people are consistently reminded of his edict. Statement buttons pinned on his employees’ uniforms included: “Bawal ang Tamad”, “Ang Trabaho ay Isang Biyaya”, “Hindi Pwede ang Pwede na”, “May Malasakit Ako” and “A Smile is Worth a Mile.”

The intent and gravity of his words sent chilling effects when he implemented a drastic personnel overhaul. “He accepted without remorse -- and nary a statement of regret -- the resignation of CDC vice presidents, veteran pillars of the corporation,” Lopez added.

The resigned executives are Pampangos who value their self-esteem more than their office; whose sense of delicadeza will be a model for present and future CDC officials in similar predicament.

Pres. Tugade has also reshuffled personnel at the CDC Public Safety Department, a wise and timely move. Earlier he motivated -- some said compelled -- top executives (Management Committee) to give up their perks and benefits accruing to P2 million in annual savings and quelled an impending employees’ strike. The tough talking and brusque workaholic has marvelous tact and diplomatic skills on the side.

A spectacular move was his quick response to the clamor of locators which Certificate of Registration and tax exemption was extended to three years subject to strict compliance to requirements. This will reduce red tape, and inefficiency, and corruption in the service.

“This was seen as a smart solution to the pestering problem of certain locators’ delinquencies in contractual payments that has stymied and compromised CDC’s fiscal health and stability,” Lopez hailed his boss’s reform agenda.