PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has picked former Philippine Airlines (PAL) president Jaime Bautista as the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) during his administration, incoming executive secretary Vic Rodriguez said on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
Bautista was PAL’s president and chief operating officer from 2004 to 2019.
As a protégé of business tycoon Lucio Tan, he served in various executive capacities in the Lucio Tan group for 39 years, the last 24 years for Philippine Airlines and its subsidiaries.
He also served as independent director of the Belle Corporation, Premium Leisure Corporation, and Nickel Asia Corporation.
He was also a former executive and director in Macroasia Corporation, Macroasia Services Corporation, Macroasia Airport Services Corporation, Macroasia Properties Development Corporation and ETON Properties Philippines Inc.
Bautista will replace DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade.
Marcos also appointed former Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Deputy Administrator Cesar Chavez as DOTr undersecretary for rails.
Lawyer Cheloy Garafil was designated as Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman, while Christopher Pastrana, the chairman of Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corporation, has been named the incoming general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority. (SunStar Philippines)