Arthur Tugade


Arthur "Art" Planta Tugade is a Filipino businessman and lawyer from Cagayan. He is the current Secretary of the Department of Transportation after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Joseph Emilio Abaya. He previously held the position of President and chief executive officer of Clark Development Corporation, an attached agency of the government-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority under President Benigno Aquino III.

Early life and education

Tugade was born on January 9, 1946 to poor parents from Claveria, Cagayan, Francisco Tugade and Lucefina Planta. His parents were both employed at the Public Works Department and he was in elementary school when they moved to Sampaloc, Manila.
Tugade attended law school at the San Beda College of Law where he was classmates with President Rodrigo Duterte. He graduated magna cum laude in 1971. He completed his post-graduate studies at the National University of Singapore under the NUS-Stanford Executive Program in 1985.

Career and businesses

Tugade engaged in private law practice before joining government service. He was a partner at Bengzon, Verano, Tugade and Escolin Law Office. He also pursued a career in global logistics, information technology, tourism and consumer products business serving as chairman and president of several firms, including Transnational Diversified Group, Yusen Air and Sea Services, TDG Asia Corporation, Harmony Organic Farms, and Easycall Communications.
Tugade founded Perry's Realty, named after his son who died from asthma attack at age 12. The company grew to become Perry's Holding Corporation which employs more than 350 employees in 10 corporations of the Perry's Group of Companies which include Transglobal Equipment Leasing, Perry's Technology, ATP Travel, Perryome, Transglobal Trucking and Transglobal Consolidators, Inc.