Profile of Classification Speaker: Rtn. Tong Payumo
Rtn. Felicito “Tong” C. Payumo, Chairman of the University of Nueva Caceres-Bataan, is a former Bataan Representative and former chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Bases Conversion Development Authority.
A product of the Public School System, FCPayumo finished his Elementary grades from the Dinalupihan, Bataan Elementary School. A “promdi,” he enrolled in High School in the same town. He was elected President of the Student Council and graduated Valedictorian from the Northern Bataan Institute, a parochial High School. He applied for admission into the Ateneo de Manila, then still a College. He was also elected President of the Student Council and graduated Bachelor of Science (Economics), Cum Laude.
Immediately after his graduation, he worked for Procter & Gamble PMC before joining Engineering Equipment, Inc. His work experience and education had served to get him admitted to the MBA Program of the Harvard Business School with a Scholarship from S. C. Johnson, Inc. After his graduation from the Harvard Business School, he rejoined Engineering Equipment, Inc. where he served as President.
He was active in the EDSA revolution which had installed Cory Aquino as President. Without previous political experience, he ran for Congressman for the 1st District of Bataan which he served for 3 consecutive terms or a total of 11 & one half years! Among the Laws that he had passed were R.A. 7227 or the Act Accelerating the Conversion of Military Reservations into other productive uses, creating the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).
He was appointed by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada as Chairman and Administrator of the Subic Bay Military Authority (SBMA). Together with BCDA and Clark Development Authorities, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) was constructed connecting the Subic seaport to Clark airport, bypassing the round about Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Rd. The Subic-Morong Road was constructed for a direct link between SBMA and the town of Morong and easy access to the resort facilities of the Anvaya Golf Course that has given employment to the people of Morong. Providing direct connection between two distant points had been shown to be beneficial to the linked communities. Mr. Payumo still is pushing for another connection: the Cavite-Bataan bridge (or tunnel-bridge).
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