Arthur Tugade. Photo: International Maritime Organization, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arthur_Tugade_-_2018_(cropped).jpg
Arthur P. Tugade is a Philippine lawyer, entrepreneur, transportation executive, and public official. He built a career in logistics and freight forwarding, led the Clark Development Corporation, founded the Perry’s Group of Companies, and served as Secretary of Transportation from 2016 to 2022.
Background
Arthur Planta Tugade was born on January 9, 1946, in Claveria, Cagayan, the Philippines, to Francisco Tugade and Lucefina Planta Tugade. He later studied in Manila, where San Beda College provided the educational setting for his progression from primary schooling through law school.
Accounts of Tugade’s early life describe a childhood in modest circumstances in Quezon City and education supported by a San Beda scholarship. His later career connected his legal training with the development of Philippine logistics, freight forwarding, transportation, and entrepreneurial enterprises.
Education
Tugade attended San Beda College from primary education through law school. San Beda, founded in Manila by Benedictine monks, developed as a Catholic educational institution with established programs in the liberal arts, law, and professional education. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, graduating magna cum laude in 1967, and his Bachelor of Laws, graduating cum laude in 1971.
In 1985 he completed a Financial Management Program at the National University of Singapore. The university, established in 1905 and developed as Singapore’s leading comprehensive institution of higher education, provided a regional setting for his further study of management and finance.
Career
Tugade began his business career in the private sector and became associated with the development of logistics, air cargo, shipping, and transportation services in the Philippines. He served as president of Joint Research and Development Corporation from 1976, later held executive positions with Emery Transnational Air Cargo Corporation, Yusen Air and Sea Service Philippines, and TDG Asia Corporation, and became president and chief operating officer of the Transnational Diversified Group in 1997. The group grew from Philippine shipping and transport operations into a diversified Asia-based business network encompassing logistics, aviation, maritime services, and related industries.
Tugade became chief resource officer of the Transnational Diversified Group in 2001 and co-chairman in 2003. He also founded Transglobal Consolidators in 2003. Freight consolidation and forwarding connect cargo owners with air and sea carriers, and Transglobal developed within this broader logistics field, handling air freight, sea freight, integrated logistics, and supply-chain services.
Through the Perry’s Group of Companies, Tugade became involved in trucking, logistics, shipping, fuel distribution, travel, agriculture, technology, and related enterprises. The group’s companies included Transglobal Trucking, Transglobal Equipment Leasing, Gateway Shipping Agency, APT Travel, Perry’s Technology, Perry’s Farms, and Perry’s Holdings.
In 2012, Tugade became president and chief executive officer of the Clark Development Corporation, a state-owned corporation responsible for managing the Clark Freeport and Clark Special Economic Zone. During his tenure, the corporation reported record revenues for the 2013–2015 period. He subsequently served as Secretary of Transportation from 2016 to 2022, overseeing a national department responsible for Philippine land, air, maritime, and rail transportation.
Achievements
Built a long career in Philippine logistics, freight forwarding, transportation, and related enterprises, including executive leadership in the Transnational Diversified Group and the founding of Transglobal Consolidators.
Led the Clark Development Corporation as president and chief executive officer from 2012, during a period in which the corporation reported record revenues for 2013–2015.
Served as Secretary of Transportation from 2016 to 2022, bringing private-sector logistics experience to national transportation administration.
Politics
Tugade served as an appointed public official rather than as an elected party politician. He was Secretary of Transportation from June 30, 2016, to June 30, 2022, in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, after leading the Clark Development Corporation. His public responsibilities centered on transportation administration, infrastructure development, logistics, and the modernization of national transport systems.
As Secretary of Transportation, Tugade headed the Philippine government department responsible for transportation policy and administration across aviation, maritime transport, railways, roads, and public utilities. His career combined private-sector logistics management with government service, placing him in a period marked by efforts to expand transport capacity, improve connectivity, and address congestion and inefficiency.
Membership
Tugade has participated in legal, business, educational, civic, and humanitarian organizations. His memberships and board activities included the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Rotary organizations, the World Presidents’ Organization, the Makati Business Club, the San Beda College Board of Trustees, the San Beda College Alumni Foundation, and the Tuloy Foundation.
His Rotary involvement included membership and leadership in the Rotary Club of Panday Pira, where he served as president in 1982–1983 and held district and community-service responsibilities. Rotary clubs are service organizations whose programs commonly support education, humanitarian assistance, community development, and professional fellowship.
Member.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines
,
the Philippines
Served as president in 1982–1983 and held director and district service responsibilities.
Rotary Club of Panday Pira
,
the Philippines
1978 - 2003
Member.
Makati Business Club
,
the Philippines
1983
Member.
Young Presidents’ Organization
,
the Philippines
1990
Member.
World Presidents’ Organization
,
the Philippines
1997
Member.
San Beda College Alumni Foundation
,
the Philippines
2005
Trustee and vice president in 2011.
San Beda College Board of Trustees
,
the Philippines
2006
Board of trustees member.
Tuloy Foundation
,
the Philippines
2008
Honorary member.
Rotary Club Poblacion-Parañaque
,
the Philippines
2013
Interests
Reading.
Sport & Clubs
Golf and bowling.
Connections
Tugade married Maria Soledad Maddela Tugade on February 19, 1972. Their children include Pilar Lucifina Tugade-Hlatky, Paul Louie Tugade, Finina Marie Tugade, and Jose Arturo Tugade.
His professional and educational connections included San Beda College, where he studied from primary education through law school, and the Transnational Diversified Group, whose founders and executives included Tugade during its development as a Philippine logistics and transportation enterprise. He was also a classmate of Rodrigo Duterte at the San Beda College of Law.
Arthur P. Tugade, Secretary of Transportation Profile
Describes Tugade’s executive career, the founding of the Perry’s Group of Companies, his leadership of the Clark Development Corporation, and his service as Secretary of Transportation.
2019
About Us: Transnational Diversified Group
Documents Tugade’s role among the pioneers of the Transnational Diversified Group and explains the group’s development from Philippine shipping and logistics operations into a diversified Asia-based enterprise.
