Jaime Bautista

Jaime Bautista is the current secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), a position to which he was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in June 2022.

Bautista spent decades with the Lucio Tan Group of Companies in various positions, including president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines. Largely credited with turning PAL around, he retired from the flag carrier in 2019.

Bautista is also a certified public accountant with a commerce degree from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, obtained in 1977.

At the helm of the DOTr, Bautista has said that he will prioritize the modernization of the Philippines’ transportation system by moving “full speed ahead” on infrastructure projects. These include the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport under a consortium led by San Miguel Corporation, planned railways such as the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 and Metro Manila Subway, and bus rapid transit systems in Cebu and Davao.

Bautista also inherited the challenges of implementing the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which was launched by the Rodrigo Duterte administration in 2017. The head of transport group Manibela, a critic of the program, was among those who accused Bautista of corruption. The DOTr chief called the allegations “baseless,” saying that he has “never accepted any money or favor” since assuming the Cabinet post. He sued his accusers for cyber libel.