Francisco Tatad

Francisco Tatad, also known as Kit Tatad (born October 4, 1939: Gigmoto, Catanduanes), is a politician and former senator of the Philippines.

Tatad finished his collegiate studies at the University of Santo Tomas with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and studied Business Economics at the Center for Research Communications now known as University of Asia and the Pacific.

Tatad was a journalist and held various positions including as reporter and columnist for the Manila Bulletin and as correspondent for the Agence France-Presse before being tapped by President Ferdinand Marcos as minister for Public Information, a position he held from 1969 to 1980. At 29 years old, he was the youngest person ever to be appointed to a Cabinet position by any Philippine administration until that time.

As minister, he facilitated various news briefings and broadcasts for the state media, notably the proclamation of martial law on September 21, 1972. In 1978, he ran for and won a seat in the Interim Batasan Pambansa (Philippine Parliament) where he was a member until 1984. He returned to private life during the administration of Corazon C. Aquino, writing for various publications that included the International Herald Tribune, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, Washington Quarterly, Mr. and Ms., Business Day and the Philippine Daily Globe. From 1989 to 1991, he was editor-in-chief and publisher for Philippines Newsday, a broadsheet of limited circulation, that was well read by business leaders, government personalities as well as the diplomatic community posted to the Philippines.

Tatad ran for senator in the 1992 elections and won a limited three-year term under the transitory provision of the 1987 Constitution. He ran for reelection in the 1995 elections and won for a second term that expired in 2001. He unsuccessfully ran as vice president in the failed presidential bid of Miriam Defensor-Santiago in the 1998 elections.

External links

* [http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/jul/07/yehey/top_stories/20050707top2.html Manila Times: July 07, 2005 Tatad says tapes not for release]
* [http://senate.gov.ph/senators/senlist.htm#ELEVENTH%20CONGRESS Senate of the Philippines]
* [http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/ElectionFiles/Senatoriables/KNP/tatad-business.html Francisco Tatad's Business Interests]