The Honorable Albert F. Del Rosario was born in Manila on November 14, 1939 and has worked for both the prívate sector and government. He attended Xavier High School in New York City and subsequently graduated from New York University with a Bachelor Degree in Economics.
The Secretary´s business career spanned a vast filed which included insurance, banking, real estate, shipping, telecommunications, consumer products, retail, pharmaceutical, and food industries, among others. He was a member of the Board of Directors of various firms prior to entering public service and held the position of Philippine Ambassador to the United States in Washington D.C..
The Secretary´s experience in the private sector included positions as chair of Phil. Stratbase Consultancy, Inc., Makati Foundation for Education and as president of Gotuaco, del Rosario Insurance Brokers, Inc., Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corporation (PTIC), and as a director in various companies and non-profit organizations, including the Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT), Business World Publishing Corporation, First Pacific Company (Hong Kong), PT Indofood Sukses Makmur TBK (Indonesia), Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), Philex Mining Corporation, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corporation (MPTDC), Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), ABC Development Corporation (ABC 5), Asia Insurance (Philippines) Corporation, Philippine Cancer Society, Cultural Center of the Philippines Foundation, Incorporated (CCPFI), Trustee of Pinoy ME Foundation Inc., member of the Asia Society´s International Council and of the Board of Governors of International Graduate University (Washington D.C.). In addition, the Ambassador headed the development of Pacific Plaza Towers, Metro Pacific Corporation´s signature project at Fort Bonifacio, Global City.
As Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States, he was instrumental in securing US$1.2 billion U.S. funding assistance for the Philippines, bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and peace and development in Mindanao, investments in the country´s Business Process Outsourcing industry, and greater access for Philippine exports. His enduring legacy which continues to benefit the Philippines includes the formation of the Philippine Friendship Caucus Committee of 80 members of the US House of Representatives, retaining the Philippines in the list of approved investment locations in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), development of the Reform Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pioneering the Ambassadors / Consuls General Tour of the Philippines, and Bayan Ko – Bahay Ko Program.
In September of 2004, Ambassador del Rosario was conferred the highest possible award, the Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu, by H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for his outstanding efforts in promoting foreign relations. He also received the Philippine Army Award from President Aquino for initiatives as Chairman of the Makati Foundation for Education in 1991. In early 2001, he received the EDSA II Heroes Award from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in recognition of his efforts in promoting Philippine democracy. He was recently elevated to the Xavier Hall of Fame in New York City.
Ambassador del Rosario is married to Gretchen de Venecia. They have five children and six grandchildren.