MANILA - Former Senator Alberto Romulo has taken his oath before Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III as the new chairman of the board of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Before he was appointed to DBP, Romulo pushed for several landmark economic laws as senator in the 8th to 10th Congresses.

Among the laws he authored and sponsored were the New Central Bank Act, the Philippine Veterans Bank Act, RA 8282 which further strengthened the Social Security System, and RA 7640 which instituted the Joint Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

He also served in the economic team of former president Corazon Aquino, which stabilized government financial institutions that went bankrupt during Martial Law.

Romulo also held Cabinet posts during the presidencies of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III.

Rogelio Garcia, meanwhile, also took his oath of office before Dominguez as a director of the DBP board.

Garcia, a lawyer prior to his appointment to the DBP, is a former member of the Batasang Pambansa and was Deputy Minister in the Department of Labor and Employment.

He also served as director of the Manila International Airport Authority and held various high-level positions in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Mindanao.