Ceferino S. Rudolfo

Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo has served as Philippine Trade and Industry Undersecretary 
across three consecutive presidential administrations. He leads national efforts in industry development, 
trade and investment promotion, and implementing trade remedies, with a focus on strengthening 
Philippine competitiveness and advancing strategic industries.

In investment promotion, Undersecretary Rodolfo has achieved record-high registrations of investment 
projects across sectors such as renewable energy and digital infrastructure. His current focus is on 
processing critical minerals and manufacturing AI components, reflecting the Philippines’ ambition to 
participate more deeply in strategic and technology-intensive global value chains.

In addition, he heads the Board of Investments (BOI) and oversees the Philippine Economic Zone 
Authority (PEZA), the National Development Company (NDC), and the Philippine network of 29 
commercial offices located in 21 countries. These institutions and offices play important roles in facilitating 
investments, developing industries, and advancing Philippine trade and economic interests overseas.
In trade policy, Undersecretary Rodolfo has served as the country’s Chief Negotiator for Free Trade 
Agreements with the European Free Trade Association and the Republic of Korea, as well as for 
maintaining the European Union’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) privileges.

He currently leads the Philippines’ engagement in the Pax Silica initiative and is involved in developing
a 1,600-hectare AI-native Industrial Acceleration Hub. These initiatives support the country’s efforts in 
advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, strategic technologies, resilient supply chains, and 
economic security.

Moreover, he chairs the Socio-Economic Working Group of a national task force dedicated to issues 
concerning the West Philippine Sea, contributing an economic and development perspective to broader 
national policy discussions.

Across his public service career, Undersecretary Rodolfo has worked at the intersection of industrial 
policy, investment promotion, international trade, strategic technology, and economic security, helping 
position the Philippines for higher-value industries, strategic investments, resilient supply chains, and 
emerging technology opportunities