Jesus Estanislao


Jesus P. Estanislao is a Filipino economist best known for having been the 6th Socio-economic Planning Secretary and concurrent Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority from 1989-1990, and Secretary of Finance of the Philippines from 1990-1992, during the government of President Corazon Aquino. He presently heads two private institutes committed to governance reforms: the Institute of Corporate Directors, and the Institute for Solidarity in Asia. He also chairs the President's Governance Advisory Council, which advises the Philippine President on governance issues.

Studies and Academic work

Estanislao holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University, where he was also a Teaching Fellow and Research Fellow. He obtained his MA in Economics from Fordham University in Economics and Ph.B. from the University of San Carlos.
He has been conferred honorary doctoral degrees from Angeles University, Xavier University, St. Paul University, and Manila Central University. He holds the title of University Professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific and a Visiting Professor at the IESE Business School.
His published works include:
Estanislao has spent much of his career founding or rehabilitating institutions. More recently, he has focused on improving governance in the Philippines for both public and private institutions as a way of reducing corruption there.
He was the founding Dean of the Asian Development Bank Institute in Tokyo.
He also served as the founding president of the University of Asia and the Pacific, which grew out of the Center for Research and Communication, of which he was the founding Executive Director.
After the 1986 People Power revolution in the Philippines, he became the Chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, which he rehabilitated. Then he was appointed to the Cabinet of President Corazon Aquino, whom he served as Secretary of Economic Planning and Director General of the National and Economic Development Authority, and later as Secretary of Finance. As the country's chief economic officer, he oversaw the economic recovery and reform program of a newly reinstalled democracy.
After he left government, Dr. Estanislao was asked to become the Philippine representative in APEC's Eminent Persons Group by President Fidel Ramos, whom he served as Adviser during the Philippine chairmanship of APEC in 1996. He also served as the Philippine representative in ASEAN's Eminent Persons Group on
Vision 2020.
In 1992, Dr. Estanislao was awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor.
In 2009, Management Association of the Philippines named him "Management Man of the Year."
He is Member of the Papal Foundation “Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice”.