Jose V. Romero, a journalist and former Philippine ambassador to Italy, passed away on Monday, Sept. 10, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was 84.
Prior to his appointment by President Cory Aquino as ambassador, he was the chairman and CEO of the Philippine Coconut Authority.
He was a co-founder of the United Coconut Association of the Philipppines, the Makati Business Club and the council of foreign relations.
During the Speakership of Jose B. Laurel Jr. and Cornelio Villareal, he headed the Congressional Economic Planning Office.
He also served as president of the Philippine Economic Society and was a professorial lecturer at the University of Asia and the Pacific.
Romero was educated at Cambridge University and Georgetown University.
He is survived by his daughters Roxanne, Annalisa and Beth and his brothers Rodolfo, Ernesto and George Albert and sister Raquel.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
He was the business editor of the Manila Bulletin and at the time of his demise was writing a column for the Manila Times.