Undersecretary Jose Edgardo “Ed” Sunico is the incumbent Undersecretary for Communications at the Department of Trade and Industry. He supervises the Department’s Communications Office, composed of the Public Relations Division (PRD) and the Information and Creatives Services Division (ICSD). In his role, he oversees and consolidates the Department’s communications efforts, developing standards, policies, and guidelines for a unified communications strategy. He is also tasked with establishing and maintaining strong relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders, including traditional and online media outlets.
Prior to his appointment in 2024, Undersecretary Sunico served as the Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs for Unilever Philippines/Southeast Asia. Throughout his career in the private sector, Undersecretary Sunico has worked in various fields, including communications, media relations, and customer development. He has also led the implementation of projects that address the most pressing concerns of the communities all over the country, such as health and nutrition, environmental preservation, sustainable living, and livelihood. For his outstanding work, Undersecretary Sunico was conferred the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award for Corporate Social Responsibility by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association.
He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, placing 2nd at the Licensure Examinations, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management. In addition to his illustrious career in corporate communications, Undersecretary Sunico is also a member of various civic organizations. He served as the Vice President of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers, a Board Member of the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE Philippines), and a trustee for the Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers.
Undersecretary Sunico concurrently sits as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s primary industry development arm and lead investment promotion agency (IPA).