He's controversial. He's influential. Shrewd yet unassuming, he is an enigma to most. Get to know Norberto B. Gonzales, Adviser for Special Concerns to Her Excellency, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Welcome!

"Only GMA (Ms Macapagal) has the nobility to act as transition president and see to the full shift to a parliamentary form of government midway in her new term" if she is elected next year, Norberto Gonzales, her adviser on special concerns said in a phone interview Wednesday from Bangkok. [ Read the story... ]

I believe in our democratic system but I also believe that political power has to have the popular consent of the people through elections. All my statements were done with that in mind. I only mentioned the President because, in my mind, she is the only viable President in 2004. The decision to run or not to run for President in 2004 is entirely up to her. [ Read the story... ]
(Statement of Secretary Gonzales on the PDI editorial dated 26 June 2003)

Everything on Norberto, here in the Philippines and around the globe.

Never a Bed of Roses...
Working in Malacanang as adviser to President Arroyo can hardly be considered a position of privilege, if Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Norberto Gonzales is to be believed. [ Read the story... ]

Unraveling Bert Gonzales
He’s fast. He’s glib. He’s a dynamo. He can deliver. He goes by the name of Norberto "Bert" Gonzales Jr.—presidential adviser for special concerns. Born to a poor Aglipayan family in Turtugas in Balanga, Bataan, Bert obtained his pre-med degree from the Ateneo de Davao, where he took additional courses in chemistry and biology. [ Read the story... ]

Sorry, no deal
Unlike in the three previous administrations, the negotiations to settle the 130 billion pesos in coconut levy funds under the Macapagal administration do not involve discussions of a commission, according to Norberto Gonzales Jr., presidential adviser for special concerns. [ Read the story... ]