ARTLET ALUMNA and former Budget Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie Canda, who led the agency during the peak of the COVID health crisis, died last Wednesday, Aug. 23.
She was 61.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman announced Canda’s death in a Facebook post, describing the late official as “a gentle soul with a strong, dependable character.”
“She [was] the ultimate mentor and coach of her colleagues who become better public servants, not just through words and concepts but because of her example,” Pagandaman said.
The cause of her death was not disclosed but Pagandaman said the late undersecretary battled with stage 4 cancer.
Canda finished her bachelor’s degree in economics cum laude at the University of Santo Tomas in 1986. She obtained her master’s degree in management at the Philippine Christian University in 1999.
In 2021, she was appointed officer-in-charge of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Throughout Canda’s four decades of service in the budget department, she worked as a budget analyst, assistant division chief, division chief, director, assistant secretary, undersecretary and officer-in-charge. She was awarded the Outstanding Assistant Division Chief in 1991.
“An epitome of excellent public service, Usec. Tina will forever be in the hearts of every DBM employee in continuing the sound, effective, and efficient management and utilization of government resources,” the budget agency said in a Facebook post. F
