Bernardo earned her first three degrees in her native country, the Philippines.
She started out with a medical technology degree from Martinez Memorial Colleges in Caloocan City, went on to early a degree from the College of Law of the University of the East in Manila and then received a master of business administration degree from the university in Bulacan in Central Luzon.
The new city secretary was a prominent citizen of Pandi Bulacan when she was a child. Many of the streets in the city were named after her family. He great-grandfather, Mamerto Bernardo, was the undefeated mayor of the city for 38 years.
Her late father, Federico Bernardo Sr., was a judge in Pampanga Province until his death.
Bernardo came to the United States to be with her family after her mother, Milagros, moved to Corpus Christi a quarter of a century ago for health reasons and the rest of the family, including Bernardo’s five brothers, followed.
“I was the last one to come here,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave my home.”
But life has been good for the family since coming here. Bernardo, the only girl among her siblings, said all her brothers are doing well.
A single mother, Bernardo also has two boys of her own. One is working on his doctoral degree in physical therapy at the University of Texas at Austin and the other is studying chemical engineering at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi.
Since coming to Texas, Bernardo herself has held several important positions with many organizations.
She was most recently a supervisor of the Job Corps program for the Coastal Bend with the U.S. Department of Labor.
She came qualified for the city secretary position. She was once city secretary in a metropolis with 700,000 residents.
Bernardo also has been involved in education in Corpus Christi and holds an alternative teaching certificate from the Educational Services Center in Corpus Christi.
“I always wanted my oldest son to go to Harvard,” Bernardo said. But children have a way of making up their own minds about their futures.
Although she practiced law in the Philippines, it was in Pasay City near Manila where Bernardo first worked in municipal administration.
It was her law professor who recommended that she apply for a position in the legal offices of Pasay City. She got the job and later was promoted to the administrative offices.
“I’ve always been looking for something where I could use my experience working with the public in municipal administration,” Bernardo said.
When she is not spending time back in Corpus Christi with her 84-year-old mother, Bernardo enjoys tennis, bowling, Zumba and other activities.
“I love walking,” she said. “And I like cooking and baking. I try to bake something often.”
But when asked why someone who enjoys baking manages to remain fit and thin, Bernardo smiled.
“I don’t eat what I bake. That’s why my friends love me. I bake things and then call them to come and get them.”
Gary Kent is a reporter at the Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550, ext. 120, or at reporter@mySouTex.com.
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