by Jann Medina | September 2026

At an early age, Ms. Tet has learned the value of responsibility. As the eldest of four children, her mother has instilled in her a strong sense of responsibility and discipline. This position required her to be a model for her siblings and take charge when her parents were away. 

“Being the eldest goes with a certain level of responsibility and independence. I have to be the model child for everybody and take responsibility when the parents are away. I am the person in charge and that had an influence on the way I always conduct myself at work,” she reminisced.  

These early experiences shaped her approach to leadership and accountability as a budding professional then.  

While she did not initially plan a career in finance, she discovered an aptitude for numbers in high school. She found subjects like algebra easy to follow while most of her classmates were more inclined into pursuing subjects related to humanities and social sciences.  

“In high school, I noticed I could follow subjects like algebra and math more easily than my classmates. There was an elective subject, it’s not a math-heavy subject because of the social and behavioral aspects of economics, which led me to economics in college as well,” she shared how her fascination with economics encouraged her to pursue Agricultural Economics, Major in Finance at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. 

“Then, there was an opportunity to major in finance, and that’s the path I took. I also became fascinated with financial analysis, present value, and discounted cash flows,” she added.  

Finding the Path to Finance 

Her professional journey began in consulting at SGV. During the time when the firm was building its consulting practice and hiring graduates from outside Metro Manila. She grabbed this opportunity and moved to Makati.  

“At that time, SGV was hiring from universities outside Metro Manila. At that time, they were building up a consulting practice and hiring non-accountants for their consulting division. That’s where I started my career.” 

 
“But I actually grew up in the province, so I consider myself a probinsyana. I went to grade school and high school in Cavite, in Bacoor and Imus. I went to college in Laguna. I was totally unfamiliar with the city; hindi ako city girl, so it was also a culture shock for me to be a Makati working girl,” she shared. Undeterred by the jarring transition, she relied on her sheer willpower to swap her university casuals for corporate wear. 

She also added how the supportive environment of her young colleagues helped her adjust.  

“Of course, there was a lot of anxiety at the time. I was used to wearing jeans all the time, especially in college. In UPLB, the uniform was just maong and a t-shirt, so you had to dress up a little. But thankfully, my office mates at the time were a young crowd; we were all of the same age. That helped make it more bearable. There were also some of us who came from the province, so the environment was very supportive. That helped me settle in despite the culture shock.” 

She spent two to three years at SGV doing feasibility studies and industry analysis for private and government clients. Her feasibility studies allowed the clients to get a full picture of the business before pursuing it full-time. Eventually, she enrolled at the Asian Institute of Management and completed her Master in Business Management degree.  

After her two-year career break to focus on her post-graduate studies, she moved to the House of Investments as the assistant to the Chief Financial Officer.  

“As the assistant to the CFO, I was able to be part of the normal corporate financial management function and project briefings. That’s also where I learned about acquisitions. It was a short but very rich experience in terms of being exposed to several disciplines of financial management. I was able to gain experience, especially in project finance, which was not yet mainstream at the time. [My function] was very broad.” 

She worked on major projects like the acquisition of one leading university and the refinancing of the RCBC Plaza Tower. This experience also fortified her connections with various investment banks and finance analysts. 

Navigating the Early Days of NLEX and Being a Leader 

 
In the year 2000, she brought this wealth of experience to NLEX. She joined the project company during a difficult period, because the company then had a concession contract but no physical assets and needed to raise developmental funds. She took a calculated risk by hurdling through those challenging early years. 

“I consider myself really lucky to be at the right place at the right time. I also took some risks in staying throughout the difficult period of the company’s history, it had no assets; it only had the concession contract, and it was trying to raise money to be able to do the project. We also had to go to foreign banks, and it took developmental lenders, like ADB and IFC, to be able to attract commercial lenders to the business,” she shared her initial years with NLEX.  

Now on her 26th year with NLEX, her journey reflects a deep commitment to financial growth and making sound decisions that will impact one of the leading infrastructure giants in the Luzon region. 

“As the CFO, you always have to consider whether your decisions add to shareholder value. And it’s a tough balancing act because we do not have unlimited resources and not everything is quantifiable. One has to make judgement calls, guided by the priorities of the time.” 

As one of the leaders of the MPTC Group and as the CFO of NLEX , she describes her leadership style as calculated and process-driven. She does not micromanage her team but will always rely on clear parameters and documented processes.  

“I don’t think I am known for micromanaging. I always tell my team that we always have to agree on parameters of your decision. In finance, a lot of the processes are documented, otherwise, you’ll be subject to audit, so there are parameters. For major decisions, you just must [make] sure you know your limitations and what you’re authorized to make decisions on. Beyond your authority, you should always escalate and go to the next level.” 

 
As a mentor, Ms. Tet leads by example and values constructive feedback. She recalls a time when a former boss gently pointed out that she spoke too fast during board presentations. She appreciated this directness and tries to offer the same constructive guidance to her team today. 

“My style is non-confrontational. But what’s really helpful is when you point out to someone their areas for improvement. That’s something I wish I could do more. I remember my former boss, when I was just starting to report to the board. I was nervous, so I was speaking rather quickly. He told me, ‘Sobrang bilis mong magsalita.’ That was really helpful. You take those constructive comments to really help improve yourself and become conscious of your actions.” 

Finding Balance Through Family 

Ms. Tet always strives to separate her work from her personal life. “I try to be present when I’m at home and give them quality time. I also bring work home, but they’ve gotten used to it. Even my husband has gotten used to it, so they are understanding. But of course, during meals and family time, I try to put away my phone.”  She and her supportive husband have been together for nearly four decades — since college. 

“Balancing a demanding career with motherhood was challenging. I wouldn’t be a good parent without the help of my husband; he is the one who always guides me. His help is very important. Especially during the teenage years of my [two] children,” she credits her husband who have been by her side and being a present father to her children. She also believes that the responsibilities of parenting grounded her as a professional. 
Her long career at MPTC and NLEX is a testament to her resilience and strategic mindset. Theresa “Tet” Wells continues to be a vital force behind the continued growth of our tollway infrastructure.  

As a closing, Ms. Tet shares that every role in the MPTC Group is important and contributes to the fulfillment of the company’s mission. “Whatever your role, you share in our ultimate mission: nation-building. Families rely on us to get them home safely and our expressways enable the seamless transport of goods across the nation’s economic backbone. Every single role matters.”