Tolentino left his boyhood home after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972, escaping to Marawi in Mindanao, where his interests shifted from communications to economics as he became involved in rural development.

He played a key role in the Philippines' membership in the World Trade Organization and was part of the team that developed the initial drafts of both the Agri-Agra Reform Law and the Local Government Code of 1992.

In the 1980s, Bruce was appointed first executive director of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) jointly appointed by former Central Bank Governor Jobo Fernandez and former Agriculture Secretary Ramon Mitra Jr. His function was as lead technical adviser for a rehabilitation program for all of the rural banks that had been organized, and subsequently failed, during the Masagana 99 era of subsidized loans for rice and corn production.

[2] From 2012 to 2018 he served as Deputy Director-General of the International Rice Research Institute, based in Los Baños, Laguna, and also elected Secretary IRRI Board of Trustees.

With more than 35 years of progressive experience in governance, management, analysis, and planning socio-economic development reforms and initiatives, Bruce has been the go-to guy for many agri and food security related projects.

"[6] Bruce is married to Rory Francisco-Tolentino, former director of Philippine Business for Social Progress and Ayala Foundation and current consultant for various nonprofit management projects.