The good son

Take your pick on how to address Lucio Tan. Kapitan and Mr. Tan are good. There’s also Dr. Tan, by virtue of an honorary doctorate. And now, there’s Ambassador Tan, a title which was conferred by the government of Guam.

As Philippine Airlines chairman emeritus Gabriel Singson teased during last Sunday’s testimonial for Mr. Tan, one of the few titles Mr. Tan doesn’t have is Governor. Gabby Singson, a former Bangko Sentral Governor, is still addressed by many as Gov. Singson (the same title held former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson).

Of all the titles he has, however, Mr. Tan probably treasures the one given by his mom – that of being a good son. During most of Sunday’s lunch, Mr. Tan was seen on two big TV screens solicitously looking after the needs of his wheelchair-bound mother.

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Bank notes 2: Although he’s at the Philippine National Bank three days a week, chairman Francisco Dizon still finds time for a venture capital company called Project Quest that he has put up with friends.

Through Project Quest, Paquito Dizon is able to help entrepreneurs like Raymund Ricafort, who has put up Netopia, a chain of internet cafes that is now open to franchising. The idea here is to help start up companies which generate a lot of employment.

Like any venture capital, Project Quest serves as a catalyst for other investors by taking a small equity position. When the business is viable, Project Quest sells out and moves on to another incubation project.

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Bank notes 3: Here’s a nice (and cheap, but don’t tell anybody) Christmas gift for friends abroad. The Bangko Sentral has all sorts of special commemorative coins for sale.

For example, there’s a P10 EDSA-2 coin that non-Filipinos would be thrilled to get – and may even spark a short lesson in recent Philippine history.

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In the past year, Securities and Exchange Commission compliance and enforcement head Tomas Syquia has gotten a death threat or two.

No, the death threats do not come from irate husband of drooling wives working at the SEC. (Picture the triplets in the movie, Beauty and the Beast, when they see the town’s most eligible bachelor, Gaston).

The threats come from swindlers or those who’ve put together investment scams that have fooled both rich and poor. Right now, Mr. Syquia’s group is digging deep into the goings on of 28 companies, based on the complaints, course, of their investors who’ve been had.

Oh yes, there’s one scam that’s particularly interesting. You see, it sounds like foreign exchange speculation. The process is, however, so complicated that many of the would-be investors who are asked to put in at least $10,000 are afraid to ask questions because they don’t want to look stupid.