‘Great Lives, Great Deeds’

That is the title of a book I have just written, now being printed, to be launched on Nov. 25, the 23rd anniversary of BizNewsAsia, the Philippines’ largest weekly business and news magazine.

I wrote the book last week after Donald J. Trump snared the US presidency. Trump is a convicted felon, 34 counts; had been impeached, twice; had declared bankruptcy, six times; a victim of an assassination attempt, thrice; had molested women, a number of times. Yet, he won by a landslide the US presidency, the most powerful job in the world. Why? Answer: the power of messaging.

So I thought: why not I write about authentic people whose lives and whose deeds have or are making a difference in the lives of Filipinos? My 336-page book profiles no less than 50 people, the greatest and the near great in their respective careers, businesses and professions.

This is my second book. The first, “The Philippines’ Best: Tycoons, Taipans, Entrepreneurs,” profiled at least 30 people and was sold out, after a huge print run.

“Great Lives, Great Deeds” promises to sell out, at double the print run.

My second book is the best reference on Philippine economic prospects, investments, infra, aviation and the movers and shakers of government and business, spiced with tips and anecdotes by the best, biggest and most visionary of our tycoons, gathered during 55 years of unmatched economic and political reportage, and by one who has been an eyewitness to history’s greatest moments and depths.

I covered and witnessed all kinds of events – fires, crimes, storms, massacres, massive floods, plane crashes, epidemics, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, three EDSA People Power revolts, 14 coup attempts, the world’s two longest insurgencies – the NPA and Muslim separatism – and wars.  I visited rebel jungle headquarters, including those of Conrado Balweg and Nur Misuari. Without seat belts, I boarded helicopter gunships to photograph rebels scurrying into vast plantations. I examined and photographed the body of a slain Japanese straggler in a Makati morgue, during a midnight curfew. I counted cadavers and checked their gender amid a raging hotel fire.

I interviewed presidents, from Marcos I to Marcos II, from Aquino I (Cory) to Aquino II (Noynoy), from Macapagal I (Diosdado) to Macapagal II (Gloria Arroyo); spent time with Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Rodrigo Duterte. I am amazed that in the last 60 years, Philippine presidents came from just five families, in a nation of 25 million families.

Profiled in my book are: President Marcos Jr., First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, Ramon S. Ang (RSA), Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP), Lance Y. Gokongwei, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Tessie Sy, the late Henry Sy Sr., the late John Gokongwei Jr., Rep. Joey Salceda, Robina Gokongwei, Manuel B. Villar, Atty. Felipe Gozon, Helen Y. Dee, Federico Lopez, Lucio Tan III, Injap Sia, Ben Diokno, Ralph Recto, Frederick Go, Jaime Bautista, Martin Romualdez and at least 20 others. Topics discussed in the book are: the country’s economic prospects, investments, infrastructure, tourism and aviation, and what our best and largest corporations have done and are doing for the country and their shareholders.

I met taipans Tatang Henry Sy Sr., John Gokongwei Jr. and Kapitan Lucio Tan Sr. when they were barely 50 and on their way up. They taught me their business philosophy and their fighting faith, confided in me the pains of their struggles and shared the joys of their business conquests and triumphs.   Vision, hard work, determination – these are values I learned from them.

The late Big John Gokongwei was the quintessential David of business fighting Goliaths. And he demolished the Goliaths.

I met John’s only son, Lance, in 1973 when he was a boy of six. He has his dad’s height, good looks and brains, but not the naughtiness. Bold and innovative among CEOs his age, Lance is the best and brainiest (summa, finance and applied science, UPenn) and better than most older CEOs.

Tatang Henry was ousted from the board of a large corporation. He vowed to be bigger than them, in every business. Today, under Tessie Sy, Tatang’s holding company SM Investments Corp. is the most valuable corporation. BDO is No. 1 in everything – assets, deposits, loans, equity, branch network and capital under management. SM has got it all. BDO finds ways.

In two decades, RSA re-engineered San Miguel Corp. into a colossus unmatched in assets (P2.5 trillion), revenues (P1.5 trillion) and presence in many strategic industries (airports, food, beverages, infrastructure, mass transit, power, cement, water, battery storage), all for the primary purpose of making life better for the Filipino, thus redefining the existentialist purpose of business. His business, he says, “is nation-building,” adding, “we go into business not just to make a profit.”

Wharton-educated MVP’s lifetime commitment is to deliver the best in shareholder value, products and services in crucial sectors of the economy, while improving immensely the lives and lifestyles of millions. His PLDT-Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is No. 1 in telco – fixed and mobile, electricity retailing and generation (Meralco), tollways, health care (mWell and 26 hospitals and growing), private railway (LRT), natural resources (Philex) and water delivery (Maynilad). MVP is moving aggressively into food. He works even on Sundays. His work ethic scares many executives.

Of course, there is good friend, Atty. Felipe L. Gozon. GMA-7 used to have only two studios – the first small, the second, smaller. Facing insurmountable odds, Henry vowed to make GMA-7 No. 1. For 23 consecutive years, this blue-chip lawyer made the Kapuso Network the best-managed broadcast network in Asia through consistent excellence and for being the largest, most trusted, most watched, most awarded, most innovative, most profitable, most diversified broadcasting network. Truth and integrity are GMA Network’s very definition and brand. Clean election is a mantra.

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Email: [email protected]