Cebu Pacific is currently headed by Presidentand CEO Lance Gokongwei, presumptive heir of John Gokongwei, the chairmanemeritus of JG Summit.With a company slogan, "It's time . . On his mothers side, his grandfather was the immigrant tycoon and Iloilo Chinese community leader Pedro Marquez Lim. He graduated valedictorian. Often, as a journalist, I am asked how can I be so calm and composed even when the worst things in life happen right in front Pinas, kinondena ballistic missile test ng North Korea. The line is repeated by Tonythis time as hologramto his daughter at his funeral. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. In 2003, John launched his telecom company, Digital Telecommunications Philippines, which invested almost $800 million to establish its mobile carrier, Sun Cellular, the third-largest mobile operator in the country back then. He is also second cousins with the Gaisano family, with Doa Modesta Singson-Gaisano being his grandaunt (his grandfather's sister) which he used to call in Hokkien Chinese: ; Peh-e-j: Lu -ko; lit. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Exactly a week later, November 16, 2019, Elizabeth also died. He took a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, who was the chairman of China Bank back then, and Dee K. Chiong. Founded in 1957 by patriarch John Gokongwei Jr., the 65 year-old Gokongwei . He would also say: Keep working hard and just stay humble. He advised me to study hard. [He's] somebody who created somethingit was the center of his life. And now at your old age to tear away from it, its very hard.. Using a small boat, he would trade goods from Cebu to Manila and vice versa. That there was more than enough money and that they should rest already that was his argument. [7], On 29 August 2007, at the Ateneo de Manila University, Gokongwei's biography, John L. Gokongwei Jr.: The Path of Entrepreneurship, by the university's Dr. Marites A. Khanser, was launched, and it narrated the "riches-to-rags-to-riches" story of the tai-pan. Success Story of John Gokongwei. The last time I had visited him at his home a few months ago, he seemed to have lost some weight but was nevertheless in good health and still intellectually sharp. The white rabbit the luckiest animal in the Chinese zodiac hops into Ferragamos 2023 collection. John', "John and Elizabeth Gokongwei: A Love Story Not Limited by Life on Earth", "Publishing Mogul Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng's Dream: To Own a Tiny Bookstore", "Daughter Fulfills Father's Wish, Heads Giant Robinsons Retail", "The Secret Father of President Sergio Osmea & Forebear of John Gokongwei, Jr., Gaisanos, Gotianuns", "John Gokongwei Jr.'s Widow Elizabeth Passes Away", "Elizabeth, Wife of 61 Years of John Gokongwei Jr., Dies One Day after His Burial", Lessons on Entrepreneurship from John Gokongwei's Life, John Gokongwei Speech to the 20th AD Congress, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Gokongwei&oldid=1139477252, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Articles containing traditional Chinese-language text, Articles containing simplified Chinese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:58. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. The eldest grandson of John L. Gokongwei, Jr. and son of Robinsons Retail Holdings president Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the New York University-educated, 24-year-old Justin G. Pe shared his unforgettable conversation with his angkong (Hokkien for grandpa) one week before he passed away. He received his Masters degree in Business Administration from De La Salle University in 1977 and has, since then, been an ardent supporter of education. [6] Well look at the financial statements for you, Lance on dad John Gokongwei: Why he always had food in his pocket and loved to fly cheap, /ancx/food-drink/recommended-bars/03/02/23/a-jazz-bar-just-opened-inside-makati-cinema-square, /ancx/culture/art/03/01/23/kids-of-top-artists-showcase-works-alongside-their-dads, /ancx/culture/spotlight/02/28/23/a-first-look-at-lazadas-new-cafeteria-style-office-in-bgc, /ancx/culture/spotlight/02/28/23/cebu-pacs-smile-mag-is-back-with-new-younger-design, /ancx/style/necessary-style/02/27/23/the-union-x-jordan-1-low-ajko-collab-is-a-crowd-pleaser. We cant depend on what we have now., Philippines 50 RichestCoverage Continues Here. We were in Rome, Italy then, it was just house coffee and tasted so bitter. Success Story of John Gokongwei Success Story of John Gokongwei "We need blood and sweat and hard work to make the Philippine economy compete globally, for our family businesses to be world class in this era of globalization. In March 1996, his low-cost airline company, Cebu Pacific Air was launched. He was 93. Gokongwei's youngest brother, JG chairman, James Go received 174,942 shares. The Philippines late Snack Food King, petrochemicals and budget airline pioneer John L. Gokongwei, Jr. was one of Southeast Asias most respected self-made business leaders and philanthropists when he died at age 93 on Nov. 9. When Angkong needed a pillow to lay his arm on at the hospital, my Auntie Marcia thought of bringing that pillow. His businesses are now managed by his six children and his brother, James. Lance followed his fathers pattern: He recruited operating talent. He was a second cousin once removed of Andrew Gotianun Sr., the founder of Filinvest Development Corporation. . He soon realized he could do more if he had a bicycle. Indeed, for the don of JG Summit, retirement remains an unnatural act. Their love gifted them with six children: Robina, Lance, Lisa, twins Faith and Hope, and Marcia. As for himself, he says its time for him to enjoy life and focus on philanthropy. Thus, in his teens, he began trading on the streets of Cebu. Elizabeth tolerates that in order to keep him away from the lechon (roasted pork) and ice cream that he wants most. John was only 20 back then. All Rights Reserved. He became the. [12] His only son, Lance, currently leads the group as president and CEO of JG Summit. Sign up now! He is survived by his wife, six children and at least 12 grandchildren. Last November 9, 2020, marks the first death anniversary of John Gokongwei Jr., a Filipino business tycoon and philanthropist who founded JG Summit, one of the largest conglomerates in the country. Ten years later, he completed Harvard Business Schools 14-week advanced management program. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth Yu, and his children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith and Hope, and Marcia, his in-laws and grandchildren, brothers Eddie and James, the current chairman of the company, his sister Lily, and his nieces and nephews. Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr. November 14, 2019. They later had 12 grandchildren. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. I love seeing them, entertaining them (and myself), taking them to places they enjoy visiting. John Gokongwei Jr. built JG Summit into one of the, biggest conglomerates in the Philippines. The following year, JG Summit launched the green tea brand C2, thus revolutionizing the beverages market of the country, which was controlled by cola companies back then. [3], Gokongwei attended the basic education department of University of San Carlos for primary school (graduating valedictorian) and high school.[4]. John Gokongwei I'm from Cebu. Advertise With Us. Ive come to love and enjoy drinking coffee ever since.. He had been Executive Vice President of JGSHI and was elected President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2002. Mrs. Gokongwei was characterized by her children as a selfless mother who always put her family first and described her as the reason behind John Gokongwei's success. I used to visit Angkong a lot at the office when i was still in school. Front row: Daughters Faith and Marcia Photo by FROM T&C PH. Johns eldest daughter, Robina, has been serving as the operations head and COO of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (which owns the Robinsons Malls) since 2002. He also acquired New Zealand-based cookie maker Griffin's Foods for 700 million New Zealand dollars ($609 million at the time), giving Universal Robina a presence in the South Pacific. Yet despite his success as one of the Philippines' most successful businessmen, he stayed humble throughout. The Lasallian MASTER recognition was awarded to Mr. John Gokongwei Jr. at the launching of the DLSU College of Business and School of Economics last June 11, 2010 at Dusit Hotel in Makati City. His funeral was held on November 15. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 - 9 November 2019) was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He also donated to various educational institutes and was the third-richest man in his country at the time of his death. The conversations are private and, of course, summaryJohn Gokongwei retired from the company 15 years ago, becoming chairman emeritus as his brother, James L. Go, took over formal leadership. To this day, my cousins and I still play mahjong every Sunday lunch, but I guarantee that none of us could match the sharpness that both my Amah and Angkong had when it comes to mahjong. Subscribe to Forbes Asia. His in-laws and grandchildren; brothers Eddie and James Go (chairman of JF Summit), sister Lily; and his nieces and nephews count among his descendants. Gotiaoco arrived in Cebu in the 1870s from Fujian province in China. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Banks seized their properties, and they fell into poverty. [13] Gokongwei's great-grandfather was a half brother of Gotianun's grandfather. His strong resolve towards life made him successful and become one of the richest men in the. He also owned Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. and Robinsons Land Corporation. His father died when Gokongwei was only age 13. Much later, in 1977, he obtained an MBA degree from the De La Salle University in Manila. November 11, 2019. Gokongwei (pictured) was survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth, and his children Robina, Lance (president and chief executive of JG Summit), Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia. Gokongwei is married to Jay Leong. The Gokongwei Family in Cebu, 1938. In the early 1950s, along with his brothers and sisters who returned from China, he started to import cigarettes and whiskey too. When he turned 80, Mr. John blazed a trail in philanthropy when he announced on his birthday that he was donating half of his personal holdings in JG Summit to establish the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Gokongwei Group. However, following his fathers death, John and his family lost all their wealth. Careers But one in particular made me pause and reflect. He was 93. The Gokongwei family controls over $20 billion of combined market capitalization for all the companies they own. Gokongwei married Elizabeth Yu in 1958 and had six children (one son and five daughters) Lisa, Robina, Lance, Faith, Hope and Marcia. [5] From the years 1943 to 1945, or between the ages of 17 and 19, he traded using a wooden boat, taking his goods to Dalahican, Lucena by sea and then to Manila by truck. For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. John initially studied at the University of San Carlos in Cebu for primary school and high school. But just as when he first retired ten years before, at age 65, John could notdid notreally leave the drivers seat. His eldest daughter, Robina, heads the operations of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (she owns Robinsons Malls), as the company's COO since 2002. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Filipino tycoon is most known for being the founder and former chairman of JG Summit, one of the countrys largest conglomerates. If theres one thing that I wish could happen, its that he still would have been here to see his grandchildren graduate from college and have good careers. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 9 November 2019)[2] was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Together, the siblings worked in their fathers family business, American-Asia Trading. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the eldest daughter, runs Robinsons Retail Holdings, the second-largest retailer in the Philippines. During those very tough days in the hospital when we never knew whether he would give up or still fight, I happened to catch him in his best moment. A total of 384,874 shares in JG Summit were distributed to Gokongwei's brother, children and nephews "as a result of estate settlement.". I finally joined the business four months ago not knowing he'd pass away so soon. In family conversation, it was never "John Gokongwei." He was always fondly referred to as "Iya" while his mother Juanita, half-sister to my grandfather Jose Asensi Marquez Lim, was . Middle row: John's mother Ana Juanita, son Lance, and daughters Lisa and Hope. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I couldnt have said it any better. By the time the U.S. retook control of the Philippines, he had saved enough to travel to America for secondhand goodsused shoes, used clothing, used newspapers, any used remnantsto sell at a small storefront he rented in Cebu. John Gokongwei with eldest grandchild Justin back in the day. By 1957, seeing that trading would always have low margins[5] and would always be dependent on government policies, the family concern shifted towards manufacturing. At the time of his death, John was the third-richest man in the Philippines, according to Forbes. In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, best known . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. And James, at 77, is also stepping away, triggering a three-year process in which Lance will rise to chairman and CEO. Even though he had to stop schooling in his teenage years to support his family, he always understood the value of having a good education. The book also included the Nine Rules of achieving success in business that John had followed. Patrick recalled, I distinctly remember this discussion because my father was loudly trying to convince Mr. John not to do it anymore. Follow @wilsonleeflores on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. John then pursued her for marriage for 4 years. [7] In 2004, the company introduced C2, a ready-to-drink tea that went head-to-head with foreign cola companies that dominated the beverage sector in the Philippines. Powered by. [17] As a result, its income and revenues fell. She had also been a founding member of the Robinsons Department Store and had served on the board of trustees of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF). . If not, just play around, play around! while all the nurses AND physicians were there surrounding him. In July 2014, Universal Robina acquired Griffin's Foods from Pacific Equity Partners, a New Zealand food company for $609 million. His inspiring story from riches to rags to riches is something that we can learn from. He is also survived by wife Elizabeth and daughters Lisa, Robina, Faith, Hope and Marcia. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Culture Gokongwei's eldest apo on how he gave his Angkong the biggest smile just before he died "He taught us everything that we needed to know," said eldest Gokongwei grandchild Justin Pe yesterday in his eulogy for his grandfather. He attempted a $1 billion takeover of United Industrial Corporation Ltd (UIC), a property giant from Singapore of which he owned in excess of 30%. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. With a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, then chairman of China Bank, and Dee K. Chiong, he started a corn milling plant producing glucose and corn starch. Already, controlling shares in Summit are being transferred to the second generation. But please do guide me when I decide to play around, not at work of course. It was a sad moment and there was a flood of messages coming in, condoling with us. A decade later, he attended a 14-week advanced management program at Harvard University.[5]. The Filipino billionaire is known as the founder of JG Summit Holdings, one of the Philippines' largest conglomerates. John Gokongwei Jr. We have to look for opportunities if we're going to survive the next 50 years. He was asking me about the sales of Great Taste Coffee and I said, Were up based on recent data. He had a very big smile. From 2003, his telecom company Digital Telecommunications Philippines spent nearly $800 million for its mobile carrier, Sun Cellular, which was the third-largest mobile operator in the Philippines at that time before selling to the PLDT group for $1.7 billion. I'm Cebuano. I dont know another Philippine company that has lasted three generations, except for Ayala, he says. July 20, 2020. The cornstarch plant he started in 1957 has grown into Universal Robina Corporation, one of the country's largest food and beverage. "I salute him. He was a pioneer and staunch advocate of Philippine industrialization. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Along with its ascent came difficult moments, says Lance, recalling 1998, especially: Cebu Pacific Flight 387 crashed and 104 people died. And so John and Elizabeth had six children, Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope, and Marcia raised in the love and care of family who all "turned out pretty good," in Lance's own "humble" opinion, he said. Other key JG Summit businesses, including land development, banking and petrochemicals (closely held with revenues of $415 million in 2015), are run by extended family members and professionals who arent at the Gokongwei Sunday lunches but convene with James, Lance, Lisa and Robina every Friday afternoon to thrash out corporate matters. Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe is the eldest child John Gokongwei Jr., founder and Chairman Emeritus of the publicly-listed company JG Summit Holdings Inc. (JGSHI). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Johns father belonged to an affluent family from Cebu (in the Philippines), and his ancestors lived in China's Southern Fujian province. His great-grandfather, Pedro Gotiaoco, was one of the richest men in Cebu in the 19th century. But fambiz can succeed despite the odds, according to fambiz expert Dr. Queena N. Lee-Chua. On dating, Angkong actually asked me: Do you have a girlfriend? I replied: No. He then advised me: Alright, play around, play around., What were Gokongweis pieces of advice to his grandson? I try to put myself in his shoes, and I would do the same, says James. The Gokongwei family at one of their family gatherings in the 1980s. Were not there yet, like Alibaba. I was only six months old when our father died. In March 1996, Cebu Pacific Air began operations. Back then, when I was a little boy, Angkong always beat me in swimming. Copyright 2023. This, later on, became Universal Robina Corporation (URC) when it ventured into other finished goods. John died in 2019. [15] Exactly one week after his death, his widow Elizabeth Yu Gokongwei died at the age of 85.[16][17]. His nephew Patrick Henry Go, president and CEO of JG Summit Petrochemicals Group, shared a memory of witnessing an animated late afternoon meeting between his late dad Henry Go and Gokongwei on whether to further expand their diverse businesses. John Gokongwei was married to Elizabeth Yu from 1958 until his death in 2019. He has holdings in telecommunications, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock . Gokongwei stated that entrepreneurship is a way out of poverty. He supported mainly educational charities through the familys Gokongwei Brothers Foundation. [7], Lance Gokongwei started his career in the family business as a management trainee at Universal Robina Corp.[8] He sold Jack n Jill snacks to supermarkets, groceries, and sari-sari stores. Around then Gokongwei advised brother James, 13 years younger and a gifted student, to go study in America, and hed foot the bill. [5] He went to Xavier School for his first two years of high school. Her twin sisters, Faith and Hope, each have management roles there. In 1957 Gokongweis business was getting bogged down by import controls that made it difficult to obtain licenses. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. was born on August 11, 1926, in Xiamen, Gulangyu Subdistrict, Republic of China, to John Gokongwei, Sr. (Go Kong Wei) and Juanita Mrquez Lim. The Gokongwei family even has also donated buildings and money to big universities here in the country and part of the proceeds of this book will go to a charitable institution. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She was 85. John Gokongwei Jr., owner of Cebu Pacific, died on Nov. 9 at the age of 93, according to a statement from the airline. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The company was later renamed Universal Robina Corporation. His father left while his mother and five siblings returned to China. Together the brothers expanded into new business ventures as the elder, intuitive Gokongwei saw opportunities and James kept a detailed eye on the balance sheet, R&D and quality control. JG Summit's legend is well known among the firm's 35,000 employees: Gokongwei, the eldest of six children, grew up well-off in an ethnic Chinese family in Cebu, where his father owned a chain. Petitioner Gokongwei, a stockholder of the San Miguel Corporation, filed a declaration of. The eldest grandchild of Mr John he is the son of Robina Gokongwei Pe he said that his grandfathers journey was that of true grit, and that despite his enormous success the business titan has remained humble. We decided to put the same pillow with him now because we know it will provide comfort for him if he knew that that one of his bestselling snacks would go with him to the beyond. Portrait of John Gokongwei Jr. Photo: Handout from JG Summit Holdings Inc. Website. Gokongwei was born in Fujian province, southern China, as a fourth-generation scion of a rich family whose great-grandfather was the immigrant tycoon and Cebu Chinese community leader Pedro Gotiaoco. In the 1970s he lost a lawsuit to try to get on the board of competing food company San Miguel Corp., despite having bought enough shares to join the board. He had retired in 2016, leaving behind the day-to-day running of the family's businesses to his only son Lance Gokongwei. He is also Chairman of Robinsons Retail Holdings, the Philippines second largest retailer; Vice Chairman of Manila Electric Company; and Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), Inc. [3], Gokongwei is the only son of the late John Gokongwei Jr.[1] He,along with his siblings, are listed among the richest in the country. In November 1990, Gokongwei incorporated JG Summit Holdings as a publicly listed holding company. He is survived by his wife of 61years Elizabeth, and children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia; his in-laws and grandchildren; brothers Eddie and James Go, sister . The company was named Universal Corn Products (which later evolved into Universal Robina Corporation). Left with no choice but to survive, young John had to start from scratch to build a better life for himself and his family. Her name was taken from her father's second name, Robinson. I was one year old when I came here to Cebu from Fujian, south China. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. John Gokongwei also tried to acquire the Singapore-based property company United Industrial Corporation Ltd. (UIC) for $1 billion, where he had over 30% of stakes. Terms John Gokongwei was a Filipino billionaire businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder and former chairman of JG Summit. Once at a dinner in his home, I commented to Gokongwei that he had remarkably replicated the 19th-century rags-to-riches saga of his immigrant great-grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco. I told my mother shes the one Im going to get married to, so I chased her for four years. At the age of 17, Big John rediscovered his familys love for trading and expanded his business. In 2013, Johns company purchased San Miguel Corporations stakes in MERALCO, the Philippiness biggest power distributor, for almost $1.8 billion. In 2016, Gokongwei wrote a book "Lessons from Dad, John Gokongwei Jr."[23] He also contributed to an anthology titled "Letters to My Children".[24]. From journalists Emmie Abadilla This story appears in the Septemper 12, 2016 issue of Forbes Asia. Do you know that his nickname in Hokkien (south Fujian dialect) was Iya? His grandfather was a wealthy immigrant from China who became the patriarch of a clan that now controls some of the largest companies in the Philippines. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Still, in 1999 president Joseph Erap Estrada filed a 101 million pesos ($2.6 million then) libel lawsuit against the familys Manila Times, then run by Robina, after the newspaper called Estrada an unwitting godfather for approving a disputed power contract. He is the Vice-Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of RLC and LMI. After World War II, he started his own company called Amasia Trading, which imported flour, onions, fruits, used clothing, old newspapers, and magazines from the United States. About Malacaang on Sunday expressed its deep condolences to the Gokongwei family. In 2010, the airline underwent major refleeting with a $3 billion order with Airbus. 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Of JGSHI and was able to reach nearby towns to sell it cookies on our website to properly. Had followed his shoes, and daughters Lisa, twins Faith and Marcia we & # x27 ; youngest... 1996, Cebu Pacific Air began operations and repeat visits telecommunications, financial services petrochemicals. In 1977, he obtained an MBA degree from the article title a result, its income and fell. Management roles there by remembering your preferences and repeat visits experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits and! Various educational institutes and was elected President and CEO effective January 1, 2002 to riches is that. To look for opportunities if we & # x27 ; largest conglomerates in the a at! Hope and Marcia year-old Gokongwei as the founder and former chairman of JG Holdings... He completed Harvard business Schools 14-week advanced management program when Angkong needed a pillow to lay arm! Of Gotianun 's grandfather this Wikipedia the language links are at the time of his.! Lance followed his fathers death, John and his brother, JG chairman, James this, on... Arrived in Cebu in the 19th century pursued her for four years 17, Big John his!

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