About Time The Filipino Billionaire Stood Up and Be Counted!

On June 11, 2011, Forbes magazine released from its website the list of top billionaires to include 11 from the Philippines whose wealth collectively grow to $34 billion as compared to last year’s $22.8 billion.  The boom in the stock market which the country is currently experiencing is cited as the source that lifted the fortunes of the country’s wealthiest to an all time high. This notwithstanding the drop in trade and lower infrastructure spending by the government by which slowly geared the country’s economy to only 4.9% in the first quarter of the year 2011 as compared to 8.4% of the same period in 2010.

Surprisingly, this has more than doubled the overall number of billionaires in our country this year in the Forbes list, reaching to 11, a feat in itself.

Where before, wealthy Filipinos as a group are actually the poorest compared to their counterparts in other Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.  The country’s historic political instability may be one of the setbacks along with the fact that the nation has the tiniest market capitalization in Philippine Stock Exchange.

But still the nation has proven to all and sundry than it can improve on its own. Suddenly, certain areas in the stock market boomed and was up at third, making it one of the top performers in Asia.  Meanwhile, foreign investors and businesses were more than welcome than in the past and credited the trend to the “economist in her”, referring to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

It was said that the global financial crisis have actually pared down the collective fortunes among the country’s wealthiest to 18%.  However, there are just datas that show certain stock market peaked up and thus, luckily and successfully doubled, tripled and even quadrofold the fortunes of some of the Philippines’ wealthiest. 

Heny Sy of SM chain of stores and the country’s biggest mall operator holds the top slot in the country, a feat he enjoyed for four successive years in a row having a net worth of $7.2 billion this year  compared to his last year’s of $5 billion.  His assets other than his number of malls spread all over big cities in the country includes a holding company, SM Investment Corp. which holds interest in about a dozen or so companies that would include the country’s second largest bank, Banco de Oro Unibank.

The complete list of 11 Filipinos included among the Forbes list of billionaires are as follows:

1.     Heny Sy        -                       $7.2 billion

2.    Lucio Tan      -                       $2.8 billion

3.    John Gokongwei     -           $2.4 billion

4.    Andrew Tan              -           $2.0 billion

5.    David Consunji        -           $1.9 billion

6.    Jaime Zobel de Ayala         -$1.7 billion

7.    Enrique Razon Jr.   -           $1.6 billion

8.    Eduardo Cojuanco Jr.         -$1.4 billion

9.    Roberto Ongpin       -           $1.3  billion

10.  George Ty                 -           $1.1 billion

11.  Tony Tan Caktiong -           $1.0 billion

Holding the number 9 slot, Former Trade Secretary Roberto Ongpin is the biggest gainer in percentage term whose wealth soared four times fold to $1.3 billion.  Most of that gain was mainly due to his stake at Atok-Big Wedge, a listed miner.

Two new Filipino global billionaires  with diversified businesses are included in this years list namely Andrew Tan, who is into real estate, tourism, food and beverage and quick service restaurants and Enrique Razon Jr., port operator who head the International Container Services whose profits from last year was nearly doubled this year due to uptick in global trade.

To sum it up, while almost all countries are suffering from the setbacks brought about by the global crisis, each one has slowly stood up to face the challenge.  Philippine is no exception.  While it has its own political instability that dampens the spirit of some, still it ables to withstand on its own.  While it isn’t to say that the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer, indeed others become richer by just doing right business sense while not jeopardizing other members of the society.   Henry Sy and John Gokongwei are just good examples.  In fact, their businesses have in fact been a part of us such that we can say that we become part of them too.

 Incidentally, these two successful business tycoons had in fact such modest beginnings that had become an inspiration to every Filipino.

Filipino Foods I Want My Foreigner Friends to Try Out

There are many kinds of food that are distinctly Filipino that I would like a foreigner to savor to.  Since this piece asks me to write specifically only three of them, I would particularly see to it that I would include only what I think the most palatable of all that would tickle the taste buds of even the most discriminating stomachs of other nationalities.

Foremost of which is a particular dish that usually crowns in every table of Filipino homes during special occasion.  This food always takes center stage during lavish celebration as weddings, baptism, debuts, fiestas, anniversaries or birthdays more popular with an apple on its mouth.  Of course I am referring to none other than “lechon” or roasted pig.  Generally, there is just one way of cooking the lichen, but the quality of its taste depends largely on the kind of firewood used, the quality of pig to be roasted as well as the ability of the cook that requires him to determine when exactly is the right timing to take it off from the fire.

 On several occasions, I have tasted lechon from different regions and I have this to say: lichens from Cebu are notably prominent because observers including myself could really attest its flesh so succulent and skin so crispy.  They said the secret lies on the firewood.  While others used ordinary wood to roast it, Cebu lechons particularly used coconut husks in cooking while constantly brushing or basting it with certain marinade that must be the reason it produces such a distinctive Cebuano taste.

Generally, roasted pig or lechon is being prepared by first selecting a good kind of pig that is big enough.  A good kind is not too fat as to produce lots of fats that could cloud and surround the flesh when it is ready for eating.  The best type exposed the flesh and not the fat.  Once the pig is being slaughtered already, the cook cleans it removing every hair and frees it from all of its internal contents and organs.  These are used for other major recipes.  The internal organs of the pig are replaced with pieces of lemon grass to add flavor and aroma when cooked.  It truly serves the purpose.

 Next comes the part where it is inserted into a long bamboo through its mouth down to its anal area or vice versa.  When it is ready, it is then placed into the fire first into a high slowly to a medium while occasionally turning the same while to give an even brownish color.  When it turned to a reddish brown already, it’s done.

Next to my list which the foreigners must try is the pork or chicken adobo. The original tagalong type adobo is one with only the meat, either pork or chicken or both, vinegar and lots of garlic in it cooked lengthily in medium fire.  Other adobo recipes as in Visayan recipe would include purely pork, “limp” in particular, lots of garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cane vinegar, a bit of sugar and bay leaf.  Let the pork marinate in the vinegar with the rest of the ingredients for an hour.  Start the process by boiling the pork and stop only when the vinegar mixture is fully absorbed.  The pork naturally secretes oil but not enough to make the garlic toasty brown, thus, a bit of oil is added.  When the pork and oil started to bubble and the former is already reddish brown, then, it is ready to be served.  This is the kind of adobo that is dry and garlicky.

Another particular Filipino food that I want foreign nationals to partake is the good for dessert “maja blanca”.  This one is prepared with grind corn, coconut milk, sugar, corn kernels as the main ingredients plus ground peanuts for garnishing on top.  The process is done by cooking the ground corn with the coconut milk under medium fire stirring most of the time to produce a smooth mixture while preventing it from sticking.  Add sugar to taste along with the corn kernels and continue to stir.  When it dries enough to be molded, put off the fire and place it in a mold smoothing the creases and top it with toasted ground peanuts.

100 DAYS TO HEAVEN (Unbelievable Marketing Strategy)

      June 23 and 24 Edition of this series seems to be an odd that boggles my mind till the time I lay down in bed, it took me quite a while to stop thinking about the different marketing strategy that I can’t understand but it is bound to happen in real life, there are times we are in the crossroads of decision of letting go and reaching out but it’s just an overwhelming feeling and an exaggeration of facts. To understand why I’m writing this letter this is how it goes. Emerald has been captured for her deceptive behavior scaring the employees of the Toy Company of Madam Anna. Emerald’s captured led her behind bars and his father still unrest in the Hospital.

      The accused never really had a feeling of guilt in her wrongdoing while the top Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Bobby is ready to file the case against the offender. The board had decided to pin down Emerald so as not to divulge the secret of her revenge against the Toy Company through which Madam Anna is the prime reason. Emerald has thought for a while about what should happened, that she will be prosecuted for a lifetime sentence in jail. But still she could not forgive Madam Anna’s sin against her father. They suppose to have a share or Royalty about the sales of the Toy designed by Emerald’s father but they were tricked by Madam Anna’s broken promises and lies. That has been the reason why her father suffered a stroke during her childhood.  

      During the meeting Sophia would suggest that Emerald would be set free and her father should receive the amount of shares from the sales of the toys that he has designed many years ago. This raise an argument and articulation of facts that makes my eyes grow larger for a different scene that Sophia has been suggesting. And how I am suppose to believe that it was raised during the board meeting, a culprit would be set free and an opportunity to receive a P30 million pesos? Wow, what a surprise and what a twist of fate for a criminal.  

      The major plan of the Toy Company is to deny that Anna Manalastas has promised to give a Royalty to Emerald Capistrano and her father, the media would easily publish such statement that Emerald tried to sabotage the image of them in favor of the company but Sophia came all the way to change the plan by turning the dilemma into a marketing campaign. The board meeting has been confused but willing to listen.

       Sophia suggested to call a press conference about the incident that happened in the past, Anna Manalastas has made an injustice to Emeralds father that she has deceived them for the price of the design of the toys and she has promised them the royalty they deserved since the company has grown to be one of the most successful toy company in Asia because of the design of the father of Emerald.

      Bobby the CEO have easily concluded an insane strategy that should not happen, he told the board that this will create an even more rotten image of the company in the eyes of the public. But Sophia is ready to tell the board that if it will not happen the competitors will find their way to degrade us in the hands of Emerald so by all means we can deny the truth say’s Sophia. We really need to pay the Capistrano the exact amount that they deserved she continue; because that will rebuild the image of the company not to fool people. The public should know that we are willing to pay the injustice the company has done in the past, to prove that we are a good company we must take pride of our company in the eyes of our customers beyond revenue generation.

      Some of the board agrees to repair the image of the company and the price is worth it, until they all have decided to agree about Sophia’s suggestion and praise her for his cleverness and ideas. Sophia suggest that Jessica would be the one to represent the media for a press conference so that the people will remember her as the new owner of the company and that the image will be renew about the worthlessness of Madam Anna in the eyes of the public.

       We are going to announce the abandonment of the case and they will be given their Royalty this is a chance for the company to renew and move on, right after the conference the company would be Jessica not Madam Anna. When the speech is done after the press the business will surely bloom in full because of the history of the toy, this will not just be toys but a masterpiece of history. This is definitely a sure profit, and definitely a renewed image to the company say’s Sophia. She has been applauded for his ideas and so it happened.                  

The Philippine Stock Market Still On the Go Despite Adversities

The cost of living nowadays is so high in the face of continuous global crisis.  Everything seems to be shaky at this point and the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is not exempted from it.  Luckily, there are instances that PSE was able to rebound but it is not always a guarantee that it would stay that way most of the time.

The way things are going, it looks like Philippines is relatively within the median line.  Banks and Properties are doing well this year while we cannot say the same to the Energy sector probably due to the cool weather in the first quarter.  Consumer sector worldwide commodity prices continue to soar, hence pose a challenge to companies belonging to this sector.

Sometimes, it seems rational that to get something back from the products and services that we pay for, we have to get it back in the form of stock market investment.  Buying some shares of these companies might actually save us from our enormous household bills.   For instance buying stocks from Manila Water Company, Manila Electric Company and/or Petron Corporation might able us to take back some of our spending on electric, water and gasoline consumption.  Same goes to companies that produce the goods for our daily consumption the likes of Jolibee, San Miguel, Swift Foods, Purefoods, Liberty Flour Mills and so many others.  These aforementioned companies are actually offering stocks to the market, so we might as well start investing wisely from these companies now.

As of first quarter of 2011, some of the stocks that are most active in the PSE and would be considered to be a viable investment for ones hard earned money are Jollibee Foods, Metrobank and Ayala Land.  The choices are actually plenty.

Jollibee Foods Corporation is a Philippines-based company engaged in the development, operation and franchising of quick-service restaurants under the brand name Jollibee. In the Philippines, the Company also has, as subsidiaries, Fresh N Famous Foods, Inc., which operates and franchises quick-service restaurants under the trade names Chowking, Greenwich and Red Ribbon Bakeshop, Inc. which operates and franchises restaurants under the Red Ribbon trade name. Through subsidiaries and affiliates overseas it develops and operates its international brands Yonghe King and Hongzhuangyuan. At December 31, 2010, there were 717 Jollibee stores in the Philippines, 365 franchised and 352 Company owned. There were also 67 Jollibee stores overseas, including the United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Brunei, Jeddah and Qatar. They offer food products that are prepared on-site based on original Company recipes. As of this date, it added to their group the Mang Inasal.

Metrobank on the other hand is one of the top giant banks in the country with lots of depositors.   Founded in September 5, 1962, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) has since become the premier universal bank and among the foremost financial institutions in the Philippines.  It offers a full range of banking and other financial products and services, including corporate, commercial and consumer banking, as well as credit card, remittances, leasing, investment banking and trust banking.  Metrobank currently spans a consolidated network of over 1,200 ATMs nationwide; over 730 domestic branches; and 42 foreign branches, subsidiaries, and representative offices.

Ayala Land, Inc. operates as a diversified real estate company in the Philippines. The company engages in the development of shopping centers and lease to third parties of retail space and land therein; operation of movie theaters, food courts, entertainment facilities, and car parks in these shopping centers; and management and operation of malls. It also involves in the development and lease or sale of office buildings; and sale of industrial lots and lease of factory buildings, upper middle-income residential lots and units, housing units and lots, and leisure community developments, as well as lease of residential developments. Moreover, the company engages in the acquisition, development, and sale of mixed-use, master planned communities; sale of override units or the company's share in properties made available to subsidiaries for development; and lease of gas station sites and car park; land development and construction of the company’s and third-party projects; and sale of shopping centers and residential developments in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Further, it develops and manages hotels/serviced apartments and leases land to hotel tenants; offers facilities management of the company’s and third-party projects; and operates water and sewage treatment facilities. The company was founded in 1988 and is based in Makati City, the Philippines.

100 DAYS TO HEAVEN (Vengeance)

      June 21 & 22 episode was another controversial episode, the fake ghost culprit was caught and she is in the hand of Madam Anna and Sophia, they took her home before bringing her to the police for investigation. Madam Anna was wondering why this woman wanted to destroy the good reputation of the company she has built for years. Emerald the fake ghost feels the same way why she has been brought to that house and why are they trying to investigate on her. Although Mang Andres could not understand, he tried to tell her that they are good people and they really intend to help her, Emerald the ghost in disguise somehow believe in the sincerity of Mang Andres.

      Emerald admitted that she is the daughter of the doll designer and wanted to take revenge about her father’s sufferings. His father designed the popular doll warrior in her image, she believed that her father is one of the best toy designer and the Emerald doll the princess warrior action figure has been one of his great masterpiece.

      They plan to sell the design so they will be rich, his father spent all his life designing the toy, they offered the toy to Madam Anna many years ago but she bargain a very low price for only P50, 000 pesos but his father wanted a million for he thought that soon, there will be a massive sales of the toys. Anna was not contented about his price that she refused to buy that design. His father tried to renew the design of the doll so that it could sell better, he believed that they will be rich and it will give them good fortune if they sell them well.    

      During those times Emerald has been playing electronic gadget but when he tried to switch it causes a circuit failure and their house was burned out of fire. They lost their home, all they have is the masterpiece that they have to sell because they were broke and nothing is left, they have decided to sell the design to Madam Anna for the price she wanted but Madam Anna took advantage of the situation again to bargain the price for P20, 000 pesos for she knows that she can get it. Unwillingly they have no choice but to sell the toy design. Emerald’s father ask Madam Anna to get a share if the toy would sell good in the market but Anna promise a few lies and so the deal is done. Emerald grew weary about the deal because she knew that it’s not a good deal and Anna has taken advantage on them.

      During its release the toy princess has done well in the market and so they decided to return to the office of Madam Anna but she refuses to give a part of the royalty of sales of the toy princess to her father. Although Anna knew that her company grows and became popular because of the toy, she still believed that it is her effort that the toy has been doing well in the market and not the design of Emerald’s father. He was sent out by the guard of Madam Anna, his anger led him to suffer a mild stroke during those times. Emerald during her childhood has found in his heart a deep anger to Anna because of her greed and she has carried this feeling until she has grown.

      Emerald decided to study hard and promise to herself that she will take revenge in due time. This has been the reason why she disguised herself as a ghost in the company of Anna to ruin the reputation of the company in the eyes of the market. She wanted to take revenge on her father’s sufferings. Her anger and hatred she never let go has been the reason why she is so eager to get even with Madam Anna.

      Back in the office Bobby found out that Emerald is a special effects artist and an who applied as one of their lady guard in the Toy Company of Anna this has been the reason how she was able to freely enter the company. They have sent the guards and the police officers to hunt Emerald and it doesn’t take that long until she has been captured. Emerald has been put behind bars for his crime and still she's struggling to take revenge to Madam Anna until her last breath.

      She has been blinded in her heart and her revenge is a confession of her pain. I hope that she will find it in her heart to let go of her hatred and anger, for revenge is always a pleasure of a little and narrow mind. A person will never be happy if they never learn to forgive and cast on to God all the feelings of bitterness inside their hearts.