I admired them as inspiring business heroes who are positive role models for their Confucian values, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In February 2008, Forbes Asia magazine's first Heroes of Philanthropy list included four Filipinos Gokongwei, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Ramn del Rosario Jr. and Oscar Lpez. It was sufficiently successful that another production line was required to meet demand. The following day (November 16), Elizabeth died, at the age of 85. I was nine then, and hed make beating me look so damn easy. His funeral was held on November 15. You may have passed away, but your legacy will live on. Gokongwei's only son, Lance, is its chief executive officer. But one in particular made me pause and reflect. John Gokongwei was married to Elizabeth Yu from 1958 until his death in 2019. But in the end, it was his family that made John Gokongwei live a happy and content life. In 1957 Gokongweis business was getting bogged down by import controls that made it difficult to obtain licenses. It was at this moment that I realized that we had lost more than an uncle and a boss; sometimes we are just too close to the situation that we dont see the forest for the trees. Credit: Munshi Ahmed for Forbes. [5] He went to Xavier School for his first two years of high school. By 1944 hed entered what he calls the batel age, when he broadened his inventory and used the wooden boats to trade goods in Manila, reclaiming more of his great-grandfathers legacy. But commerce in the Philippines is rarely without domestic complications. We can't depend on what we have now. 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. His response took me aback. [6], In 1988, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a double degree in Finance and Applied Science (summa cum laude). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This story appears in the Septemper 12, 2016 issue of Forbes Asia. . The Gokongwei family controls over $20 billion of combined market capitalization for all the companies they own. John Gokongwei Jr. We have to look for opportunities if we're going to survive the next 50 years. [14], Gokongwei died in Manila on 9 November 2019, at the age of 93. Were not there yet, like Alibaba. John Gokongwei and his family now owns a lot of big companies: chemicals, food, airline, mall chain, mobile service provider and even an entertainment showbiz magazine. Currently, I work with the best and funniest team Ive ever met, and thanks to them, we made Angkong let out the biggest smile in the world before he finally passed on. As recently as this June he was still on the dais at the annual shareholder meeting, next to his son and brother as they ran the show. The company was later renamed Universal Robina Corporation. Business News Philippines 2023. John was 13 years old, the eldest of six siblings, so he felt the big responsibility. John Gokongwei John was only 20 back then. MANILA, Philippines In 1992, industrialist John Gokongwei Jr. and his brothers - Henry, Johnson and James - established the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), with the goal of making a. In 1961, he established Consolidated Food Corporation (later known as CFC Corporation, which later merged with Universal Robina Corporation), which launched its instant coffee brand Blend 45. John Gokongwei was a Filipino billionaire businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder and former chairman of JG Summit. It was a sad moment and there was a flood of messages coming in, condoling with us. [13] Gokongwei's great-grandfather was a half brother of Gotianun's grandfather. His conglomerate company JG Summit Holdings, Inc., had an extensive panoply of business and investment holdings across the Filipino economy, including shipping, telecommunications, retail, financial services, petrochemicals, utilities, aviation, food, beverages, and livestock farming. Life was great for the Gotiaoco family until the Great Depression came, and their family fell into debt. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Big Johns life story is no ordinary rags-to-riches because he actually once came from a wealthy clan. 2023 ABS-CBN Corporation. 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 . We have to look for opportunities if were going to survive the next 50 years. Petitioner Gokongwei, a stockholder of the San Miguel Corporation, filed a declaration of. "John Gokongwei Jr., Industry Game Changer; 93", "Watch: John Gokongwei, Jr. Talks About School, Business, and the New Digital Age", "Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Business Success", "A Way out of Poverty, According to 'Mr. In 1939 and at the age of 34, John died after contracting typhoid, leaving behind a 31-year-old widow and six childrenand unfortunately, alarmed creditors worried that his theater chain would fail without him. When Angkong needed a pillow to lay his arm on at the hospital, my Auntie Marcia thought of bringing that pillow. He became the. 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. 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. 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. He also gave donations to University of San Carlos, Xavier School, De La Salle University, Sacred Heart School Ateneo de Cebu and Immaculate Conception Academy (ICA).[9]. She was 85. Go told Usapang Bilyonaryo how his beloved Uncle John made sure he had options in a media career after seeing how he loved writing in college. So, he saved up and was able to reach nearby towns to sell it. All Rights Reserved. In the early 1950s, along with his brothers and sisters who returned from China, he started to import cigarettes and whiskey too. My mom only spoke half of it in her eulogy three days ago. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. [22] They have a daughter and a son. The Filipino tycoon is most known for being the founder and former chairman of JG Summit, one of the countrys largest conglomerates. Even now, James has piles of ramen noodles, cookies and crackers in his office that he samples himself, sending word when something tastes rancid.. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, the eldest daughter, runs Robinsons Retail Holdings, the second-largest retailer in the Philippines. In my case, I have trained and carefully prepared my son Lance to be a good successor. "I salute him. It includes companies such as snack food and drink producer Universal Robina, shopping centers Robinsons Malls, and everyone's favorite budget airline Cebu Pacific. [14], In December 2022, Gokongwei announced his resignation as President and CEO of Cebu Pacific. The line is repeated by Tonythis time as hologramto his daughter at his funeral. Top row: John, Elizabeth, and daughter Robina. 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. This was very tiring, but he endured it all to send his siblings to school in China. He knows hell be here, says Robina. In speeches hes recalled being driven by a chauffeur and living in a big house. Life changed suddenly and drastically when Gokongwei was 13 and his father died of typhoid fever. 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. Gotiaoco arrived in Cebu in the 1870s from Fujian province in China. He soon realized he could do more if he had a bicycle. 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. At the age of 93, Big John died surrounded by his family at the Manila Doctors Hospital on November 9, 2019. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The company imported flour, fruits, onions, used clothes, old newspapers, and magazines from the U.S. John Gokongwei Jr. came from a wealthy clan in Cebu but they lost everything because of world war 2. Sign up now! Doing business was easier [than chasing her down].. His conglomerate company JG Summit Holdings, Inc., had an extensive panoply of business and investment holdings across the Filipino economy, including . He built a massive empire consisting of businesses in sectors such as food, beverage, clothing, aviation, telecommunications, banking, energy, petrochemicals, and livestock farming. The outsiders outsider: The more human side of John Gokongwei, John Gokongwei Jr.s life was a master class in showing true grit, Robina Pe to her father: Get some rest, dad. But his great-grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco had built an agricultural trading company called Gotiaoco Hermanos, a prominent business in Cebu. The partnership with Calbee, however, ended five years later as Calbee suffered losses in the Philippine market. 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]. He would also say: Keep working hard and just stay humble. He advised me to study hard. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Robinsons Land President and CEO Frederick Go shared a heartwarming gesture from his uncle, the late ultra bilyonaryo John Gokongwei, who wanted to get his fledgling journalism career flying high. 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. - A A +. He taught us everything that we needed to know, like not bragging about what you have, ABSOLUTELY NO ENTITLEMENT, showing me how to ride a bike, teaching me how to drink coffee and it has to be Great Taste and for the single ones like me, what I needed to know about playing around. We not just the family but the Philippines have just lost a great man.. Gokongweis drive has not always served him well. John's great-grandfather, Pedro Gotiaoco, was among the original rags-to-riches stories in the Philippines. His eldest daughter, Robina, heads the operations of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (she owns Robinsons Malls), as the company's COO since 2002. Within six months, he says, he managed to drive the price of cornstarch down by 50%. In 1961, John Gokongwei launched another company, Consolidated Food Corporation (later renamed CFC Corporation). Hes not there, but hes there, says Robina. Taipan John Gokongwei continues to shower his family with his generosity three years after passing away at the age of 93. About John Gokongwei is a Chinese Filipino businessman with holdings in telecommunications, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock farming, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock farming/ He is the chairman of JG Summit Holdings, one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. [12], Then tragedy struck, when in February 1998, two years after the company's inception, Cebu Pacific Flight 387 slammed into a mountainside, killing all 104 people aboard. But as for the second question, Ill get to that much later. Left with no choice but to survive, young John had to start from scratch to build a better life for himself and his family. 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 . I dont know another Philippine company that has lasted three generations, except for Ayala, he says. Back then, when I was a little boy, Angkong always beat me in swimming. From ages 17 to 19, he used a wooden boat to carry his goods to Dalahican, Lucena, and then carried them to Manila by truck. Present during the visit were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senators Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III. The familys freshest wound stems from its foray into the countrys thorny telecommunications sector. She now writes for a number of websites and other online media publications. Gemma Cruz Araneta, the first Filipina Miss International in 1964, is a Rizal descendant, the first major beauty contest winner Its the time of year when first cousins who once moved to the other side of the world come for a visit. He told me it was the least he could do for someone who had done so much for the Philippines. His father, John Jr., established JG Summit Holdings Inc., while his mother, Elizabeth, was a founding member of Robinsons Department Store. 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 he saw his grandfather, the boy asked why were his parents were making him work that summer job? John died in 2019. Read Online John L Gokongwei Jr The Path Of Entrepreneurship . However, following his fathers death, John and his family lost all their wealth. 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. Careers Not only did he create wealth for himself and his family, but he has also provided jobs for Filipinos as well. But please do guide me when I decide to play around, not at work of course. He always made sure that he worked hard and smart, giving 100% of his effort in everything he did. He was 93 years old at the time of his death. 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. I was one year old when I came here to Cebu from Fujian, south China. He also made generous donations to institutes such as the University of San Carlos, the De La Salle University, the Sacred Heart School, the Xavier School, and the Immaculate Conception Academy. 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. So at age 15, having dropped out of school to work, he started selling goods like soaps and tires at the local market. Gokongwei was born in China to John Gokongwei Sr. and Juanita Mrquez Lim. None of the events that happened in our familys lives would have happened without you. 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. John Gokongwei My great-great-grandfather lived to age 28, my immigrant great-grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco died at 66, my grandfather was 68, and my father died at 34. "He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth, and his children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope, and Marcia; his in-laws and grandchildren; brothers Eddie and James Go, sister Lily; and his nieces and nephews," the statement added. Today the airline dominates the Philippines domestic market. Success Story of John Gokongwei. I have been part of this company for almost a decade now (2yrs to go), and I am proud to still be here to celebrate one of its biggest milestones, its 20th Gokongwei denies that he expected succession from his kids, but the eldest children remember differently. Competitive swimming was not one of my strengths and so I switched to golf and played with my Dad, whom I easily beat. The Bachelor of Science in Management major in Communications Technology Management Program is a 4 year degree (including 3 summer semesters) program of the John Gokongwei School of Management. My Angkongs journey was a journey of pure grit. Among Gokongweis proudest achievements is JG Summits entry into the airline business, whose success he credits to his son. I was really shocked that someone who was 78 could beat me in swimming. A total of 384,874 shares in JG Summit were distributed to Gokongwei's brother, children and nephews "as a result of estate settlement.". Mass will be held on Friday. Initially, he dealt in second-hand goods imported from the U.S., but after his family joined in, he started dealing in beverages and cigarettes, too. What did they talk about in that last conversation? The couple had six children: their son, Lance, and their five daughters, Lisa, Robina, Faith, Hope, and Marcia. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Love your country. And James, at 77, is also stepping away, triggering a three-year process in which Lance will rise to chairman and CEO. He liked to take care of the family, the company and people.. Contact Us It's hard to imagine many consumer products and services today without thinking of John Gokongwei Jr. The Gokongwei family, listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the country's wealthiest, officially launched the Gokongwei Group master brand that will embrace all the diverse businesses in their portfolio which includes some of the Philippines' top corporations. Under Big Johns leadership, he launched Universal Corn Products (now Universal Robina Corporation), Consolidated Food Corporation (later CFC Corporation), JG Summit Holdings, Cebu Pacific Air, Robinson Retail Holdings, and more. Back then, when I used to work for Shell, he told me that he really wanted to see me join the business before he passed away. His father was a scion of a wealthy Cebu-based family with ancestral ties to China's Southern Fujian province. When your age hits 70 sometimes you feel totally ignorant, no matter how intelligent you used to be. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. [10][11] All his children play an active role in the Gokongwei group. During these difficult years, he initially supported his family by peddling items along the streets of Cebu from his bicycle. His siblings then joined his business. Another lesson in business: Always be humble, Mr. John admonished. JG Summit grew to $135 million by 1993, when it listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, and then $1.8 billion by its 50th anniversary in 2007. One day he noticed that my grades were slipping. I told my mother shes the one Im going to get married to, so I chased her for four years. John L. Gokongwei, Jr. lived a full and accomplished life, entrepreneurship was his lifelong passion and it was not about the money. The family would shuttle back and forth between China and the Philippines, but the fortune was lost when Gotiaoco's grandson, John Gokongwei Sr. passed away prematurely. Also Known As: John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. father: John Gokongwei, Sr. (Go Kong Wei), siblings: Henry Go, James L. Go, Johnson Go, Lily Ngochua, children: Faith Gokongwei, Hope Gokongwei, Lance Gokongwei, Lisa Gokongwei, Marcia Gokongwei, Robina Gokongwei, Founder/Co-Founder: JG Summit Holdings, Cebu Pacific, Universal Robina, Robinsons Malls, education: De La Salle University, Ateneo De Manila University. Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "2022 Forbes list: Sy siblings still richest in PH, Villar is biggest gainer", "John and Elizabeth Gokongwei: A love story not limited by life on earth", "Lance Gokongwei really, really wanted to be a baller: Find out how he's living out his dream in Xavier's alumni team - Bilyonaryo Business News", "CEO in the news: JG Summit's CEO-to-be is already putting ambitions into action", "Lance Gokongwei is proof you should never judge a man by his car", "URC poised to grab leadership in 'healthy' beverage market", "Find out why Gokongwei's potato chip venture with Japan's Calbee bombed - Bilyonaryo Business News", "Lance Gokongwei resigns as Cebu Pacific President & CEO", "JG Summit appoints Lance Gokongwei as CEO", "JG Summit Q1 net income down 19% on coronavirus concerns", "Lance Y. Gokongwei appointed board member of top sustainability reporting standards body - BusinessMirror", "Lance Gokongwei lets wife be CEO of household: "She's the gold standard in parenting", "What Does Lance Gokongwei Want His Children to Know", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lance_Gokongwei&oldid=1136120034, Articles needing cleanup from November 2022, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from November 2022, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from November 2022, Articles with a promotional tone from October 2022, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Tweet John Gokongwei Jr. He prepared by reading Nuts!, a book by former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher. I recall that 13 years ago, in 2006, he invited me to dinner a week before his 80th birthday and casually asked a question that almost made me fall off my chair. That was one week before he passed. He is the Vice-Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of RLC and LMI. It is now the biggest player in the ready-to-drink tea and cup noodles business and the second-largest in the coffee sector in the Philippines. Johns family is now in charge of more than $20 billion of the total market capitalization for all the companies owned by them. 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. The airline is a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, controlled by the Gokongwei family - one of the richest Filipino- Chinesefamilies based in the Philippines. Im thinking of advising them to look into digital, he says. John Gokongweis biography, John L. Gokongwei Jr.: The Path of Entrepreneurship, written by Dr. Marites A. Khanser, was released on August 29, 2007, at the Ateneo de Manila University. 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