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. Patrick recalled, I distinctly remember this discussion because my father was loudly trying to convince Mr. John not to do it anymore. In 1961, John Gokongwei launched another company, Consolidated Food Corporation (later renamed CFC Corporation). He was 93. 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. 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. Copyright 2023. 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]. Yet despite his success as one of the Philippines' most successful businessmen, he stayed humble throughout. 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. In addition, Gokongwei named publicly-listed company Universal Robina Corporation after her. The Chippy pillow was a product that we sold at Toys R Us last year, along with the Chiz Curls pillow. He built a massive empire consisting of businesses in sectors such as food, beverage, clothing, aviation, telecommunications, banking, energy, petrochemicals, and livestock farming. In July 2014, Universal Robina acquired Griffin's Foods from Pacific Equity Partners, a New Zealand food company for $609 million. 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. The movie theaters, cars and the big house were all seized by the banks. Justin replied: He said, Id rather you be a nerd. I'm Cebuano. He came from China with nothing. Love your country. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and nation-builder John L. Gokongwei passed away on November 9, 2019, at the age of 93. Privacy He queried in Hokkien: Do you think I can still work up to 90? Many people dream of retiring early, while this hardworking entrepreneur was asking if he could still work up to 90! His foundations bent is education. He came from Fujian province in China and owned a huge trading company, Gotiaoco Hermanos. The Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist died Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019 at the age of 93 surrounded by family at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila.. His status as the country's third richest businessman, with a wealth of $5.3 billion according to Forbes magazine was . Though he belonged to an affluent trading family, he lost all his wealth after his fathers death. He is also survived by wife Elizabeth and daughters Lisa, Robina, Faith, Hope and Marcia. Lucio Tan had to sell his mill to us, says Gokongwei of his established rival. Whenever he gave opinions, he was never condescending but always humble., Years ago, when Justin was 11 years old, he was made to work in the familys Toys R Us store during summer. And now at your old age to tear away from it, its very hard.. In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, best known . His eldest daughter, Robina, is the president of the family's Robinson Retail Holdings, Philippines' second largest multi-format retailer. We need hard work, perseverance, innovation, courage, and total dedication. Gokongweis drive has not always served him well. John initially served the basic-needs market, with his branded snacks, sugar, noodles, beverages, poultry, hotels, condos, and clothing. 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%. Lance Y. Gokongwei is the President and Chief Operating Officer of JGSHI. A report by Esquire magazine, one of the publications of Gokongwei-owned Summit Publishing Company Inc., said it received the following text message from the tycoon's only son Lance. His strong resolve towards life made him successful and become one of the richest men in the. Everybody called him Big John, but we his family, siblings and wife Elizabeth called him Iya, which means Lovable Baby. My father John Gokongwei, Sr. died when he was only 34, my mother was a very pretty, 30-year-old widow. His conglomerate company JG Summit Holdings, Inc., had an extensive panoply of business and investment holdings across the Filipino economy, including . When your age hits 70 sometimes you feel totally ignorant, no matter how intelligent you used to be. 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. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. [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. See the events in life of John Gokongwei in Chronological Order, (Filipino Businessman, Investor, Founder and Chairman of JG Summit Holdings, Inc), https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/john-gokongwei-21045.php. John Gokongwei with eldest grandchild Justin back in the day. Middle row: John's mother Ana Juanita, son Lance, and daughters Lisa and Hope. All Rights Reserved. John died in 2019. Ive come to love and enjoy drinking coffee ever since.. (Originally entitled "Mr. John Gokongwei on Charter Change") by Ducky Paredes (article from August of 2006) Mr. John, as his corporate family fondly refers to John Gokongwei, has always been known for being a practical businessman. John L. Gokongwei, Jr. lived a full and accomplished life, entrepreneurship was his lifelong passion and it was not about the money. He took a loan of 500 thousand pesos from Albino Sycip, who was the chairman of China Bank back then, and Dee K. Chiong. UIC controls Singapore Land, one of the biggest property landlords in Singapore. It has also provided the content and technology teachers and other stakeholders need to develop their skills as educators." But fambiz can succeed despite the odds, according to fambiz expert Dr. Queena N. Lee-Chua. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei, Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; born Go Ek-hui) is a Filipino business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Business News Philippines 2023. John Gokongwei Yesterday morning, Friday, at Heritage Park in Taguig City, Justin Pe paid his last respects to his departed grandfather, the industrialist John Gokongwei Jr. with a heartfelt eulogy both touching and funny. [6], In 1988, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a double degree in Finance and Applied Science (summa cum laude). The program started in the mid 1990's and has graduated roughly 1,400 students, a majority of whom are now in the marketing, communications, media . This, later on, became Universal Robina Corporation (URC) when it ventured into other finished goods. (Although James says his retirement wont be total retirementI will still be around as executive chairman. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. John died on November 9, 2019, at the Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila, Philippines. While part of Gokongweis office at the Robinsons Equitable Tower in the Ortigas district of Pasig showcases photographs of him with the likes of former president Benigno Aquino III and Imelda Marcos, Gokongwei says hes stayed away from political entanglements. [14], In December 2022, Gokongwei announced his resignation as President and CEO of Cebu Pacific. None of the events that happened in our familys lives would have happened without you. [17] As a result, its income and revenues fell. He tried to ask for a loan from several banks but to no avail. At the time of his death, John was the third-richest man in the Philippines, according to Forbes. Justin recalled: Angkong told me that he was only 13 years old when he had to start working for the sake of the family., Justin also shared that in April or May this year, Gokongwei told him: I want to see you in the family business before I die. Fellow billionaire and former Trade Minister Roberto Bobby Ongpin told me: Gokongwei was probably the most educated tycoon in the Philippines, the only one whod talk to me about derivatives., The youngest brother of Gokongwei, in his own right a topnotch business leader, JG Summit Holdings chairman James L. Go, said: My eldest brother was very complex. He eventually unloaded his stake. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. He launched his first company, Amasia Trading, in 1946. Tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. (Photo courtesy of JG Summit Holding Inc.) MANILA-- Malacaang expressed its deep condolences to the family of tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. who passed away on Saturday night, remembering him for his "substantial contributions to the country's growth and development.". [10], In 2013, Gokongwei became chief executive of Universal Robina. Gokongwei was the founder and chairman of JG Summit Holdings, which owns . In the early 1950s, John started importing cigarettes and whiskey, too. Let me talk about other things first. But one in particular made me pause and reflect. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Terms The family discovered that much of the business was built on debt. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. His father left while his mother and five siblings returned to China. With a net worth of US $5.3 billion, making him the third richest man in the Philippines in 2019, John Gokongwei Jr. has really come a long way from the young boy who sold soap, thread and other basic needs in post-war Cebu. Advertise With Us. My fathers words suddenly made things clear, this was not about money anymore. I was one year old when I came here to Cebu from Fujian, south China. The following day (November 16), Elizabeth died, at the age of 85. As the business morphed in size and scope, the brothers found their ways complementary and the payoff substantial. Gotiaoco arrived in Cebu in the 1870s from Fujian province in China. 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. 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. 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. 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. Until October John Gokongwei would participate in these executive committee meetings, but after a brief illness he stopped coming to the office. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He quickly disagreed, saying: No, were different. Lance is the president and CEO of JG Summit. - A A +. 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. I told him he didnt need to and that his expression of sympathy was already much appreciated by the family. 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. We need hard work, perseverance, innovation, courage, and total dedication. Once, he asked me: How are you, hows your work? I replied to him that it was very entertaining., On his unforgettable memories, Justin reminisced, Angkong was the first person to teach me how to ride a bike at when I was seven and he was also the first person to teach me to drink coffee when I was 15. For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. [9], In the late 1990s, Gokongwei became general manager of Universal Robina's branded food business, where he led the development of beverages. Already, controlling shares in Summit are being transferred to the second generation. 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. URC became one of the leading food and beverage companies in the country. Life was great for the Gotiaoco family until the Great Depression came, and their family fell into debt. Gokongwei was born in Manila, as the second of six children. Portrait of John Gokongwei Jr. Photo: Handout from JG Summit Holdings Inc. Website. Because once when I lived in the US, I came across a wheelchair-bound columnist who wrote about his life. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. His great-grandfather, Pedro Gotiaoco, was one of the richest men in Cebu in the 19th century. John made JG Summit Holdings a publicly-listed holding company in November 1990. 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. He decided to shut down in favor of cornstarch production, at which another precocious operator in Cebu was doing well. CEBUANO tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. died on Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019. John Gokongwei Jr., fondly called Big John, passed away in 2019, but his legacy and business lessons continue to inspire other entrepreneurs. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I used to visit Angkong a lot at the office when i was still in school. He was a second cousin once removed of Andrew Gotianun Sr., the founder of Filinvest Development Corporation. As is the usual story, he became a prominent businessman. damages with prayer for a preliminary injunction, against the majority of the members of the Board of. At the time, it was the nation's worst air disaster. He liked to take care of the family, the company and people.. . As for himself, he says its time for him to enjoy life and focus on philanthropy. 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. These days she fusses after him. . 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. In February 2008, Forbes Asia magazine placed him on their list of the Heroes of Philanthropy. The list included three other Filipinos, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Oscar Lpez, and Ramn del Rosario Jr. John Gokongwei was married to Elizabeth Yu from 1958 until his death in 2019. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Why do I almost always write about my life? In a statement to the media, his son Lance Gokongwei said: "Our beloved husband, father and grandfather John Gokongwei passed away peacefully 11:41 p.m., November 9th, at the Manila Doctor's Hospital surrounded . "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. 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. We were in Rome, Italy then, it was just house coffee and tasted so bitter. The familys freshest wound stems from its foray into the countrys thorny telecommunications sector. He graduated valedictorian. Careers Yet after seven years of operating at a loss, Digitel was sold in a share swap in 2011 to Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), one of the countrys two telecom giants (JG Summit now owns an 8% stake). Elizabeth's father owned a hardware store back then. He then finished his last two years in Singapore. President and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc. Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. James, Johns brother, is the COO and chairman of the company. Taipan John Gokongwei continues to shower his family with his generosity three years after passing away at the age of 93. Among Gokongweis proudest achievements is JG Summits entry into the airline business, whose success he credits to his son. They were the victors at the time.. [6] San Miguel Corporation was a big customer of theirs. From there Cebu Pacific was born. From journalists Emmie Abadilla When I asked him what are the good stocks to invest my earnings in, he answered: RLC for the Philippines and P&G for overseas. (RLC is Robinsons Land Corp.). In July the following year, Griffin's Foods was acquired by Universal Robina for $609 million, from Pacific Equity Partners, a New Zealand-based food enterprise. We were left with practically nothing, except a good name, says Gokongwei. Mass will be held on Friday. John was only 20 back then. 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. The discussion ended with that, no resolution, just an exchange of positions and shortly after Mr. John left the room my father sat down with me, had a few more glasses of whiskey and told me that I have to remember that at one point it would no longer be about the money.. 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. Ten years later, he completed Harvard Business Schools 14-week advanced management program. John Gokongwei was a Filipino billionaire businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder and former chairman of JG Summit. 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 Never stop learning And always look back and be grateful to where you came from. Back then, when I was a little boy, Angkong always beat me in swimming. John Gokongwei Jr. died on November 9, 2019. She now writes for a number of websites and other online media publications. Gokongwei is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth, and his children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia; siblings Eddie, James Go and Lily; in-laws and grandchildren. Megan Young and Mikael Daez Share Mistakes And Learnings From Their Failed Businesses, How This Viral Ube Champorado Stall In Caloocan Started And Attracted Crowds, Neri Naig Opens Baguio Family Rest House For Rent, How Beauty Queen Samantha Bernardo Started Her Sleepwear Business With P5K Capital, Gretchen Barrettos Daughter, Dominique, Co-Owns E-Commerce Beauty & Self-Care Shop, Comedian Brenda Mage Achieves Childhood Dream Of Owning A Farm. 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. 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 . His funeral was held on November 15. John then pursued her for marriage for 4 years. Competitive swimming was not one of my strengths and so I switched to golf and played with my Dad, whom I easily beat. His father was a scion of a wealthy Cebu-based family with ancestral ties to China's Southern Fujian province. . He had been Executive Vice President of JGSHI and was elected President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2002. Mariing kinondena ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ang panibagong ballistic missile test na ginawa ng North Korea. 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. Thus, at 13, John began peddling items from his bicycle, on the streets of Cebu. Petitioner Gokongwei, a stockholder of the San Miguel Corporation, filed a declaration of. The partnership with Calbee, however, ended five years later as Calbee suffered losses in the Philippine market. Buy PhilSTARs Tagalog tabloid Pilipino STAR Ngayon every Friday and read my column Kuwentong Panadero. Read also https://investment.fwd.com.ph/experts/asia-s-business-leaders-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. The line is repeated by Tonythis time as hologramto his daughter at his funeral. Johns children have held senior responsibilities for some time: Lance runs Summits airline, Cebu Air, and the groups food-and-beverage outfit, Universal Robina, where youngest sister, Marcia, is a manager. The airline is a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, controlled by the Gokongwei family - one of the richest Filipino- Chinesefamilies based in the Philippines. At some point after the meal he slips away, and his only son, Lance, is summoned for quiet talk about the family business, JG Summit, which the host founded in 1957 and which today is the second-largest family-run business in the Philippines, with a market capitalization of $13.2 billion. 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. Elizabeth Yus father owned a hardware store there. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Celebrity Updates Johns great-grandfather, who was a trader from China, was one of the Philippines's most influential Chinese Filipinos. Lance demurred in favor of his family destiny, now firmly set in motion by his uncles timetable. But please do guide me when I decide to play around, not at work of course. 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. Through his efficient and competitive businesses, the visionary Gokongwei brought down prices for consumers with his budget airline, affordable foods, and unli-texts and unli-calls for cellphones. He has holdings in telecommunications, financial services, petrochemicals, power generation, aviation and live stock . the passing of Mr. John Gokongwei, Jr. 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. I initially thought that Id have a hard time in the family business due to the alleged long hours and a salary lower than I got in Shell but oh how I was truly mistaken. John Gokongwei was the son of a businessman who owned several movie theaters in the island province of Cebu. Along with its ascent came difficult moments, says Lance, recalling 1998, especially: Cebu Pacific Flight 387 crashed and 104 people died. [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. In 1957 Gokongweis business was getting bogged down by import controls that made it difficult to obtain licenses. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. https://investment.fwd.com.ph/experts/asia-s-business-leaders-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them. [5] He went to Xavier School for his first two years of high school. 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. 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. Elizabeth had actively supported her husband in all his endeavors. Using a small boat, he would trade goods from Cebu to Manila and vice versa. He enjoys reading and exercising [37], and was a finisher in the 2009 New York Marathon [38]. "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. Im thinking of advising them to look into digital, he says. [15], In 2018, Gokongwei was named CEO of JG Summit. Following World War II, in 1946, John Gokongwei launched his first company, Amasia Trading. His conglomerate company JG Summit Holdings, Inc., had an extensive panoply of business and investment holdings across the Filipino economy, including . . Gokongwei stated that entrepreneurship is a way out of poverty. [10][11] All his children play an active role in the Gokongwei group. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. My mom only spoke half of it in her eulogy three days ago. He recalls bowing to the imperial soldiers. 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. 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. On Gokongweis pioneering heavy industry project of petrochemicals for the Philippines, Go said: One of our guests last night found out that I was handling petrochemicals and told me this was Mr. Johns baby and he was very proud of it.