“Behind every successful man is a woman”, those are the terms we often hear but they can’t help

but realize
that behind every successful person is a strong personality and a burning heart. Henry Sy was born in Xiamen,
in China in October 1924. Henry Sy was not born with the silver spoon in mouth. Since a toddler, he had aimed
to become the best businessman, so went to try his luck in other countries. At the age of 12, he went to
Philippines to change the miserable life of his father in a foreign country. He was always committed with his
goal to get succeed. He did everything that helps him to alleviate life and work hard till night

Henry Sy. would buy goods from “Divisoria Flea market”. He carries all goods on his back and then sells them
in a small store of her father called (sari-sari). When both going to close the store, they would sleep in a small
space to makes their way of living much better.

He decided to make some extra income, so he had no time to play with friends. World war-2 came and the
store of his father eventually burned and robbed. He did lots of selling and buying many odds things during
war and helped his family to survive. After the war, he ventured into purchasing American Shoes that were
imported by the Enterprising Gis.

He enrolled himself to a school. He gets graduation degree in commerce from “Far Eastern University”. He sold
overrun and rejected shoes. He wants to change his life. He never gives up and always try hard to achieve the
best success. After failures in business, he stood back-up and attain a goal.

In 1958, he established a shoe store in Quiapo, Manila. The name of the store was “Shoe Mart”. For the time, he
was purchasing many shoes, leather goods, and accessories. He hopes to change the way of shoe
manufacturer strategy.

He senses lots of opportunities that enable him to open Shoe Mart “SM” which the world first air-conditioned
shoe store. The store merchandise shoes in a classy and inviting format. With the best success story of the
store, he decided to open more stores. But his dream not came true because he was unable to get more
suppliers. Most manufacturers refuse to listen to him at that time. He did not cooperate with the volume that
he needed. Because of these reasons, he shifted gradually toward apparel and other merchandise with the
help of her mother.
The business grew in numbers instead of the size and serving various more modest markets. The business
also expands from departmental stores to hardware stores, supermarkets, appliance superstore, and others.

As we mentioned above that Henry Sy. was one of the greatest bankers so he also looked into the banking
business. He established the “Banco de Oro” bank that was a medium-sized bank. The members of the business
were considered conservative in the lending process. The business strengthened and reorganize while
developing the best growth strategies that started working in 2000.

Facts about SM

The first SM Supermall is the country’s largest mall

SM Supermalls began as Shoemart, a small shoe store in Carriedo in 1958, which later became SM Department
Store with a string of shops strategically located across Metro Manila through the ‘60s and ‘70s. They also
ventured into the supermarket and home appliance businesses, but it wasn’t until 1985 when they fully
embraced the status of a shopping mall chain with the opening of their first supermall, SM City North EDSA.

There are seven SM Supermalls in China

Seeing SM Supermalls’ prominent logo in China may surprise Filipino tourists and overseas workers alike. But
with the mall chain’s unparalleled success in the local retail landscape, taking the brand to international
markets is the next logical step to ensure further growth. SM Supermalls debuted in the Chinese retail scene
in 2001 with the opening of SM City Xiamen. Since then, the booming economy and welcoming market paved
the way for their expansion across the country in the last two decades.

Today, there are seven SM Supermalls in China, including SM City Jinjiang, SM City Chengdu, SM City Suzhou,
SM City Chongqing, SM City Zibo, and SM City Tianjin.

There is an SM branch in the US

SM Supermalls opened a small shopping center in Downtown Hagatna in Guam in 2008, their first branch on
US territorial soil. SM Island Guam sits in Agana Shopping Center, a local mall that is also managed by SM. The
structure first opened in 1978 and was severely damaged by a typhoon that struck the island back in 2002. SM
acquired the mall soon after and invested in its redevelopment.

SM Island Guam may be a far cry from the typical SM Center or SM City mall, but it still offers the brand’s
trademark hospitality, service, and products that the locals and tourists love.
 Julie’s Bakeshop Success Story
“Kasama natin araw-araw.”

I guess everyone of you knows this bakeshop. Now it has become a common bakeshop with more than 500
stores serving every Filipinos. The owner, Julie Gandionco and her sons as far as I remember was already
featured on some TV shows. But little that we know how it started from a humble beginning.

The Julie’s Bakeshop story is the kind that hits close to home, particularly because it was born out of the needs
of a family which something most people can relate to. When she reached the age of 47, Julie Gandioco’s duties
as a mother were becoming less and less demanding. Her children – Bobby, Rico and Opep were already in
college, and the rest Oding, Neil and Patty were in high school. Her kid’s educational expenses were going up
and her husband’s sugar farm was not doing well. So she thought that there were something that she must do
to help her husband.

Julie noticed that her customers consumes a lot of bread which she bought from different bakeshops at that
time. One of her bread supplier, Vicente Ruiz encourage her to put up her own bakeshop so she could supply
her own needs. She realized that it was a good opportunity because the market was already there but she was
hesitant at first because she has no experience in baking or bakeshop business.

Eventually she took Vicente’s advice on the condition that he joins her business and take care of all the baking
while she took care of the rest. One of the keys for a successful business is hiring an expert which attributed
to her success. By hiring an expert to help start her bakery business, she didn’t have to worry about the
product. Again I would say that she was lucky enough that she has an expert on her side because if she hired
an amateur, then that would hinder her success.

Julie put up her savings which amounts to Php19,000 to open up the family’s first bakeshop on January 6, 1981
in Wireless, Mandaue. She served staples like Elorde, Everlasting, Pan de Coco and Pandesal. Then she opened
up another bakeshop in Aznar road near Southwestern University just six months after she opened up the first
and she recovered her investment only in one year.

Based on the short success story, it is obvious that age doesn’t matter if we were given a break by our Almighty
Creator. Just let us keep ourselves hoping and trusting in Him that someday we will have our break.
 Tony Tan Caktiong

There is no question that Jollibee is the most popular fastfood outlet in the Philippines. Surely, its
owner Tony Tan Caktiong is a Filipino billionaire businessman! He is the founder and chairman of Jollibee Foods
Corporation, and the co-chairman of DoubleDragon Properties. But did you know that this rich businessman
hailed from a poor family? He is the third of seven siblings from a poor family who immigrated to the Philippines
from China. The son of a cook who used to work at a Buddhist temple, Caktiong experienced hardships early
in his life. But this inspired him to help the family earn money.

Their hardworking parents introduced them to business. As kids, Caktiong and his siblings worked as helpers
at their family’s restaurant business in Davao. They did everything from washing dishes to bussing tables to
serving customers.

The family would soon have a stable income and was able to send their kids to prestigious schools. Caktiong
graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a degree in BS Chemical Engineering. In 1975, he
followed his family’s path in business by franchising the Magnolia Ice Cream House. He was just 22 years old
at the time and had paid Php350,000 for the franchise, opening Cubao Ice Cream House and Quiapo Ice
Cream House. But he didn’t just stop there. Instead, he expanded his business by creating Jollibee in 1978
after people suggested they offer something else because the customers didn’t really want to eat ice cream
all the time. They served fried chicken which would soon become the famous Jollibee ChickenJoy. They also
offered hamburgers and Pinoy-style spaghetti.

From that humble restaurant, the brand grew into the Philippines’ most popular fastfood chain. There are now
over a thousand Jollibee outlets all over the Philippines and even in several countries around the world. As
Jollibee Foods Corporation, they expanded the business to include Greenwich, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Manong
Pepe’s, and Red Ribbon.Tony suggested “bee” as their icon for a sign of hard work as is bees are known for their
hard work to produce honey. They are also associated “happy” as the Filipino culture portrays happy costumer. Tony
came up with the word “jolly” in replacement of the word happy so they come up with the word “Jollibee”.

The ability of entrepreneurs can only be measured in times of hardship, failure and in unexpected
circumstances. Just like Nanay Coring, the woman behind the most established bookstore: The National Book
Store.

There is a Filipino saying that when one sows seeds, he is sure to reap a harvest ("Kapag may itinanim,
may aanihin."). For Socorro Cancio Ramos, these words ring true. For what she and her husband, Jose, began
as a small pop-and-mom operation in a corner shop in Ermita, Manila is now an institution that is 83 branches–
strong nationwide.

Nanay Coring, as she is affectionately called, remarks, “Things cannot be gotten so quickly or easily. But
dreams can be fulfilled. If you want something hard and you really work hard for it, you will get it.”

Industry and an enterprising mindset equal success. Nanay Coring learned the truth of this philosophy early
in her life. The Cancio family of Sta. Cruz, Laguna was of humble means. The young Coring was witness to the
difficulties that her parents, Jose and Emilia, went through to raise their family. Thus, Coring took it upon
herself to find a way to help out. All of 12 years old, she started casting about for a job. Her search paid off
when a cigarette factory hired her to retrieve the filling from spoiled stock. Her payment was a princely sum
of five centavos per package. To finish her assignment faster, she recruited other children to help her. Coring,
thus, was able to make a neat sum for herself, and was even able to share the blessing with others.

Coring married Jose T. Ramos in 1942, and together they set up a small book store in a stall at Ermita, Manila.
Here they sold supplies, novels and text books. The shop was christened National Book Store.

When World War II broke out, the Ramoses shifted their trade to soap, candies and other daily necessities that
they sourced from wholesalers. Unfortunately, the shop burned down during the Liberation of Manila.
Undaunted, the couple re-built the store, a modest barong-barong affair, this time located at the corner of
Soler and Avenida, Rizal. The Ramoses strategically timed their store’s opening to catch the start of the post-
war school year. Consequently, business did briskly as they were only among a few stores that were selling
textbooks, notebooks and other school supplies at that time.

Another bump in the road for the Ramoses came in the form of typhoon Gene. The storm leveled their store
and ruined their goods. Jose and Coring took the lesson from that experience. They built a two-storey building
— this time made out of concrete and boasting of a mezzanine level — along Soler Street.

Another step that the Ramoses took in solidifying their position was in developing and expanding their product
lines. Sometime in the 1950s, Nanay Coring thought of producing greeting cards and postcards that featured
Filipino scenery and artwork. No one has ever done anything like this before. Therefore, when the cards were
sold, these became one of the store’s bestsellers. This also presaged the company’s foray — and eventual
mainstay trade — into the greeting cards market. Later on, the store secured rights to the Philippine franchise
of Hallmark cards. An important direction that the Ramoses explored was the company’s publishing program.
Their intention was to make quality but economically priced books easily accessible to Filipinos. They began
the program in the 1950s.They sought and successfully entered into licensing agreements with international
publishers like Prentice Hall, McGraw Hill, Hallmark, Addison Wesley, Lippincott, and others.

As business picked up, they were able to acquire a vacant lot – a prime piece of land owned by the Guerreros
— just across their store. It took the Ramoses five years of hard work and earnest saving; but it was a source
of pride for them that they bought the property without taking out a loan. Construction of the new building
started in 1963. When it was completed, the building was named Albecer, after the Ramos children – twin sons
Alfredo and Benjamin, and their unica hija, Cecilia. This spanking new nine-storey tall building in Avenida
served as National Book Store’s headquarters for many years.

In the ‘70s, National Book Store branched out of the Avenida area to reach more clients. A store was opened
in Recto Avenue to accommodate the school needs of students. This period also saw the advent of shopping
malls in Metro Manila. The Ramoses, with their characteristic foresight, decided to open branches in the
shopping centers in Makati and in Cubao. National Book Store’s expansion continued, riding on the wave of
malls mushrooming all over the country, and the market’s increasing demands for a one-stop book store that
offers affordable but quality items. Today, National Book Store is a veritable institution among Filipinos who
have patronized the store since their schooldays. The company has moreover spun off related stores such as
the NBS Bestsellers and specialty store Powerbooks. Truly, it has come a long way from the barong-barong
store that used a door as its counter. It employs more than 2,500 people in its operations in over 80 branches
nationwide. Needless to say, National Book Store owes its success to an unassuming woman, who remained
unfazed by life’s hard knocks – among which was her husband’s demise that left her the sole guide of the
company — and whose astute business sense and caring touch continues to be the spirit that drives National
Book Store.

Indeed, it was for these qualities that Ernst and Young conferred on Nanay Coring a double award in 2004:
Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines, and Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. She was likewise bestowed a
Doctor of Humanities (honoris causa) degree by the Ateneo de Manila University in 2006 – a supreme
achievement for a woman who was only able to graduate from secondary school. Her other significant awards
include: Legacy Award by The Book Development Association of the Philippines (2004); Maverick Awards by
the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (2002); Millennium Plaque of Appreciation, together with
Jose T. Ramos (post-humous award) from The Book Development Association of the Philippines (2000); Agora
Award by the Philippine Marketing Association (1991); and the Gintong Ina Award for the Business and Industry
Sector from President Corazon C. Aquino (1988).

Today, at 83 years, Nanay Coring, General Manager of the country’s top bookstore, is still on top of things. She
confesses in an interview with The Philippine Star, “I am happy that I can still wake up at 7 a.m., dress up, eat
a simple breakfast, and go to work. I enjoy selling because I am and will always be a tindera at heart. I enjoy
arranging displays and talking to the employees. I want my children to make National Book Store bigger, to
have more branches, to carry more products for students and other consumers.” She is likewise going strong
on her mission to promote reading and literacy among Filipinos. This advocacy is being pursued full-time by
the National Book Store Foundation, Inc., whose programs reach out to people with the message that reading
and learning are instrumental in pursuing one’s dreams and realizing one’s purpose in life. Nanay Coring
remarks, “Reading not only is as essential as breathing, but just as I have experienced, it will also lead to many
exciting passages marked with success.” As one who has spent over sixty years in the book business and
whose own passage through life’s paths met with triumph, one is certain that Socorro Cancio Ramos, 2006 The
Outstanding Filipino awardee for Business, knows whereof she speaks

Work hard, very hard. There is no express elevator to success. You have to climb the stairs.

-Socorro Ramos
 JOHN GOKONGWEI JR.

John Gokongwei, a prominent Chinese Filipino prominent businessman was born in August 11, 1926 at
the scenic Gulangyu isle in the Fujian Province in China. It was a hard life in China back to the time
when he was born, so to escape that, the family flew to Cebu, Philippines to start a new life, and made
use of what they have saved up then. Upon transferring, his father has set-up a chain of movie houses,
the first air conditioned ones in the Philippines. Having said this, JG has enjoyed a life of abundance
and luxury. Growing up, he used to have personal servants to aid him and a lot of money to buy
whatever he wants. He had the world under his feet – wealth, friends, everything. But as life goes,
these all changed when his father died. They did not know that the business they were running were
just founded on credits. So when his father died, the banks took everything from them – house, car,
and other possessions. At 13, JG’s family was left with nothing. It was the most difficult time of JG’s
life. He cursed and blamed everyone for the things that has happened to them. His mother was forced
to send back his sibling in China, because it is less costly to live there. He was left in Cebu together
with his mother. And this is when he realized that there’s so much to life, and that this defeat is just
the beginning of a lot more victories.
At 14, he used to sell roasted peanuts in their backyard so he can help in providing for their family.
When he thought that can do better, he decided to sell stuff at a local market, the one which is far
from the other villages. He used to sell soap, candles and thread. He thought that these were the
best-selling ones because people who lived in that village were poor so they would buy basic
necessities first; soap to clean, candles to give light at night and thread to sew their clothes. The
young JG, would stay in the market until his last was bought. While selling those things, he noticed
that the other vendors were old, and right there and then, he realized that there’s so much that he
can do. Every day, he earns 20 pesos from selling those stuff. If at 14, he already can do what these
elders can and he can already earn up to that amount, what more if he grows up? That’s what keep
the determination burning inside him.
In 1943, when JG was 17, he expanded his trading business. From small palengke, he went on to trade
from Cebu to Manila and vice versa using the batel; a small boat which was used to carry goods. He
would endure the five-hour boat travel to Lucena then another 2 hours to Manila, just to sell those
goods. It was a good business for him, and he was able to send money to his siblings in China. After
the war, JG had noticed that great opportunity to be even bigger in the trading industry. He wanted to
go international so he put up his very first official business, the Amasia Trading which imported
onions, flour, used clothing, old newspapers and magazines, and fruits from the United States.
A year after Amasia was established, JG has been able to get his siblings back in the Philippines.
They also have acquired a bigger house this time, which also served as their warehouse for their
goods. Together, the whole family worked hand in hand to strengthen the business JG established. In
1957, JG saw the opportunity to expand his business. This time, he wanted to venture into corn-starch
manufacturing. He went on to borrow from banks, which he suffered a lot of disapproval and
rejections. But that did not stop JG from pursuing it. It was China Bank’s Dr. Albino Sycip who gave
him the P500, 000 loan back then. Until now, John is still grateful for what Dr Sycip has done for him.
He named the cornstarch business as Universal Corn Products. This business has been the foundation
of the JG Summit Holdings. Since then, JG has planned carefully for his visions of his company. He
started training professionals, and managers to execute these plans. He also started defining the
values and principles of his business that he then transferred to his kids. At his early 30s, JG has
started an empire.
The time when John Gokongwei made his scene in the business world was when he aggressively
bought shares in San Miguel that made him want to occupy a seat on the board of directors. It was a
very aggressive move that made the business people ask, “Who is Gokongwei and why is he doing all
those terrible things to San Miguel?”. John said, that it was really a move that made him nervous but
excited as well. He may have lost during that time, but it made him realize that he is able to put up a
fight. That loss has made him overcome his fear, and made him to become a better person that he is
today.
Despite being a business magnate already, JG did not stop right there and he even pursued a lot of
business ventures. His story on Cebu Pacific is also an aspiring one. Out of his need and dream to
make the Filipinos travel for a “lower cost, but with greater value”, he invested in Cebu Pacific. Cebu
Pacific primarily spends less than other airlines, so the savings trickle down to the customers
through lower air fares. Today, Cebu Pacific caters to an estimate of five million passengers – 120
daily flights to 20 local destinations and 12 Asian cities. Another breakthrough, is his C2 product in
2004. He got the idea when he visited China where people are very tea-drinkers. Although Filipinos
are not, JG has thought of revolutionizing the traditional tea by making it in accordance to the Filipino
taste. Also, C2 stands for “cool and clean”. Three years later, Filipinos drink around 30 million bottles
of C2 per month.
John Gokongwei’s story is really an inspiring one. Although life may knock you down countless of
times, always get back up like what JG did. Always face every day with determination and aspiration
of becoming better. Always make use of opportunities as a learning ground. And keep in mind that if
you really want something, don’t let fear hinder your way; overcome that and reach for your dreams!
Let us all be John Gokongwei, the man who never gave up.
Succeeding and making a stable reputation in the business world is never an easy task. Going against the flow, and
standing out of wars and tight competition is something that requires extra amount of dedication, discipline and
determination. These three characters have been the backbone of success of the old John Gokongwei. JG is the man
behind Cebu Pacific, Universal Robina, Robinsons Land, and the J. G. Summit Holdings. Looking at these, one can
say that indeed JG has achieved his life’s victory, his life’s ultimate goal.

LUCIO TAN

Lucio Tan’s journey was not at all easy, he is born in China on July 17, 1934 in the province of Fujian. Lucio’s family
migrated in the Philippines when he was still very young. Lucio is the eldest of eight children of their parents, he
belonged to a very poor family of Chinese immigrant. His father manages to try his luck here in the Philippines in
hope of better fortune. He took up Chemistry Engineering in Far Eastern University but didn’t able to finished to
focus on his small scrap buy and sell business. Not long after, the scrap business didn’t work out, he then moves in
to a tobacco factory and work as a janitor in the factory, because of young Lucio’s hard work, he was promoted as
a tobacco cook and eventually assigned to be a tobacco leaf dealer in Ilocos Region.

Tan’s exposure to tobacco processing became his key in opening his very own tobacco company he named Fortune
Tobacco in 1966. The production process came very swift for him as his experience in the tobacco industry greatly
contributed in the success of his own company. His introduction to an affordable cigarette brand called “Hope”
indeed made it very successful in no time. In just nearly 15 years, Fortune Tobacco leads the Tobacco Industry being
the largest local manufacturer of cigarettes in the Philippines in 1980.

Lucio Tan’s closeness to then President Ferdinand Marcos gained so much controversy. Critics says that Lucio were
able to get what he wanted because of the power radius he shared with President Marcos. Then government owned
bankrupt General Bank and Trust Co. (Genbank) was acquired by Tan for only Php. 500,000.00. Many says it was
such a sweetheart deal for Lucio. The amount he paid for, for the acquisition of Genbank is relatively low compared
to a regular company merging cost. The bank was later renamed as Allied Bank.

In 1982, Lucio turn to opening Asia Brewery as his very close friend President Marcos lifted the ban on establishing
liquor company in the country. Asia Brewery was able to stand along the competition between the then industry
leader San Miguel Corporation. By width standing the competition, Asia Brewery were able to develop innovative
products that are openly patronized by the consumer not long after.

After the Marcos regime, Tan faces controversies about corruption and tax evasion but instead of
stumbling down, Tan continued to grow as he acquires the government owned airline Philippine
Airline. He also acquires Tanduay Holdings, Philippines National Bank, Macro Asia Corporation, Eton
Properties and University of the East.
Cases were filed against him on tax evasion and corruption allegation which later dismissed by the
courts. In year 2017, President Duterte accused Tan of tax evasion case amounting $600 million, which
until now has underwent investigation for future decision of the court. Tan appeal to have the tax
evasion fine payment be done in terms but the government refuse the proposal.

Not everyone knows that hunger is a very good driven force of success. In times of difficult time, we are pushed
to strive harder in order to overcome the challenges. Challenges in life can help develop interpersonal
attributes of which you will value every achievement you have accomplished and do more on even prospering
it. Always find opportunity in the most difficult times of your life and never let it slip.

MARIANO QUE

From a wooden pushcart to 1,000 stores nationwide, the late Mariano Que peddled pharmaceutical products
for Filipinos for over 7 decades, leading to the creation of the country’s largest drug store chain, Mercury Drug
Corporation.

He was not born rich like other successful entrepreneurs. Que came from humble beginnings. As a survivor of
World War II, he was orphaned and was deprived of the chance to study early on.

The Mercury Drug founder, who just passed away, initially worked as an employee of a drug store chain during
the pre-war era. After the devastation of World War II, Que knew Filipinos needed Sulfiathiazole – a “miracle”
drug used to cure many diseases and illnesses.

But since pharmacies that time hardly sold Sulfiathiazole, Que then decided to invest his P100 to buy the drug
and sell these in single doses to reach the poverty-stricken communities.

Selling Sulfathiazole by individual pieces, Que was able to save enough to open up the first outlet of Mercury
Drug in Bambang, Manila on March 1, 1945.

Que set himself apart by building a reputation for quality products and fair prices in a market that was filled
with sellers who sometimes sold fake, expired, out of date, or even dangerous medicines at exorbitant prices.

Mercury’s first product: Sulfiathiazole

Mercury Drug remained a one-store operation till the 1960s, but Que started buying vehicles to deliver
medicine to customers in 1948.

In 1952, Que expanded store hours to 17 hours a day, 7 days a week. The nascent firm expanded in 1963, opening
its second branch in the developing Makati central business district on the invitation of Ayala Corporation. It
was then when Mercury Drug pioneered the self-service concept.
In 1965, Mercury Drug opened its 3rd store in Quiapo, which, to this day, operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. Mercury Drug expanded beyond Metro Manila in 1976, after it bought Medical Center Drug Corporation,
which produces medical supplies and equipment.