Bing Limjoco: From franchising pioneer to pillar of Philippines retail

MANILA, Philippines — From the infancy of franchising to its current golden age in the Philippines, Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal-Limjoco has been a driving force in shaping the country’s retail and franchising landscape, earning her the moniker “the mother of Philippine franchising.”

This legacy sprouted in 1996 when Limjoco, together with Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) chairman emeritus Samie Lim and top retailer Manuel Siggaoat Jr. established Francorp Philippines, an offspring of Francorp International from Chicago. The organization then has been successfully leading several brands in their journey toward franchising success.

Through PFA and Francorp Philippines, which was established a year ahead in 1995, local franchising has exponentially grown from just about 50 concepts into an ecosystem of over 2,000 different franchising brands to date.

In 2002, Limjoco and her partners entered into an agreement with the International Franchise Association and the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives in Washington, to finally bring Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program to the country. At the same time, Limjoco signed into the international certificate program at the St. Thomas University in Minneapolis and earned another distinction as the first CFE graduate in Asia in 2003.

The CFE program, the world’s gold standard for professional development in franchising, has so far produced 290 graduates in the Philippines, more than two-thirds of which are Filipinos and the rest are nationals from other neighboring countries in the ASEAN region.

‘Mother of Philippine franchising’

Over the years, Limjoco’s influence in the franchising industry continued to grow. She currently serves as vice chair and director for government and external relations of the PFA, as well as its permanent representative to the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation. She is also vice chair and treasurer of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) and director for membership of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business organization.

She earned a bachelor ‘s degree in foreign service from St. Theresa’s College, studied interior design at the New York School of Interior Design and obtained a master’s degree in business and economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific . She also completed a Mini MBA in Franchise Management at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis and at the Asian Institute of Management. The program is accredited by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives in the United States.

“I became a business-minded woman when I studied in New York. Studying overseas makes you more active, competitive and business-minded because you have to prove what you are despite the discrimination. That way, I became engaged in business and served my father in the publishing industry,” she shared.

Her family owns two of the country’s largest textbook publishers, Phoenix Publishing and Sibs Publishing. She is also president of Central Books. Her understanding of the global market was shaped not only by her regular participation in international expositions and business missions but also by an early experience abroad. In her early 20s, she was sent by her father, the late Ernesto Sibal, and her mother, Alegria Rodriguez, to the United States, where she gained firsthand exposure to the international business environment.

Through her advocacy work with the PFA and PRA, the franchise industry has become a preferred investment option, contributing 7.8 percent to the country’s gross domestic product. With two million direct and indirect jobs generated, franchising has also helped create businesses and employment opportunities, strengthening the Philippines’s position as a franchising leader in Asia. As an economic engine, the industry now has an estimated annual value of P800 billion.

Global brands

Limjoco, as the vice chair of Francorp Philippines, helped a number of successful franchises in the Philippines. Brands such as Jollibee, Max’s Restaurant, Goldilocks, Penshoppe, The Generics Pharmacy, Potato Corner, Reyes Haircutters, Pancake House and Bench, among many others, owe their success to the Francorp bigwig.

“In 1995, the Philippine Retailers Association gave birth to the Philippine Franchise Association. The year after, I, with partners Samie Lim and Manny Siggaoat, brought in Francorp from Chicago to Manila,” she said. “With this, we have built many successful brands from obscurity to solid, great brands.”

Together with other PRA executives, Limjoco founded PFA. For more than three decades, PFA has expanded its members from less than a hundred to more than 316 members, 244 franchisors members, and 71 allied members at present, mostly from the consumer food, services, fashion and apparel sectors.