Tony Sibal: Booked for life

After his graduation from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, Jose Agaton "Tony" Rodriguez Sibal was deluged with job offers from a number of US companies. And why not? He had finished a challenging and very specialized BS Printing Management course (which, even today, isn’t being offered in the Philippines).

Of course, the guy was sorely tempted. How sorely? "As a matter of fact, I thought I wouldn’t be coming back," he shares.

But his parents had other plans. They had made him pursue his major in the States for a reason — and that wasn’t to relocate in search of the American dream.

You see, the elder Sibals were the names behind Alemar’s, Phoenix and Central — preeminent names in the publishing and book retailing industry. Atty. Ernesto Sibal of Bamban, Tarlac had envisioned his brood to one day take over the businesses.

To sweeten the pot for Tony, Atty. Sibal dangled a tempting treat that his son found irresistible — a 1960 Chevy Corvette. But the deal was that he could only get behind its wheel if he went home. Guess what Tony did.

"Finally, I succumbed," he declares with grin.

Back here in the Philippines, Tony thought that his dad would be giving him a cushy managerial position at Phoenix Press. No such luck. "I became a printing machine operator," he says. Think manual labor, greasy hands — the whole unglamorous package. For years, Tony familiarized himself with every aspect of the printing press. "My salary at that time was P200," Tony enthuses, "and to think I was also chief mechanic! I would work nights and would be on call should any machine break down."

Well, at least he was driving a Corvette.

Before flying to the States for his college education, Tony had studied grade school in Ateneo de Manila. He says that he was a batchmate of former President Erap, hastening to add with a laugh, "But he is older than I am because he’s a repeater."

Then it was onto Brent for his secondary education. "It’s easier to be accepted in an American university if you studied in an American school," he explains.

The second child in a brood of nine, Tony now holds a number of executive positions in the Sibal family businesses. He is president of Phoenix Press, Inc. and Central Lawbook Publishing Co., Inc; CEO of Central Books Supply, Inc. and Central Professional Books, Inc; vice chairman of Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.; and corporate secretary of Phoenix Educational Systems, Inc.

The late lamented Alemar’s, says Tony, was the brainchild of mom Alegria Rodriguez Sibal. Alemar’s combines her name with the first names of all the Sibal daughers, who all have "Maria" in their monickers.

The idea came to her after the Japanese occupation of Manila in 1945. "Our house in New Manila had been taken over by the Japanese and was used as a storage area and office. They left paper and postcards," Tony relates.

They sold these items together with other merchandise from Divisoria. Alemar’s began on a rented table on Rizal Avenue.

As it prospered, the Sibal children were conscripted to apprentice. During school break, they would be taken in Alemar’s in various capacities to learn the ropes.

"When we were age six or seven, we could take money from customers and give it to the cashier, that sort of stuff," says Tony’s youngest sister and Phoenix Publishing EVP Penny Sibal-Balbin.

"That was how we were trained," continues Tony.

The Phoenix publishing and printing businesses came later (in ’56 and ’58, respectively) to address an acute need for local textbooks. "Our parents were getting a lot of requests for publication from local authors," Tony narrates. "At that time, students were using mostly American-authored books. My father wanted to Filipinize these books and commission local authors to imbue Filipino flavor."

And because there was a dearth of printing houses in those days, the Sibals addressed their need to meet editorial deadlines by setting up their own presses.

When he turned 28, Tony decided to study law at the University of the East. "I noticed no one in the family was taking up law. My father was a lawyer, and I know our businesses would benefit if one of us became a lawyer." He graduated cum laude in 1973. After passing the bar, the elder Sibal was so happy he threw a big party for Tony with all the justices of the Supreme Court in attendance.

The general public is surely more familiar with the high-profile world of novel or fiction writing, with its fame and glamour. What is the textbooks business like? We tell Tony that people remember the Maslog textbook scam all too clearly.

"Phoenix is not involved with DECS; only with private schools. It’s very difficult to deal with government. What you make is very, very minimal. When your book is chosen or adopted, it’s not really because of its merits unlike private schools. Thus, in private schools, there is more satisfaction in fulfilling requirements. There is no fulfillment in pure profit or under-the-table dealings."

So, is there hope for public schools if reputable publishers refuse to dip their fingers in the generally red tape-laden and corrupt world of public-school textbooks publishing?

"I think they’re instituting reforms," says Tony. A board will be created to put together books — as opposed to merely screening the finished works.

If that blessed day finally comes?

"Then we have a place there," Tony concludes.