They can because they think they can. —Virgil
The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well. — Henry W. Longfellow
Manny V. Pangilinan is not only the Philippines’ “Telecom King,” boss of electric power distribution monopoly Meralco and other diverse businesses, he is also now the undisputed “Hospital King.” His Metro Pacific Investment Corporation has acquired control of Makati Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Metro Manila, plus Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod and Davao Doctor Hospitals Inc.
Whenever asked what his “success secrets” are, Manny Pangilinan says: discipline, passion for excellence and work ethic. He said this year in his San Beda College graduation speech: “When it comes to success, there are no secrets, no mysteries, no magic, and no shortcuts…Success springs from old-fashioned values — values that are permanent and enduring values that transcend the context and circumstances of our time. These values are as basic as being honest — and truthful — with our fellowmen, and with yourself, especially values that are as fundamental as working hard, playing fair, and doing no harm to others.”
The Fastfood Tycoon, Banker & Art Gallery Owner Behind St. Luke’s Success
Congratulations to the outgoing and incoming chairmen of world-class, high-tech and non-profit St. Luke’s Medical Center in both The Fort and Quezon City — Chowking founder Robert Kuan and Security Bank chairman Frederick Dy. Under Kuan’s exemplary leadership for the last 15 years, St. Luke’s thrived and branched out into The Fort in Taguig.
Unknown to most people, board members of church-owned St. Luke’s like Kuan, Dy, Jollibee’s Tony Tan Caktiong, Hwang Bun Chin and mining billionaire Manuel “Manny” B. Zamora, Jr. of Nickel Asia volunteer their time and services pro-bono or without pay.
Robert Kuan is a humble and devout Christian businessman. His family used to be part of Manila Chinatown’s popular Ling Nam noodle resto, but a family squabble led him to get out. SM founder Henry Sy advised the youthful Kuan to get out. Kuan founded the successful Chowking chain with Jollibee’s Tony Tan Caktiong as partner. He eventually sold Chowking to Jollibee.
St. Luke’s chairman Frederick Dy is the largest stockholder of Security Bank, one of the Philippines’ top 10 private banks. Security Bank recently bought control of Premiere Development Bank from New York’s Rohatyn Group as well as from the Puyat-Reyes and the Madrigal-Gonzales families. Dy’s former classmate in Grace Christian High School is insurance tycoon Robert Coyiuto, Jr. of PGA Cars and Prudential Guarantee & Assurance, Inc.
Due perhaps to the influence of senior vice president for medical affairs, top neurologist Dr. Joven Cuanang, who is owner of Boston Gallery and Pinto Gallery, St. Luke’s Medical Center in The Fort is today also like a museum of contemporary art with works by top painters.
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16 Business Leaders at China State Banquet
Not a college graduate but one who went to flying school, self-made entrepreneur Archie Po is former majority owner of Asian Spirit. This company was sold to and renamed Zest Air by “Juice King” and Zest-O founder Alfredo Yao — one of only 16 business leaders out of 270 tycoons in President Noynoy Aquino’s state visit who were invited to China President Hu Jintao’s grand state banquet. Apart from Fred Yao, other tycoons invited to President Hu’s state banquet at the massive Great Hall of the People included John Gokongwei Jr., Lucio Tan, George S.K. Ty of Metrobank, Teresita Sy-Coson of SM/BDO, Andrew Tan of Megaworld, Washington SyCip of SGV, Carlos Chan of Liwayway/Oishi, Ramon Ang of San Miguel, Manuel V. Pangilinan of PLDT, Erramon Aboitiz, Tan Ching of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI) President Francis Chua, Jose Pardo of PCCI, Tony Tan Caktiong and Antonio Cojuangco.
Among the Philippines’ biggest investors in China realty and information technology (IT) but not joining P-Noy’s state visit are brothers Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Fernando Zobel de Ayala. On Sept. 1 at Shangri-la Edsa Plaza Hotel, Fernando Zobel and social media advocate Jay Jaboneta spoke to 900 IT officers and personnel of the Ayala Group.
Jaboneta is one of seven local heroes cited by Yahoo Philippines for their civic endeavors. He used social media to solicit help for poor students in Zamboanga and Masbate who had to swim to school daily.
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