Jun Magsaysay loves books on technology, leadership & history

Most people don’t know this about Jun Magsaysay. He pioneered the cable TV industry in the country in the early ‘70s when community/master antennas for cable television were things unheard of.  In recognition of setting the blueprint for the sector, he is known as “The Father of Philippine Cable Television.” For introducing the highly technical e-commerce concept in statute books and providing a legal framework for its recognition, he is acknowledged as the “Father of E-Commerce Law in the Philippines.”   The Web magazine named him, “First Internet Man of the Year” in 2000. At least I didn’t know that he was a man ahead of his time. I am not sure the former Senator knows this, but I was a great admirer of his mother Luz Banzon Magsaysay. My father, having had the honor of working with Jun’s dad, would work with his mother on some projects and that’s when as a young person I got to meet her. She was an elegant, principled lady who was always well-mannered and my ideal for a prominent person who did not need publicists to announce her merits. I see both his parents in Jun Magsaysay. I asked him to share his favorite books with us.

1.  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson — Being a techie myself, I’ve always admired Steve Jobs, and the book is a fascinating read about his career, personal life, his struggles and triumphs. 

 2. Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

This book offers many revealing insights, against the backdrop of historical evidence, into why some nations are rich while others remain poor.  Our country could learn a thing or two from the cases that were presented. And we should always have a sense of history, because as the saying goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

 3. Ramon Magsaysay: Servant Leader with a Vision of Hope by Dr. Jose Abueva — This just came out last year, an updated version of my father’s biography, which was also written by Dr. Abueva in 1971.  It tackles issues like poverty and insurgency, which remain relevant to this day. 

4. Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey — This is a source of inspiration for me.  I continue to use it as a reference material, which served as my guide during my senate term and even in my private life.

5. The Innovator’s DNA-Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators by Dyer, Gregersen and Christensen — This  book dwells on the five discovery skills of the best innovators like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos. What is interesting to me is that innovativeness is not genetic and that it can be developed. Being an Entrepreneur myself, it relates as to how i can use the five discovery skills like associating, questioning, observing, networking and experimenting and relate it to my own experiences in the past. I also refer to this  when I talk to young entrepreneurs since I am a true believer of enterprise development and entrepreneurship.

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The Reading Club recommends Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris. Available at all National Book Stores and Powerbooks.

Also The Reading Club recommends magazines from Emerald Headway Distrubutors: Interested in soccer? They have Champions Matchday the official UEFA Champions League Magazine, they also have magazines Shape, Fitness, Cycling etc. Visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Emerald-Headway-Distributors-Inc.