At the Nov. 25, 2024 23rd anniversary dinner of BizNewsAsia in Makati, we honored outstanding individuals for their excellence in visionary management, general management and the arts and the professions.
Honorees received a 22-inch-tall sculpted wood trophy which I designed myself. The visionary management excellence awardees received an 18-inch solid brass bell handcrafted in Italy and flown to Manila for the occasion. Both trophies symbolize freedom, aspiration, fervor, achievement, excellence.
Visionary Management
RAMON S. ANG, Chairman and CEO, San Miguel Corporation
In two decades, he repurposed SMC into a colossal conglomerate with P2.5 trillion in assets, P1.5 trillion in annual revenues and a commanding presence in many strategic industries, such as affordable quality food, water, power, energy, infra, mass transport, tollways and airports. SMC’s business is nation-building and to make life better for all while sustaining the environment.
TERESITA SY COSON, Vice Chair, SM Investments Corp. and Chair, BDO
She brings into the business the family’s culture of hard work, frugality and focus on details, her deep and diverse experience and calibrated boldness in strategic decision-making, thus enabling the SM Group to grow marvelously despite stiff competition and an uncertain world. SMIC is the most valuable company. BDO is the largest and best in nearly every metric of banking.
MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. ,Chairman, Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc.
He is building a new suburban capital and business city from scratch, with his 3,500-ha. Villar City where there is more greenery and trees than commercial space and homes and buildings; for being the nation’s biggest home builder (half a million units) and for building 42 malls, 59 commercial centers and seven office buildings in 147 towns and cities, in less than 17 years. He has built 500,000 homes, the largest.
Excellence awardees
The Arts
RAMON ORLINA
He is the Mozart of glass sculpture. He transformed glass into a medium of expression, beauty and elegance during a half-century of unbridled creativity, innovation and passion, in the process elevating glass as a coveted material for art, classic and modern, in a country that has no culture, heritage, legacy nor vision for glass sculpture. Imagine a Mona Lisa in glass.
Finance
FERDINAND K. CONSTANTINO, Group CFO and Treasurer, SMC
For 50 years of hard, loyal, dedicated work and financial wizardry in helping marshal and mobilize the financial resources of the largest conglomerate with the biggest assets, greatest sales and a sprawling portfolio of businesses that contribute to nation building and prosperity.
Law
Retired Chief Justice ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN
For excellence and clarity in his articulation of views, opinions and columns on law, justice and human rights; for his advocacy of scholarship and shared prosperity and for his stern belief that the judiciary must safeguard the liberty and nurture the prosperity of our people under the rule of law.
Atty. EUSEBIO V. TAN, Counsel, ACCRALAW
For nearly half century of skilled, dedicated and passionate law practice that helped enhance the rules for business and investments in the Philippines and promote greater cooperation and amity with the country’s allies and partners.
GEORGE M. GARCIA, Chairman, Commission on Elections
For being the Philippines’ best election lawyer during 20 years of dedicated practice, advising as his clients no less than 200 mayors, 38 governors, 83 congressmen and presidents; and for his commitment to conducting fair, free, honest and transparent elections in people’s exercise of democracy’s finest rite.
Management
EUGENE S. ACEVEDO, President-CEO, RCBC
He made RCBC a meaningful digital bank, enabling millions of customers to bank with the touch of a finger on their mobile devices or keyboards, using the power of technology and driven by data, while providing the human touch through customer service excellence, creating deeper engagement and nurturing lasting partnerships.
JOSE RENE GREGORY D. ALMENDRAS, AC Senior Managing Director; President-CEO, AC Logistics Holdings Corp.
For strategic thinking and long-term visioning on crucial issues, for proven competence in managing several large enterprises and for distinguished public service as cabinet secretary, foreign affairs and energy secretary of President Aquino III.
JAIME J. BAUTISTA, Transportation Secretary
He is the state’s mobility king. He is rolling out the largest modernization ever of Philippine transportation, one that is world class, accessible, comfortable, reliable, safe and reasonably priced. His privatization to modernize NAIA is the fastest and biggest.
JAIME MIGUEL G. BELMONTE, President and CEO, The Philippine STAR, BusinessWorld, Pilipino Star Ngayon
For a quarter century of distinguished journalism and for nurturing what became the country’s largest and most trusted daily, The Philippine STAR, and the biggest print media conglomerate, thereby helping shape the mood of the nation and influence the defining moments that have made democracy such a sterling value and way of life for Filipinos.
FREDERICK D. GO, SAP for Economic Affairs and Investments
He brings purposefulness and persistence to a senior government job where few succeed – cutting red tape, attracting investments and making government relevant to business and the people. As CEO, he grew Robinsons Land into a property conglomerate with P235.68 billion in assets, 55 malls, 26 hotels.
Atty. ERNESTO V. PEREZ, Director General, ARTA
His job is to cut red and issue business permits in the fastest possible time. Crippling red tape is the bane of ordinary Filipinos and most businessmen. It gives the Philippines a bad reputation and is the main hindrance to the entry of FDIs. Without investments, there can be no jobs.
IVAN JOHN ENRILE UY, DICT Secretary
For rolling out the largest, most extensive digitalization and broadband infrastructure ever by the government to achieve the ultimate inclusion and connectivity, bring people closer to their government and provide an outlet for communications and assistance of all kinds.
WILLIAM T. GUIDO, Chair and CEO, Guido Group of Companies
For pioneering and being the leader in state-of-the-art and dynamic LED technology.
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