Category: Manila’s Who’s Who

Richest Filipino congressman now owns majority of Philippine AirAsia

Philippines’ richest congressman Michael “Mikee” Romero is now the majority owner of the local affiliate of budget airline AirAsia. Romero’s stake in the Philippine AirAsia was raised to 44.5%, higher than Malaysian AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes and partner’s 40%. Romero acquired the AirAsia Philippines stakes of Ambassador Fred Yao and Maan Hontiveros. Romero, Yao, Hontiveros…
Central bank gov Nestor Espenilla Jr, my kindred spirit gone too soon

We had several things in common: powerful foes, health woes, and more
Jon Ramon Aboitiz, a proud Cebuano who doesn’t fall in love with business

Jon Ramon Aboitiz, 70, was a pillar in one of the wealthiest, most enduring, and aggressively expanding conglomerates in the Philippines
Ayala has most family members named ‘Management Man of the Year’

FERNANDO ZOBEL DE AYALA is Management Man of the Year 2018, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) announced today. This makes the Zobel de Ayalas the family with most members (three) in this elite list. Previous to Fernando, his father Jaime and brother Jaime Augusto, or JAZA, were separately featured as “Management Man of…
Dennis Uy on business and politics: What’s next won’t be what was

Businessman Dennis Uy, a close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte, delivers a speech on being a disruptor
2018 Forbes Billionaires: Henry Sy is now richer than Elon Musk; Manuel Villar doubles his wealth

Henry Sy, the only Filipino in Forbes’ annual list of Top 100 world dollar-billionaires, is richer than Elon Musk who is half his age.
Um, Yasay as next foreign secretary?

I have an uneasy feeling about Yasay’s appointment as our chief diplomat. It seems none of his past experiences, including those I’ve interviewed him on as a business journalist, equipped him to handle foreign policy, especially with issues as sensitive as the sea dispute with China.
Letting Go

When we first broke the story that former President Cory Aquino was suffering from colon cancer, I made up my mind to let her go. Her strength and integrity as a person far overwhelms her shortcomings as a transition leader in the 80’s. She has lived a full life and her place in history is…