I am a Gokongwei Fan

I never thought that I would become involved in e-commerce. It is the type of business that I can afford to start and genuinely enjoy pursuing. As a young businessman, I need someone to look up to—someone who is successful in business and has a vision of helping the nation. Unfortunately, it is rare to find someone in the Philippines who embodies these qualities. However, I was able to find one in the person of John Gokongwei Jr., a highly successful and widely admired businessman in the country.

I first heard about him when I was in college. At that time, I only knew him as the owner of Robinsons Place Cebu. I did not attempt to learn more about him because I was an engineering student and was not particularly interested in business-related topics.

It was in 2002, when I was teaching engineering at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), that I heard his name again. This was because he donated a multi-million peso building for the university’s School of Management, which was later named the John Gokongwei School of Management. At first, I thought he was an Ateneo alumnus, but he was not. He was simply a generous man who embodied the spirit of being “a man for others.”

I have read one of the speeches of John Gokongwei Jr. about his life and how he started businesses that made services more affordable for customers. Companies such as Cebu Pacific Air and Sun Cellular are examples of his successful ventures that provided quality services to Filipinos at very affordable prices—an approach I hope to apply in my own business.

His success story made me realize that business is not only about profit but also about helping customers save money and making their lives more convenient.

I know that I still have a lot to learn about business. However, being inspired by my idol, John Gokongwei Jr., gives me confidence that I am moving my business in the right direction toward success.