He is survived by his wife, six children and at least 12 grandchildren. Tweet John Gokongwei Jr. Love your family. JG Summit's legend is well known among the firm's 35,000 employees: Gokongwei, the eldest of six children, grew up well-off in an ethnic Chinese family in Cebu, where his father owned a chain. Lance demurred in favor of his family destiny, now firmly set in motion by his uncles timetable. Born in Fujian, China, and raised in . With his money, Big John founded his cornstarch manufacturing company, Universal Corn Products, in 1954. You give birth to it, you nurture it, you raise it through problems, crisis, good times, bad times. The Gokongwei family at one of their family gatherings in the 1980s. The company merged with Universal Robina Corporation. He and his family thus focused on manufacturing. . Elizabeth Yus father owned a hardware store there. He is also survived by wife Elizabeth and daughters Lisa, Robina, Faith, Hope and Marcia. Back then, when I used to work for Shell, he told me that he really wanted to see me join the business before he passed away. [18], Gokongwei is the chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, the largest private sector provider of STEM scholarships in the Philippines. He launched his first company, Amasia Trading, in 1946. Lance Yu Gokongwei (born 23 November 1966) is President and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc., one of the largest Filipino conglomerates,[1] with interests in food (Universal Robina), air transport (Cebu Pacific), real estate and property development (Robinsons Land Corp.), banking (Robinsons Bank), and petrochemicals (JG Summit Olefins Corp.)[1][2] He also has a stake in Robinsons Retail, one of Philippines' largest retailers, which was started by his father as a department store in 1980. He received his Masters degree in Business Administration from De La Salle University in 1977 and has, since then, been an ardent supporter of education. Among the timeless business lessons we can learn from Big John is to realize the true meaning of being an entrepreneur. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This, later on, became Universal Robina Corporation (URC) when it ventured into other finished goods. The Lasallian Community is saddened by. As is the usual story, he became a prominent businessman. Johns group also included Robinsons Land Corporation and Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. On August 11, 2016, which was also Johns 90th birthday, he declared his retirement from all the functions of JG Summit. He also gave donations to University of San Carlos, Xavier School, De La Salle University, Sacred Heart School Ateneo de Cebu and Immaculate Conception Academy (ICA).[9]. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Lance Gokongwei is the president and chief operating officer of JG Summit Holdings. He is the only son of John Gokongwei, Jr., one of the pillars of Philippine business, who passed away on November 9, 2019. In 2010, the airline underwent major refleeting with a $3 billion order with Airbus. John L. Gokongwei, Jr. lived a full and accomplished life, entrepreneurship was his lifelong passion and it was not about the money. Follow @wilsonleeflores on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. Left with no choice but to survive, young John had to start from scratch to build a better life for himself and his family. In 1958, John and Elizabeth got married and had six beautiful children: Robina, Lance, Lisa, twins Faith, Hope, and Marcia. What did they talk about in that last conversation? It introduced Blend 45, its own brand of instant coffee. He had been Executive Vice President of JGSHI and was elected President and Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2002. We were in Rome, Italy then, it was just house coffee and tasted so bitter. In family conversation, it was never "John Gokongwei." He was always fondly referred to as "Iya" while his mother Juanita, half-sister to my grandfather Jose Asensi Marquez Lim, was . Gotiaoco arrived in Cebu in the 1870s from Fujian province in China. Gokongwei's youngest brother, JG chairman, James Go received 174,942 shares. Mariing kinondena ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ang panibagong ballistic missile test na ginawa ng North Korea. [12] His only son, Lance, currently leads the group as president and CEO of JG Summit. I was nine then, and hed make beating me look so damn easy. The outsiders outsider: The more human side of John Gokongwei, John Gokongwei Jr.s life was a master class in showing true grit, Robina Pe to her father: Get some rest, dad. John then launched a corn milling plant, named Universal Corn Products, and started producing corn starch and glucose. His response took me aback. To this day, my cousins and I still play mahjong every Sunday lunch, but I guarantee that none of us could match the sharpness that both my Amah and Angkong had when it comes to mahjong. We can't depend on what we have now. [5] He went to Xavier School for his first two years of high school. Home Stories John Gokongweis Life & Success Story: From Selling Peanuts To Building A Business Empire. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 - 9 November 2019) was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. The Chippy pillow was a product that we sold at Toys R Us last year, along with the Chiz Curls pillow. Lance was 28 years old, a University of Pennsylvania graduate whod worked at an American bank and done a few job rotations at JG Summit, when he says his father approached him with news hed bought four aircraft and asked him to run their new airline business. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. By 1957, seeing that trading would always have low margins[5] and would always be dependent on government policies, the family concern shifted towards manufacturing. John always went for the best; he liked to take on challenges. Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, the second daughter, is in charge of publisher Summit Media (its 13 magazine titles include the FORBES PHILIPPINES license). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. John Gokongwei was married to Elizabeth Yu from 1958 until his death in 2019. Go told Usapang Bilyonaryo how his beloved Uncle John made sure he had options in a media career after seeing how he loved writing in college. Banks seized their properties, and they fell into poverty. JG Summits legend is well known among the firms 35,000 employees: Gokongwei, the eldest of six children, grew up well-off in an ethnic Chinese family in Cebu, where his father owned a chain of movie theaters. Around then Gokongwei advised brother James, 13 years younger and a gifted student, to go study in America, and hed foot the bill. Gokongwei is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth, and his children Robina, Lance, Lisa, Faith, Hope and Marcia; siblings Eddie, James Go and Lily; in-laws and grandchildren. She had also been a founding member of the Robinsons Department Store and had served on the board of trustees of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF). In 2016, Gokongwei wrote a book "Lessons from Dad, John Gokongwei Jr."[23] He also contributed to an anthology titled "Letters to My Children".[24]. [7] In 2004, the company introduced C2, a ready-to-drink tea that went head-to-head with foreign cola companies that dominated the beverage sector in the Philippines. Anyway, like my mom, I decided that sticking to something despite so many defeats is no longer being smart. We cant depend on what we have now., Philippines 50 RichestCoverage Continues Here. Robina recalls her fathers booming voice waking her up early during school summers she worked at Robinsons warehouse tagging clothes. From there Cebu Pacific was born. 8List Editor. Never stop learning And always look back and be grateful to where you came from. Love your country. A decade later Lisa would launch Summit Media, this time acquiring no newspapers, just nonpolitical magazines and websites. He also brought down mobile phone costs by pioneering unli-texts and unli-calls with Sun Cellular. John was about 23 or 24 and Elizabeth was 17 when they fell in love. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He also acquired New Zealand-based cookie maker Griffin's Foods for 700 million New Zealand dollars ($609 million at the time), giving Universal Robina a presence in the South Pacific. A report by Esquire magazine, one of the publications of Gokongwei-owned Summit Publishing Company Inc., said it received the following text message from the tycoon's only son Lance. Justin replied: He said, Id rather you be a nerd. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Contact Us 1! Angkong also always gave me stock advice. In February 2008, Forbes Asia magazine's first Heroes of Philanthropy list included four Filipinos Gokongwei, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Ramn del Rosario Jr. and Oscar Lpez. But fambiz can succeed despite the odds, according to fambiz expert Dr. Queena N. Lee-Chua. On Gokongweis pioneering heavy industry project of petrochemicals for the Philippines, Go said: One of our guests last night found out that I was handling petrochemicals and told me this was Mr. Johns baby and he was very proud of it. John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: W Yhu; Peh-e-j: G Ek-hui; 11 August 1926 - 9 November 2019) was a Filipino businessman, investor, and philanthropist. In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, best known . Gemma Cruz Araneta, the first Filipina Miss International in 1964, is a Rizal descendant, the first major beauty contest winner Its the time of year when first cousins who once moved to the other side of the world come for a visit. Gokongwei was the founder and chairman of JG Summit Holdings, which owns . After World War II, he started his own company called Amasia Trading, which imported flour, onions, fruits, used clothing, old newspapers, and magazines from the United States. He also owned Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. and Robinsons Land Corporation. John's great-grandfather, Pedro Gotiaoco, was among the original rags-to-riches stories in the Philippines. Every Sunday afternoon John Gokongwei Jr.s six adult children and sometimes all 12 grandchildren gather at the patriarchs home in Pasig, a city in Metro Manila, for lunch and a session of tsismis (gossip). He came from Fujian province in China and owned a huge trading company, Gotiaoco Hermanos. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Life was great for the Gotiaoco family until the Great Depression came, and their family fell into debt. The company is the second-largest multi-format retailer in the Philippines. Established in 1992, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has for the past three decades "equipped learners with the tools they need to grow and develop as well-rounded members of the community. Life was great for the Gotiaoco family until the Great Depression came, and their family fell into debt. "John Gokongwei Jr., Industry Game Changer; 93", "Watch: John Gokongwei, Jr. Talks About School, Business, and the New Digital Age", "Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Business Success", "A Way out of Poverty, According to 'Mr. Tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. (Photo courtesy of JG Summit Holding Inc.) MANILA-- Malacaang expressed its deep condolences to the family of tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. who passed away on Saturday night, remembering him for his "substantial contributions to the country's growth and development.". He was great, very human and inspiring. Yet after seven years of operating at a loss, Digitel was sold in a share swap in 2011 to Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), one of the countrys two telecom giants (JG Summit now owns an 8% stake). Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. We must compete not just with rhetoric and words. His funeral was held on November 15. John Gokongwei's Nine Rules of Success. John Gokongwei My great-great-grandfather lived to age 28, my immigrant great-grandfather Pedro Gotiaoco died at 66, my grandfather was 68, and my father died at 34. The company was named Universal Corn Products (which later evolved into Universal Robina Corporation). This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 21:04. URC became one of the leading food and beverage companies in the country. At the time, it was the nation's worst air disaster. "We need blood and sweat and hard work to make the Philippine economy compete globally, for our family businesses to be world class in this era of globalization. [15] Exactly one week after his death, his widow Elizabeth Yu Gokongwei died at the age of 85.[16][17]. John Gokongweis biography, John L. Gokongwei Jr.: The Path of Entrepreneurship, written by Dr. Marites A. Khanser, was released on August 29, 2007, at the Ateneo de Manila University. Cebu Pacific is currently headed by Presidentand CEO Lance Gokongwei, presumptive heir of John Gokongwei, the chairmanemeritus of JG Summit.With a company slogan, "It's time . My mom only spoke half of it in her eulogy three days ago. The line is repeated by Tonythis time as hologramto his daughter at his funeral. In 2002 Gokongwei donated P200-million to the undergraduate school of management. I used to visit Angkong a lot at the office when i was still in school. In March 1996, his low-cost airline company, Cebu Pacific Air was launched. Some people have said: Part of the journey is the end.. In July the following year, Griffin's Foods was acquired by Universal Robina for $609 million, from Pacific Equity Partners, a New Zealand-based food enterprise. He is also Chairman of Robinsons Retail Holdings, the Philippines second largest retailer; Vice Chairman of Manila Electric Company; and Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), Inc. [3], Gokongwei is the only son of the late John Gokongwei Jr.[1] He,along with his siblings, are listed among the richest in the country. I'm Cebuano. He grew up with his four siblings, James, Henry, Johnson, and Lily Ngochua. CEBUANO tycoon John Gokongwei Jr. died on Saturday night, Nov. 9, 2019. He tried to ask for a loan from several banks but to no avail. However, his companies later dominated other sectors, such as travel, petrochemicals, energy, and banking, too. Yesterday morning, Friday, at Heritage Park in Taguig City, Justin Pe paid his last respects to his departed grandfather, the industrialist John Gokongwei Jr. with a heartfelt eulogy both touching and funny. Justin recalled: Angkong told me that he was only 13 years old when he had to start working for the sake of the family., Justin also shared that in April or May this year, Gokongwei told him: I want to see you in the family business before I die. When Angkong needed a pillow to lay his arm on at the hospital, my Auntie Marcia thought of bringing that pillow. The movie theaters, cars and the big house were all seized by the banks. We decided to put the same pillow with him now because we know it will provide comfort for him if he knew that that one of his bestselling snacks would go with him to the beyond. [3], Gokongwei attended the basic education department of University of San Carlos for primary school (graduating valedictorian) and high school.[4]. whatever it takes. He always made sure that he worked hard and smart, giving 100% of his effort in everything he did. I was one year old when I came here to Cebu from Fujian, south China. So, he saved up and was able to reach nearby towns to sell it. He built his first company, Amasia Trading, which sold and bought goods in the United States, Manila, and the Visayan region. Still, its hard to shed old habits. The last time I had visited him at his home a few months ago, he seemed to have lost some weight but was nevertheless in good health and still intellectually sharp. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. [13] Gokongwei's great-grandfather was a half brother of Gotianun's grandfather. Terms [13], "Our world seemed to turn upside-down," Gokongwei said, as he faced the greatest challenge of his career. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He also made generous donations to institutes such as the University of San Carlos, the De La Salle University, the Sacred Heart School, the Xavier School, and the Immaculate Conception Academy. If not, just play around, play around! while all the nurses AND physicians were there surrounding him. It's his daughter's reply to his "I love you," after he tucksher in to bed. Though he belonged to an affluent trading family, he lost all his wealth after his fathers death. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, Jr. lived a full and accomplished life, entrepreneurship was lifelong... Office when i was nine then, and their family gatherings in the country of Success been classified into category! Chairman, James, Henry, Johnson, and started producing Corn starch and.! A statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Gokongwei, known... 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