FILIPINO FOREVER

Each individual has their ways of excelling in a line of the field, making them the frontrunners of the competition. The path to success may project motivation or guidance for many future entrepreneurs. Hopefully, their work is appreciated by Filipinos as representation in the industry plus as encouragement for several others.

National Book Store, Inc.
The first entrepreneur talked about belongs to the retail industry: Ms Socorro C. Ramos. She began with getting employed at Goodwill Bookstore, located in Escolta, at the age of eighteen. Her first position was a salesgirl until her diligence promoted her high enough to shift to managing the bookstore. Together with her husband, Jose Ramos, she set up their own bookstore 'National Book Store'. The unanticipated situation, they had to rebuild after World War II. However, soon after, business picked up. The store was only selling supplies, novels and textbooks (at one point daily necessities like soap!) but now sold textbooks, notebooks, school supplies, greeting cards, etc. The Ramoses, with successful projects under their belt, decided to aim for making books of high quality -and simultaneously low priced- readily available; thus, establishing several publishing agreements and contracts. The National Book Store of Philippines employs more than 2,500 people in over 80 branches across the Philippines.

Jollibee Foods Corporation
At the age of 22, Tony Tan Caktiong opened ice cream parlours that kept expanding so much so, hired help was needed. They added chicken, burgers and spaghetti to their menu soon enough. The business grew nationwide and globally (including the USA, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Vietnam) with 1300 stores worldwide. His success of creating a food chain with tremendous popularity has been acknowledged on several occasions; making it on Forbes’ Philippines’ 50 Richest and Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Mr Caktiong accredits Jollibee's popularity to catering to the taste of the people. He served spaghetti with a sweet taste for Filipinos who have a sweeter preference when it comes to foods. Owing to the fact that the majority of people love eating here, the insect was chosen for its joyous and hardworking nature. So, the company was christened Jollibee.

Philippine Airlines
Lucio Tan had a degree in chemical engineering, even so, his career started with becoming a janitor. The cigarette factory he entered in as a janitor introduced him to the tobacco industry. He created his own tobacco company, Fortune Tobacco Corp. It is believed that with the assistance of Ferdinand Marcos, Tan gained reigns of Allied Banking Corp., started Asia Brewery, Inc. and became the chairman of Philippine Airlines, Inc. All his assets and corporations summed up to have him esteemed as the richest man in the Philippines in 1995. As on Forbes, “Lucio Tan is the founder and chairman of the $2 billion (sales) LT Group, which has interests in tobacco, spirits, banking and property development.”

GMA Network, Inc.
Atty. Felipe L. Gozon is a lawyer turned CEO. Gozon worked extremely hard for he believed the broadcasting industry to be "very challenging yet fulfilling". When 75, he published his own autobiography “Felipe L. Gozon: How GMA Became No. 1” and has a children’s book discussing how his family affects his perspective of business titled “Kapuso Mo, Atty. Felipe L. Gozon,”. GMA is a leading network in the Philippines and he has received multiple awards celebrating the success. He was the first Filipino recipient of “The Global Leadership Award for Excellence in Media Sector” awarded at the 2015 Global Leadership Awards in Malaysia. He also managed to earn a spot-on Forbes' Philippines’ 50 Richest in 2016.

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