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increflections-blog · 5 years ago

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Ask the late tycoon John Gokonwei how he built his empire and this is what we’ll hear –

“John Gokongwei Jr was born wealthy, but he had to start from scratch after his family lost what they had. Here’s a look back on his journey to becoming one of the most beloved tycoons in the Philippines. Born of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese clan, one would think that John Gokongwei Jr had it easy growing up and effortlessly built one of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines.

John was indeed born with a silver spoon, but it took great lengths to have it all back. Before dying at 93, he left the family with a multibillion-peso empire spanning food and real estate to banking and aviation.

The clan had all the wealth they could ask for, until the impact of the Great Depression in the 1920s hit the empire hard. Even before World War II reached Cebu, the family’s debt had already ballooned. Around this time Gokongwei Sr, unexpectedly died after receiving the wrong blood type during a blood transfusion. The impoverished John was split from his 5 other siblings and mother when they moved back to China. His father, known as the Cinema King of Cebu then, apparently left the family deep in debt. John’s family had all their properties taken away from them by banks.

From living in a stylish home, 15-year-old John became a market vendor. He sold peanuts and just whatever he could make money out of. Even with little cash, he allotted some to send to his family in China. He was eventually able to buy a bicycle which enabled him to sell goods in nearby towns. Hard work led to his capital growing. The end of the war and the subsequent rebuilding presented opportunities to Gokongwei and his once-rich relatives. John later went on to produce cornstarch, a basic raw material for beer, noodles, and paper. San Miguel Corporation, one of the oldest and largest corporations in the Philippines, was one of Gokongwei’s biggest customers. Over 3 decades, John and his siblings built Universal Robina Corporation (URC), named after his eldest daughter Robina.

URC would become the flagship company of the Gokongwei group. The company produces some of the most popular snacks today, like Chippy, Chiz Curls, Magic Flakes, and Taquitos.

To date, its total assets amount to a whopping P151.9 billion.”

[https://www.rappler.com/business/244577-how-john-gokongwei-jr-built-empire-selling-peanuts]

And how about the richest man in the Philippines Mr. Henry Sy?

“Henry Sy was born in the south-eastern Chinese city of Xiamen, in Fujian province. He immigrated to the Philippines at the age of 12 and started selling rice, sardines and soap at his father’s neighbourhood store in Manila in 1936.

The store was burned and looted during World War II so Sy was called on to sell goods to help the family survive, according to Sy-Coson, the eldest of his six children.

Following World War II, he sold shoes imported by US soldiers and set up a footwear store, providing him with the platform to later found ShoeMart, the nation’s largest chain and the first air-conditioned shop to sell shoes in the Philippines, in 1958.

After opening six shoe stores, he diversified the business into clothing and soft goods because shoe manufacturers couldn’t meet his demands for higher volumes.

In 1972, Sy opened his first department store, two months after President Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under martial law. Marcos was ousted by a military and civilian uprising in 1986.

Sy first expanded into real-estate development in 1974 with the founding of Multi-Realty Development Corp, formed to develop high-rise condominiums and townhouse units in prime parts of Makati, a city in metropolitan Manila.

In 1976, he bought Acme Savings Bank, which had originally been set up as a thrift bank, and renamed it Banco de Oro Savings & Mortgage Bank. Initially, it provided services mainly to suppliers of ShoeMart. It was renamed Banco de Oro Universal Bank in 1996 when the Philippine central bank gave it the authority to operate as a commercial lender.

Sy had a net worth of US$7.2 billion (S$9.78 billion), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him the richest person in the Philippines.

[https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-richest-man-henry-sy-dies-at-94]

Now let’s see how their children were raised. On Gokonwei this is what we hear –

“Lance Gokongwei, president and chief operating officer of JG Summit Holdings Corp., the holding company of the vast Gokongwei group, was groomed from childhood to take over the family business, which is among the biggest in the country.

Dad started from the bottom and he made sure we all did, too. My eldest sister, Robina, started as a receiving clerk at the bodega of Robinsons Department Store. Dad told her, “How will you be able to do your job at the top later on if you don’t know what people down there are doing? Today, Robina runs our whole retail business.

Marcia, on the other hand, scooped ice cream and made waffle cones at a Tivoli kiosk when she was in high school. Today, she is one of the top executives in our food manufacturing business.

In my case, my first job was putting price tags on women’s bras. I guess that makes me an expert on women.

Stay humble. Dad always made sure that we did not think we were better than other people. He told us to hire people who are smarter than us, who are better than us, so that we can improve the business. There is a Chinese phrase that our parents use with us—“gong kia,” which is a term of endearment, but which literally means “stupid child.” It keeps us humble and makes us feel that we are the same as the people who work with us. It’s okay to make mistakes. Even if Dad gave me a lot of opportunities at an early age, he never hovered over my shoulder. He allowed me to make mistakes as long as I didn’t lose too much money. He knew I would learn a lot from them—and I did.”

[https://business.inquirer.net/223293/lance-y-gokongwei-talks-father-john-taught]

“MANILA — The late tycoon John Gokongwei’s eldest daughter recalled how her kidnappers complained that he was willing to give her away because he has 6 other children, one of many stories in a eulogy for her “mentor-father.”

Gokongwei, of course, was following the advice of then-police colonel Panfilo Lacson who led her rescue without a ransom payoff. Robina Gokongwei-Pe was a senior at the University of the Philippines in 1981 when she was kidnapped with her cousin, Celina Chua.

“Anim pala kayong magkakapatid! Akala ko nag-iisa ka. Sabi ng tatay mo, pwede ka na ipamigay kasi mayroon pa siyang limang anak. Ano ba ‘yan!” Gokongwei-Pe said.

(There’s 6 of you. I thought you are an only child. Your father said he can give you away because he has 5 other children. What’s up with that?)

The eulogy was published in full by Esquire Philippines’ website, part of the Gokongweis’ publishing arm, Summit Media.

Gokongwei, whose JG Summit Holdings controls Robinsons Retail, Universal Robina and Cebu Pacific, “was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’ll hear,” Gokongwei-Pe said.

Bedridden for 6 weeks and unable to speak due to a feeding tube, Gokongwei insisted on reading financial reports, Gokongwei-Pe said. He also told his 24-year-old grandson: “You have to play around!”

Gokongwei-Pe said her father made sure she started in the storage rooms of Robinsons Department Store, without air-condition and with no set time in and time out to teach her the value of hard work.

The same was true for her brother, Lance Gokongwei, she said.

“The thing is, when Lance was on summer vacation, he also put Lance in the Robinsons Department Store bodega, where he learned how to tag bras and where he learned how to read the alphabet in bra sizes, which came in handy later in life,” she said.

Frustrated that she was a bench-sitter or “bangko” of the UP swimming team, Gokongwei-Pe said her father told her to “never give up.”

“He said that I should be happy that I even qualified for the team. He also said that he lost his father when he was 13—what could be worse than that?” she said.

Gokongwei-Pe said her dad was so happy to give her away that during her wedding, the then 67-year-old patriarch walked too fast as she walked her down the aisle, angering her mother.

“Please wait for the bride!” Gokongwei-Pe recalled her mother as saying.

Her wedding was also one of the rare times Gokongwei got a tuxedo, a rented one, only because he heard that a wedding sponsor, Lopez family patriarch Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr., was going to wear one.

“My dad was always known to be a sloppy dresser and cheap when it comes to dressing up. His tie always had a stain from ice cream or coffee,” she said.

When he retired at 90, Gokongwei-Pe recalled fellow shopping mall tycoon Henry Sy telling her father: “John, you are going to face three problems when you retire. One is what you are going to do after working for 50 years. Two is who is going to succeed you. Three is the worst problem of all—how to deal with five sons-in-law.”

Gokongwei-Pe said her father congratulated her most recently for her work with the UP Fighting Maroons men’s basketball team, which made the final 4 for the second straight year.

“He knew what his daughter really loved the most. That’s why I loved him for that,” she said.

Ending her eulogy, Gokongwei-Pe said: “By the way, we did not rent his outfit for today. Somewhere along the way, he decided to buy himself an expensive suit, and we made sure that the tie did not have a stain.”

[https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/12/19/gokongwei-daughter-in-playful-eulogy-says-dad-taunted-her-kidnappers]

One thing you’ll notice, is that riches didn’t come overnight. It had to be worked out. It had to be planned. Perseverance and the right attitude. The children were never spoiled or pampered.

Why is EVM included? Well, he is now considered to be number one in the list of “Richest Pastor In Philippines:Top 10 Influencial Pastors/Priest Of 2019.”

“Philippines as one with the highest population in the world ranked at number #13 in the world. Philippines includes with the fastest growing population in asia with more than 107.5 million population in 2019 according to worldometers.info. And Philippines consist of different religions most Filipinos are Catholic with highest percentage 2nd are muslim and the rest are protestant and other denominations.

Here are the religious groups and denominations names of well known personality and most influencial religious leaders in the country with their respective churches and organizations. There names were included in the top 10 most wealthiest and richest churches or persons in the Philippines. [Let’s just jump into number one, you can read the whole article on the link provided 🙂 ]

1 – Eduardo “Eddieboy” Manalo

On top of the list as the richest pastor in philippines is Eduardo Manalo the third successor of I.N.C the most influencial religious personality in Philippines. That every electoral candidates want to get his endorsement. Because of the bloc voting doctrine of their church. Since from Felix Manalo the one founded the I.N.C in philippines then turn it over into his son Eranio Manalo the father of Eduardo Manalo. Eduardo Manalo Asset and net worth is around 1billion peso he owns New Era college and Philippine Arena in Bocaue Bulacan. [https://www.rank1one.com/top-10-richest-pastors-philippines-2019/]

The executive minister of the highly-politicized Iglesia Ni Cristo is arguably the wealthiest Filipino religious leader. Iglesia Ni Cristo is more than two times wealthier that the Roman Catholic Church because the former is centralized and the latter is not. Iglesia Ni Cristo is estimated to be worth nearly a trillion pesos including all of its properties, and Manalo as the CEO is surely worth billions of pesos.

[https://www.opinionstage.com/silveraden/ten-wealthiest-religious-leaders-in-the-philippines]

An argument may be raised (as was in the comments section of the above articles] that all properties are registered under the name of the Church and not under any individual or person. BUT and that’s a big BUT, the organization is registered as “corporation sole” and the Executive Minister as Administrator of all assets of the orgnization. In short, he “owns” the organization as “Chief Executive Officer“. We are discussing here hard undeniable facts, not spiritual such as Christ is the owner and so forth. We are pointing fingers as to who can mortgage, sell, and distribute any and all of the assets of the organization and this includes control of cold cash of the church. None other than EVM being the Executive Minister (and of course JS because he has a Power of Attorney to that effect).

Now there are many anecdotes of the late Felix Manalo and his successor Erano Manalo, but unfortunately I can’t think of even one that describes the current Executive Minister aside from the praises to high heavens by his so called sasardotes or whatever.

So instead, let us witness a discussion between a Minister and a lay member of the church on attainment of material wealth based on the “inspirational” teaching of the Executive Minister –

Miyembro: Ka Delfin (ministro), papaano natin matatamo ang pagpapala (riches) dito sa mundo?

Ministro: Kapatid, dapat maging masagana ka sa paghahandog (offerings). Tulad rin ng pagtatanim, kung marami kang itinanim, marami kayong aanihin. Nakalagay rin sa biblia na sinabi ng Diyos, subukan ninyo ako kung hindi ko kayo pagpalain na walang silid na paglalagyan sa mga pagpapalang ibibigay ko sa inyo.

Miyembro: Linggo-linggo, naghahandog ako, kasama na rito ang mga tanging-tanging handugan, bakit hanggang ngayon mahirap pa rin kalagayan ko?

Ministro: Huwag kang maiinip kapatid, walang matuwid na anak ng Diyos na nagpapalimos ng tinapay ayon sa biblia. Baka nag-aalinlangan ka pa sa magagawa ng Diyos?

Miyembro: Papaano ako mag-aalinlangan, 20 taon na ako sa Iglesia, 20 taon akong naghahandog, bakit hanggang ngayon, kubo-kubo pa rin bahay ko, wala pa rin akong matatag na hanap buhay?

Ministro: Kapatid, ang pagpapala ay hindi lamang sa material na bagay. Pasalamat ka at hanggang ngayon buhay ka pa at nasa kahalalan na matatamo mo ang kaligtasan pagdating ni Cristo.

Miyembro: Alam ko po yon. Ang tanong ko lang, bakit ang tagasanglibutan tila madaling umangat ang buhay pero ako parang hindi?

Ministro: Alam mo Kapatid, ang Diyos tunay kang mahal. Alam ng Diyos ang nakaraan, alam rin niya ang kasalukuyan, at higit sa lahat alam niya ang darating. Alam niya na baka kung payamanin ka makalimot ka sa kaniya!

Wow! And to think this line of thinking works among its members. But I’m having my doubts. Many are not that naive on giving so called offerings to “God”. The real give-away proof is – napaka bilis na ang pagbibilang ng mga Pananalapi sa lokal. 30 minuto lang tapos na! Mabilis na sila nakakauwi ngayo hindi tulad noon 😀 😀 😀

Hindi lang yon, every building from the Arena, to the Garden, and the Museum were built by the offerings of the members BUT UNLESS YOU PUT UP A HEFTY 500 PESOS (more or less), you’ll never gain entrance. Simply put, you are the owner of a house being refused entry by a mere Caretaker which you hired with your own money!

Ooops, forgot its almost midnight. Got carried away. Seniors have a way of doing that as if you didn’t know. Good night friends, and regards to the family. By the way Christmas is just around the corner. Let’s do the “pagan” and greet ourselves a very Merry, Merry Christmas and a Ho! Ho! Ho!

“Difference between the wealths of John Gokongwei, Henry Sy and EVM …” Ask the late tycoon John Gokonwei how he built his empire and this is what we'll hear -

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revivyng-blog · 8 years ago

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Re: Styling your Earth-Toned Ukay Finds

Fashion is cyclical. Yup. I hate to break it to you guys but fashion trends these days aren’t exactly new. You will be surprised how similar today’s trends are to the decades past. Fashion evolves yet also borrows concepts from different fashion era’s.

A fashion style example would be the revival of earth-toned color scheme. Earth toned colors ranges from browns, tans, greens and warm grays. These flat colors were very much used during the 1960′s but 2017′s got a whole new take on it.

Let me show you 3 in-style revival ideas for the Green earth tone. I bought these pieces in different ukay-ukay stores for different prices to be indicated below.

Look #1: Street Chill

Let’s start with the most casual outfit first. This laid-back super chill outfit is positively easy to achieve because these street pieces can be found in any ukay-ukay shop. Being the short girl that I am, I became obsessed with high waisted EVERYTHING -- just to make my legs look longer and myself taller. I was able to score this blue high waisted shorts which was perfect for my waist, hips and booty. For me, this kind of blue is the denim shade which complements most ensembles. ‘Mas madaling bagayan’ in other words.

I folded the bottom part of it carelessly to achieve the laid-back aspect or chillness of my outfit.

If you’re wearing a loose bottom, balance it out with a fitted top or vice versa. I’m assuming we all know this general fashion rule. But if you simply want to experiment, I think you can try to experiment by using the method of tucking. My plain black shirt here is kind of loose but I didn’t pair it with super tight shorts. Instead, I just tucked it in to make it seem like one of them was fitted. It turned out pretty well.

Tip: When you tuck a loose shirt, pull it up slightly to show a contrast between the looseness/tightness of your top and bottom.

I also paired the outfit with an olive green windbreaker to add spice to the basic outfit. Olive green is a pretty popular color today, so why not wear this ukay-ukay gem?

Some of you may ask why I will wear a windbreaker when it’s already so hot in the Philippines. Let me answer you again, why not? A windbreaker is a lighter version of a jacket which is made of some type of light and synthetic material. So with the very moody weather we have, I can resist anything by wearing this -- the wind, light rains or the bursting heat of the sun rays.

Plus, I get to hide my butt from any perverted men who peek.

Finally, I wore white chucks to match the causal feels. Not only is it comfortable for every day wear but its color is also a classic.

What I’m wearing: Black Shirt from Anonas (P35)

High Waisted Denim Jacket from Lolo Oboy’s (P50)

Windbreaker from Circle C (P80)

White Low-cut Chucks from Converse

Photos by: Aly Quiñones

Look #2: Chill Chic

This chic chill outfit is the combination of edgy and chill. I wore a green lacoste button-less polo shirt and paired it with a black suede mini skirt. Both of the pieces came from ukay.

Again, I tucked in the shirt inside to show contrast of two items.

I like the fake pockets of the skirt and the blue lining of the polo shirt. The very simple outfit for me was highlighted because of these tiny details.

And of course, I paired it with a brown bag which complements the earthy green. This chill chic outfit can surely be worn to school, especially if you have a presentation and don't wanna look effortless.

Green Lacoste polo Shirt from Anonas (P35)

Black Suede Mini Skirt from Anonas (P35)

Photos by: Aly Quinones

Look #3: Classy AF

If you guys didn't know, I'm on my third year of college, nearing graduation. This ensemble is my go-to "work attire". You can spot loads of different slacks or chino pants in ukay. This is just one of them.

I scored these pants for 10 pesos and paired it with a basic white turtle neck. The dark earthy colored pants should be paired with a light color to appear clean. This is a basic outfit for job hunting because it is a known recommendation to wear white during interviews to invite a smart and clean personality.

This ensemble can be too bland and boring so you can accessorize with eyeglasses. Though if you have perfectly clear eyesight then you could go with gold jewelry or a watch,in my preference.

White turtle neck from Zara

Green slacks from Circle C (P10)

Photos by: Aly Quinones

I hope you were able to choose one from the three looks that best describe you.

This just gives us another reason to love thrift shops. Not only is it home for budget clothes but also for old clothes which may still be recycled and turned from ‘baduy’ to ‘in style’ real quick.

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revivyng-blog · 8 years ago

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Re: The Basics of Ukay

The thing about people is, they only buy clothes from the brands they know. Most of the time these fashion brands (H&M, Topshop, Zara, etc.) offer highly expensive products, with the most basic shirt ranging from 500-700++. Shirt palang yun.

I happen to know a place where you can spend the same amount and get more than what you need -- the ukay-ukay.

Some people may look down on thrift shops because besides having its sketchiest locations, it doesn’t live up to the quality of branded stores. I could actually hear my mom saying “Baka namatay na yung may-ari niyan ah”. Though, I honestly believe that you do not need to break a bank just to look good or to establish your fashion style. Just as long as you’re comfortable with what you wear, you know how to pick your pieces and clean it well until it’s spotless. It’s all up to how you wear what you wear and how you own it. If you live by these rules, then no one will notice your secondhand secret.

With all of the thrift shops scattered around the city, which of these would be the best to go to?

I would answer all of them because different ukay-ukays offer variety of clothing. It is just up to your preference and patience in scavenging. However, I secretly have three favorites, all of which are near UP Diliman.

#3: Philcoa Citimall

(Photo taken from David Montasco Snapshots: http://www.static.panoramio.com/photos/original/91967171.jpg)

Although I do not have exact photos of the place, it is easy to find because it is the only thrift shop located at the 2nd floor of the Citimall. This is my go-to place to ukay because it is only a jeep away from school. Plus, it is airconditioned and just right in front Mang Inasal!!

The pieces there ranges from 100-150 depending on the kind of clothing (shirts, shorts or polos), quite a bit pricey compared to other ukays but its cause they sell pre-selected clothes which makes searching easier.

Another thing I like about Citimall’s ukay is that they have a good selection of shoes which cost around 500 pesos. Some of the rubber shoes I’ve seen (and not bought because they weren’t on my size) were Nike Roshe, Adidas Samba and white unbranded shoes. It makes me really believe that fashion is just a cycle because old models of shoes can still be in style today.

#2: Circle C

Here’s another hidden ukay-ukay, just one Comet away from UP Diliman. Located at the third floor of Circle C Congressional, these ukays offer clothes for as low as 10 to 60 pesos. These shops actually have the best collection of denim jeans. As in.

I was able to get a 60-peso Calvin Klein high-waisted jeans here.

Slacks and chino pants were priced only at 3 for 100. They have basic colors in small sizes like gray, navy blue and black. This is a good thing for me because ukays obviously don’t have sizes and it is sad when you want a piece but it is either too small or too big for you. So if you don’t have the time and energy to go to alteration stores to have your pieces resized then Circle C is the place to go.

(Here’s a happy Ivy to prove how awesome this ukay store was)

#1: Lolo Oboys Ukay Complex

AND THE BEST UKAY AWARD GOES TO – Lolo Oboy’s!! This is a 4-story building in Anonas full of clothing and toy thrift shops. Leave me here for a day and I would not run out of things to buy because it literally has SO.MANY.STORES.INSIDE.

Now after choosing which ukay-ukay branch to go to, let me share some tips on thrift shopping.

Tip #1: Wear your most comfortable clothes

You have to be ready to brave the crowded aisles of an ukay. I’m sorry to say such bad news but…. not all ukay’s have aircondition. You literally have to know ‘kung paano pagsiksikan ang sarili mo’ just to find whatever you’re looking for.

If you are also the type of person who likes to try on clothes before buying them, I suggest you wear fitted clothes so it would be okay to try on clothes over it. It may be gross for some to fit second-hand clothes but it is the only way to know what you’re buying fits you.

Though, if you’re still uncomfortable doing this, you can try other methods of measurement. One example of this would be wrapping your pants around your neck.

Tip #2: Bring a nakaw-proof bag

What do I mean by this? A thrift shop in the Philippines can automatically mean a sketchy environment. It is a pickpocket playground out here. Make sure to bring bags which are hard to zip open or snatched. Put these bags nearest to your body as possible. Or in using a backpack, put it in front of your chest. Now, you can feel secure with your belongings and enjoy shopping.

Tip #3: Bring eco-bags

Sales people usually just put your purchases in thin plastic bags which are easy to break. If you plan to have a shopping galore, make sure to bring eco-bags. Not only would it be easy for you to carry but it would also be a big help to Mother Earth :)

Tip #4: Inspect. Inspect Again.

Thoroughly look at ever detail on the item that you will buy. Check the quality of the fabric (if it looks overwashed), if the buttons are complete, if there are holes or stains you can’t remove anymore. And again, check if it has a great fit on you.

You don’t want to buy something just because it is relatively cheap. Then never use it because of defects you weren’t able to see.

Tip #4: Buy when its S A L E

THIS 4 LETTER WORD: S A L E is your number one best friend. Sale prices can go down to 10 pesos per shirt or pants, believe me.

New arrivals can be slightly deceiving, but it also means higher prices most of the time. Though higher prices are still cheap in ukay-ukay (LOL).

Tip #5: Befriend the sales lady

Now you might want to ask, “How the hell would I know if it’s already sale season in the ukay world?” The answer to this question is to be sociable and slightly sipsip to the sales person. You have to befriend him/her to the point where they’ll be okay with you getting their number. Don’t worry it takes up just 5 minutes of your time upon your checkout. Just ask them to text you when it is already sale season!

If you are too shy to do this though, you have an alternative: ask for discounts/tagain mo. I know ukay prices are already too cheap for your budget but trust me, you can still get them for less. It’s not just being kuripot, it is about being practical ;)

Tip #6: W A S H / C L E A N

Buying at a thrift store can also come with lots of dust, germs or whatsoever.

Just like with food, you need to kill these bacteria. And the trick to thoroughly clean your purchases is to wash them with hot water. You can soak it overnight or if you still aren’t comfortable with that, soak it with hot water or vinegar. Then wash it again with fragrant detergent and fabcon.

Make sure to also wash your hands after you shop or touch your ukay finds. Don’t forget to sanitize with alcohol as well!

Tip #7: Bring as much PATIENCE as you can

If you really want to score good finds, you have to be really really really patient. I’m not kidding when I say you have to take a look at everything one by one. Baka mamaya may nakasingit or nakatago lang. A keen eye is also as important. I personally believe you can hit a jackpot with something if you work hard for it. In thrift shopping, ‘Wala kang mapapala kung tamad ka maghanap”.

Ukay-ukay doesn’t necessarily have to mean chipipay pieces. It is full of good and rare secondhand deals. All you need to do is to keep in mind these tips and of course, use your creativity in style. Don’t let big fashion brands or people intimidate you into buying expensive clothes just for its name.

Everyone has different preferences but for me, at the end of the day, the only thing that will matter is how you carry what you wear.

Photos by: Aly Quiñones

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