"Lance Gokongwei bags Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines award"
An article published in
BusinessWorld, March 09, 2006
LANCE Y.
GOKONGWEI, president and chief executive officer of Cebu Air, Inc., was
named the third Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines in an awards banquet
last night at the Makati Shangrila Hotel.
Mr. Gokongwei was recognized for his leadership in achieving the success of
Cebu Pacific by offering value service, lower fares and on-time performance,
and by redefining the concept of domestic air travel. He will represent the
Philippines in the World Entreprenuer of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo,
Monaco on June 11.
Mr. Gokongwei also won the Tourism Entrepreneur award for building an
outstanding company in tourism amid industry obstacles.
Cebu
Pacific's affordable rates have attracted frequent flyers, and it is now the
second largest airline in the country in terms of capacity offered, traffic
carried and revenues generated.
Other awards presented were the Socially Responsible Entrepreneur, Master
Entrepreneur, Emerging Master Entrepreneur, Small Business Entreprenuer,
Woman Entrepreneur, Innovation Entrepreneur, and Young Entrepreneur.
Ritche C. Rivera, president of RD Manufacturing Group, was cited for using
his private sector skills and creativity to help his community overcome
social or environmental problems. He was presented with the Social
Responsible Entrepreneur award. Aside from employing over 2,000 residents of
General Santos City and nearby areas, Rivera leads community outreach
programs through the RD Foundation.
Alfredo M. Yao, Chairman of Zest-O Corp., received the Master Entrepreneur
award for exemplifying sound management practices in finance, marketing,
human resources and sales and for the strong relationship he has built with
his employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders.
Johnlu G. Koa, founder and chief executive officer of The French Baker Inc.,
received the Emerging Master Entrepreneur award for his sound management
practices and savvy positioning in the marketplace for future growth into a
billion-peso enterprise. He created a boulangerie that has become popular.
Jonathan Jay P. Aldeguer, president of Islands Souvenirs Inc., was presented
with the Small Business Entrepreneur award for best demonstrating management
excellence in a business with assets of less than P100 million. His company
has transformed the concept of buying pasalubong (take home) into a totally
new experience.
Ruth S. Callanta, president of Center for Community Tranformation (CCT),
received the Woman Entrepreneur award for excelling in entrepreneurship,
leadership, and community development. Through CCT, she provides holistic
and integrated programs in urban poor communities.
Gregorio G. Sanchez, Jr. founder of Lacto Bacillus Pafi Techno Resources
Corp., was given the Innovation Entrepreneur award for creating a new
product, and applying an innovative technology business solution, or
approach that resulted in improving business processes or growing company.
He developed the lacto pafi probiotic bacteria, currently among the superior
probiotic bacillus strains in the world.
Bryan C. Tiu, founder of Teriyaki Boy Inc., was given the Young Entrepreneur
award for serving as a model for young aspiring entrepreneurs. At the age of
29, Mr. Tiu is considered as one of the country's leading entrepreneurs in
the food industry.
The winners were chosen from among 20 outstanding finalists from different
industries nationwide.
The other finalists were Rico V. Brizuela, chairman, Airlift Asia, Inc.,
Guillermo C. Choa, president, property Company of Friends, Inc.; Mars C.
Chua, president, Sportshouse International Leisure, Inc.; Alejandra C.
Clemente, chairman, Rajah Tours Philippines, Inc. and Rajah Travel Corp,;
Mary Ann Cruz de la Vega, managing partner, Bluer Than Blue Joint Ventures
Co.; Catherine V. Delantar; founder and VP - Finance, Natures Legacy
Eximport Inc., Roberto R. Gandionco, chairman and CEO, Julie's Franchise
Corp.; Judge Esperanza F. Garcia, chairman, Cebu CFI Community Cooperative;
Henry Lim Bon Liong, chairman and CEO, Via Venetto; and Glenn Anthony O.
Soco, president and general manager, Coffee Dream Co., Inc.
"All the finalists have made outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship
and to their communities. They have helped produce new jobs, and new
opportunities for many. They have created business breakthroughs that help
other uplift their lives," said David L. Balangue, chairman and president of
the SGV Foundation.
All nominees went through a strict financial data ranking system used by all
Entrepreneur Of The Year participating countries. The Finalists were further
evaluated by an independent panel of judges composed of distinguished
personalities from government, business and the academe.
The panel was chaired by Cesar Virata, president of the Bankers Association
of the Philippines; Dr. Roberto de Ocampo, former Asian Institute of
Management president, co-facilitated the judging process.
The other judges were David Bussan, Entrepreneur Of the Year Australia 2003
and founder of Opportunity International Australia; Edgar Chua, country
chairman of the Shell companies in the Philippines; Antonio Javier, Jr.,
managing director of Microsoft Philippines; and Sanjiv Vohra, country
officer of Citigroup Corporate and Investment Bank and trustee of the
Philippines Business for Social Progress.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year was established by professional services firm
Ernst & Young in 1986 to recognize entrepreneurs who have created and
sustained successful, growing business ventures. In 2003, the SGV Foundation
launched the program in the Philippines.
Since then, the program has recognized the contributions of the country's
top entrepreneurs and the countless opportunities that they have created for
other Filipinos.
The first Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines was Tony Tan Caktiong of
Jollibee Foods Corp. who went on to win the World Entrepreneur Of The Year
award in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Last year, Socorro Cancio Ramos, founder of
National Book Store, won the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2004
award.
Supporting the program as strategic partners were the Asian Institute of
Management, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Department of Trade and
Industry and Philippines Business for Social Progress. The major sponsors
were Microsoft Philippines, San Miguel Corporation, Pilipinas Shell
Petroleum Corp. and Sun Life Financial. The official carrier was Air France
- KLM and the media sponsors were Business World and ABS-CBN News Channel.
Mr. Lance Y. Gokongwei is the President and a Director of the JG Summit
Holdings Inc.,Cebu Pacific Air, Inc., Universal Robina Corporation,
Robinsons Land Corporation, JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, Litton
Mills, Inc. and is the Chairman of Robinsons Savings Bank in the Philippines
. His other directorships include UIC, Digital Telecommunications Phils Inc.
and Singapore Land Limited.
Mr. Gokongwei graduated Summa Cum Laude with double degrees in Bachelor of
Science (Applied Science) from Pennsylvania Engineering School and a
Bachelor of Science (Finance) from Wharton School , USA . He also attended
the Management and Technology Program at the University of Pennsylvania .