The Top Five (5) Famous Filipino Entrepreneurs

during the Pandemic:

1. Tony Tan Caktiong - He is also a Chinese Filipino entrepreneur who

founded one of the most popular and biggest fast food chain in the
Philippines – Jollibee. He also owns Red Ribbon, Chowking, Greenwich,
Mang Inasal, Manong Pepe’s, and Tita Frita’s Uling Uling.

The ways and challenges encountered during the Pandemic:

While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruption to our operations
in the Philippines and other parts of the world, we are already planning for the full restoration of
our operations," Jollibee CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong, the founder's younger brother told the stock
exchange. Some analysts also argue that while the virus has wreaked havoc on the food service
industry generally, with falling restaurant valuations and rising bankruptcies, the current crisis
could also present buying opportunities.

2. Andrew Tan - He is also a Chinese Filipino businessman. As of 2014, he is

ranked 3rd in the most richest Filipino having over $5 million personal
fortune and ranked 308th in the world most richest. He runs the following
companies, the Megaworld Corporation, Emperador Distillers Incorporation
and Golden Arches Development Corporation (operations of franchises).

The ways and challenges encountered during the Pandemic:

Tan, who holds Emperador close to his heart having built his business on alcohol
distribution with Andy Player, however, is particularly elated by the widening
coverage of Emperador brandy.

Depite the pandemic and sudden change in the trading system, it didn’t
discourage Andrew Tan and that a Filipino-led company to achieving these
milestones fills Tan with immense pride in what the Filipino company can do, backed
by management skills and a product line that has won a loyal following in multiple
markets here and abroad.
3. John Gokongwei Jr. - He is a Chinese Filipino entrepreneur. He is the
chairman of JG Summit Holdings and former owner of Sun Cellular. He also
owns Universal Robina Corporation. He also controls Robinsons Land. John
is ranked 5th in Philippines most richest entrepreneur.

The ways and challenges encountered during the Pandemic:

The losses at JG Summit, however, were selective. Of its five main businesses—an
airline, financial services, food production, petrochemicals and property—three turned a half-
year profit. But those gains weren’t enough to offset losses elsewhere—more than half came
from Cebu Air, which flies the regional budget carrier Cebu Pacific. The airline lost 9 billion
pesos in the first half versus a 7 billion net profit a year earlier. Gokongwei’s rescue plan? So
far, he has laid off about a quarter of the airline’s staff (about 1,000 employees) since mid-
March, scaled down the airline’s operations and shelved expansion efforts. To save cash,
which halved to 9.7 billion pesos on its books in the first half, Cebu Air will cut capital
expenditure by more than 70%, to 8.3 billion pesos, this year. To further trim costs, it has sent
14 of its 77 planes for storage in Australia.

4. Lucio Tan - He is a Chinese Filipino businessman. He owns Asia Brewery,

Tanduay Holdings and Fortune Tobacco. He also bought the Century Park
Hotel in 1985. As of 2014, he is still ranked 2nd in the most richest man in
the Philippines having a net worth of $6.1 billion and 307th in the world.

The ways and challenges encountered during the Pandemic:

Lucio Tan, said it will cut 2,300 jobs or about a third of its workforce by mid-March
as it continues to take a beating from the pandemic. Demand for air travel according to
Lucio Tan is still far from pre-pandemic levels. Prior to the job cuts made, the airline has
implemented solutions such as furloughs and flexible working arrangements. Since
March, it has suspended capital expenditures, reduced salaries, deferred lease payments
and slashed expenses.
 5. Henry Sy - He is also a Chinese Filipino businessman who started SM
Malls in the Philippines. He is entitled as Philippines’ Retail King. Other
business interests includes the SM Investments Corporation, SM Prime
Holdings, Banco de Oro Universal Bank, CBC, Belle Corporation and
Highlands Prime, Inc.. He and his family are currently the richest in the
Philippines and ranked 94th in the world.

The ways and challenges encountered during the Pandemic:

With the present challenge of the pandemic, SM moved quickly to adapt its businesses to
the new reality with better solutions. SM introduced services such as, “take out and delivery” and
“personal shopper services” to serve food and other essential products to its customers, as well as
“curbside pick up” points for delivery services.