1.

Henry Sy - Henry Sy was born in Xiamen, China in 1924 and moved to the Philippines as a
young man to work in his family's retail store. In 1958, he opened a shoe store called Shoemart
(SM), which eventually grew to become the largest retail chain in the Philippines. Today, the SM
Group of Companies operates over 70 malls and retail stores throughout the country, and Henry
Sy was the richest man in the Philippines until his passing in 2019.

2. John Gokongwei Jr. - John Gokongwei Jr. was born in China in 1926 and moved to the
Philippines as a young boy. He started his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 15, when he
began trading goods like peanuts and soap. In 1957, he founded Universal Robina Corporation,
which is now one of the largest food and beverage companies in the Philippines. Gokongwei also
had interests in other industries, including real estate, aviation, and telecommunications.

3. Jaime Zobel de Ayala - Jaime Zobel de Ayala was born in Manila in 1934, and he is a
member of one of the oldest and most prominent business families in the Philippines. He started
his career in finance and worked for several multinational companies before joining the family
business. In 1984, he became the chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation, which is one of the
largest conglomerates in the Philippines. The company has interests in real estate, banking,
telecommunications, and other industries.

4. Tony Tan Caktiong - Tony Tan Caktiong was born in China in 1953 and moved to the
Philippines with his family when he was a child. He started his entrepreneurial journey in 1975,
when he opened a small ice cream parlor called Jollibee. Today, Jollibee is the largest fast food
chain in the Philippines, with over 1,400 stores worldwide. Tan Caktiong is also involved in
other businesses, including real estate and banking.

5. Socorro Ramos - Socorro Ramos was born in the Philippines in 1923 and started her career as
a saleswoman for a Japanese store during World War II. In 1958, she founded National
Bookstore, which is now the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines. Ramos started the
business with just a few books and a small amount of capital, but she was able to grow it into a
thriving enterprise that has over 230 branches throughout the country.
1. Henry Sy, Sr. was a Chinese-Filipino businessman who was born on December 25, 1924, in
Xiamen, China. He was the founder and chairman of SM Investments Corporation, which is the
largest retailer in the Philippines and one of the largest in Southeast Asia.

Sy's family moved to the Philippines when he was a teenager to join his father, who had a small
store in Manila. After completing his studies in the Philippines, Sy worked in his family's store,
which sold shoes and other small items.

In 1958, Sy opened his first shoe store in Quiapo, Manila, which he named ShoeMart. He started
out with just a few pairs of shoes, but his business grew quickly, and he expanded to other
locations in Metro Manila.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Sy continued to expand his business by opening more
ShoeMart stores and diversifying into other retail sectors. In 1985, he launched SM City North
EDSA, which was the first mall in the Philippines and one of the largest in Asia at the time.

Over the years, Sy's business empire grew to include other industries, such as banking, real
estate, and tourism. He was also known for his philanthropy, and he donated millions of dollars
to various charitable causes and institutions.

Sy passed away on January 19, 2019, at the age of 94. At the time of his death, he was the richest
man in the Philippines and one of the wealthiest people in the world. His legacy as an
entrepreneur and philanthropist has had a significant impact on the Philippines and the Southeast
Asian region

Originally a shoe store, it has since grown into one of the largest retail conglomerates in the
Philippines, with interests in shopping mall development, retail operations, and banking. In 2006,
the company was rebranded as SM Investments Corporation to reflect its expanded business
operations. Today, SM Investments Corporation is one of the largest companies in the
Philippines, with a diverse portfolio of businesses including retail, property development,
banking, and tourism
2. John L. Gokongwei Jr. was a Chinese-Filipino businessman who was born on August 11,
1926, in Cebu City, Philippines. He was the founder and chairman emeritus of JG Summit
Holdings, Inc., one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines with interests in various
industries, including food and beverage, retail, real estate, and banking.

Gokongwei's father died when he was just 13 years old, leaving his family in financial distress.
To help support his family, Gokongwei started trading goods like peanuts, soap, and candles. He
dropped out of school and eventually went into business full-time, importing goods from the
United States and other countries and selling them in the Philippines.

In 1957, Gokongwei founded Universal Corn Products, which later became Universal Robina
Corporation. The company started out producing cornstarch and glucose syrup and later
expanded into other food and beverage products, such as snacks, biscuits, and candies. Today,
Universal Robina Corporation is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the
Philippines and has operations in other countries in Asia, Oceania, and North America.

Over the years, Gokongwei continued to diversify his business interests, including investing in
other industries like real estate, aviation, and telecommunications. He was also known for his
philanthropy, donating millions of dollars to various charitable causes and institutions.

Gokongwei passed away on November 9, 2019, at the age of 93. He was widely regarded as one
of the most successful and influential entrepreneurs in the Philippines and was recognized for his
contributions to the country's economic development.

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is a Philippine-based food and beverage company founded
by John Gokongwei in 1954. The company has diversified its business to include snacks,
candies, biscuits, noodles, and beverages and has expanded its operations to other countries in
Southeast Asia and China. Gokongwei was known for his business acumen and his ability to
identify new opportunities

3. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala is a prominent Filipino businessman who was born on March 6,
1959, in Manila, Philippines. He is the current chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation, one of
the largest and oldest conglomerates in the Philippines, with interests in various industries,
including real estate, banking, telecommunications, and healthcare.

Zobel de Ayala graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics in 1981 and later
earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1987. He joined Ayala Corporation in 1981
and became the company's president and CEO in 1994. Under his leadership, Ayala Corporation
has grown into one of the most successful and respected business groups in the Philippines, with
a strong focus on sustainability and social responsibility.
In addition to his work at Ayala Corporation, Zobel de Ayala is also involved in various business
and social organizations. He is a member of the Harvard Business School Board of Dean's
Advisors, a trustee of the Asia Society, and the chairman of the Philippine National Bank.

Zobel de Ayala is also known for his philanthropy, and he has been involved in various initiatives
to promote social and economic development in the Philippines. He is the chairman of the Ayala
Foundation, which supports various education, environment, and health programs, and the co-
chair of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, which provides disaster relief and
rehabilitation efforts in the country.

Zobel de Ayala has received numerous awards and recognitions for his business and
philanthropic contributions. He was named one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune
magazine in 2014 and was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star by the
Emperor of Japan in 2017 for his contributions to promoting economic and cultural relations
between Japan and the Philippines.

Ayala Corporation is a Philippine-based conglomerate founded in 1834 and currently led by

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala. The company has a diverse range of business interests, including
real estate, banking, telecommunications, utilities, healthcare, and education. Under Zobel de
Ayala's leadership, the company has focused on sustainability and social responsibility,
implementing various initiatives to promote environmental stewardship and support social
development. The Ayala Corporation is considered one of the largest and most respected
corporations in the Philippines, with a history of over 180 years of contributing to the country's
economic and social progress

4. Tony Tan Caktiong is a Filipino-Chinese businessman who was born on October 7, 1953, in
Cebu City, Philippines. He is the founder and chairman of Jollibee Foods Corporation, which is
the largest fast-food chain in the Philippines and one of the largest in Asia.

Tan Caktiong's family ran a small restaurant in Cebu, and he started working in the family
business when he was still in school. In 1975, he and his siblings opened two ice cream parlors in
Manila, which they named "Jollibee." The name was inspired by a bee cartoon character that Tan
Caktiong saw during a trip to the United States.

The ice cream parlors were not very successful, so Tan Caktiong decided to shift the focus to
selling burgers and other fast food. He developed a unique menu that combined American-style
fast food with Filipino flavors and preferences. The strategy proved to be a hit, and Jollibee soon
became one of the most popular fast-food chains in the Philippines.

Over the years, Tan Caktiong continued to expand Jollibee's operations, both in the Philippines
and abroad. Today, Jollibee has more than 1,400 stores in 35 countries, including the United
States, Canada, and the Middle East.
Tan Caktiong is also involved in other businesses, such as real estate and banking. He is known
for his philanthropy and has donated millions of dollars to various charitable causes and
institutions.

Tan Caktiong has received numerous awards and recognitions for his business and philanthropic
achievements. He was named one of the World's 100 Most Powerful People by Forbes magazine
in 2018 and has been recognized as one of the most influential business leaders in the
Philippines.

Jollibee is a Filipino fast-food chain founded by Tony Tan Caktiong in 1978. It started as an ice
cream parlor in Quezon City but eventually expanded its menu to include hamburgers, fried
chicken, and Filipino-style spaghetti, among other items. Today, Jollibee is one of the largest and
most successful fast-food chains in the Philippines, with over 1,400 stores in the country and a
presence in several other countries, including the United States, Canada, and China. Tan
Caktiong is known for his business acumen and innovative marketing strategies, which have
helped Jollibee become a household name in the Philippines and a global brand.

5. Socorro Ramos, popularly known as "Nanay Coring," is a Filipino entrepreneur who was born
on September 23, 1923, in Sta. Cruz, Manila, Philippines. She is the founder of National
Bookstore, the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines.

Ramos grew up in poverty and started working at a young age to support her family. She worked
as a salesgirl in a small bookstore in Escolta, Manila, and later saved enough money to open her
own store in 1940. She initially sold school supplies and textbooks to students and teachers.

In 1946, Ramos married her husband, Jose Ramos, and they started to expand the business. They
opened more stores in Manila and other cities in the Philippines, offering a wider range of
products, such as stationery, art supplies, and books for different genres.

National Bookstore became a popular destination for Filipinos looking for affordable school and
office supplies, as well as a wide selection of books. Today, National Bookstore has over 230
branches nationwide, and it remains one of the most successful and respected retail chains in the
Philippines.

Ramos is known for her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to providing quality products and
services to her customers. She is also a philanthropist and has supported various educational and
cultural programs, such as providing scholarships to underprivileged students and supporting the
preservation of Filipino cultural heritage.

Ramos has received numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions to Philippine
business and culture. She was inducted into the Philippine Retailers Association Hall of Fame in
1995 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit by the President of the Philippines in
2008.
National Bookstore is a Philippine-based chain of bookstores founded by Socorro Ramos in
1942. The company started as a small stall selling textbooks and school supplies, and has since
grown to become one of the largest and most successful bookstore chains in the Philippines.
Under Ramos' leadership, National Bookstore has expanded its product offerings to include
office supplies, art materials, and various other items. The company is known for its wide
selection of books and affordable prices, making it a popular destination for book lovers and
students. Ramos is considered a trailblazer in the Philippine retail industry, having built National
Bookstore from humble beginnings into a household name in the country