Forbes Park is named after John Kerry’s granduncle

Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. —David Frost

YANGON, Myanmar — This writer recently visited this fast-rising ASEAN economy with 50 businessmen of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) and the Association of Young Filipino Chinese Entrepreneurs (AYFCE) from Feb. 20 to 23. Myanmar is still poorer than the Philippines, but their capital city Yangon has a nicer and less chaotic airport than our old NAIA airport! Last year, Myanmar also received more foreign direct investments than the Philippines.

Among the Filipino tycoons already positioning themselves here in this resource-rich nation are Lucio C. Tan, who has an Asia Brewery factory here for his Cobra energy drink and locally branded soft drinks; Carlos Chan of Liwayway Group, which manufactures his Oishi snack foods here; the family of the late Jose Yao Campos with Unilab; and Dr. Rolando Hortaleza and wife Dr. Rosalinda A. Hortaleza of Splash. Both companies are selling their products in Myanmar.

Lucio Tan is chairman emeritus of FFCCCII, while his son Michael “Mike” G. Tan is honorary chairman of AYFCE. The delegation stayed at Sedona Hotel, owned by Singapore’s Keppel Group, because AYFCE past president Stefan Tong is president of Keppel Philippines and helped make the arrangements. Tan’s executives hosted the luncheon for the Philippine delegation at the century-old House of Memories resto, while executives of FFCCCII adviser and Oishi/Liwayway boss Carlos Chan hosted a lunch at the Summer Pace resto of Traders Hotel. FFCCCII has donated thousands of public schools to poor rural barrios and advocates socio-economic reforms.

Among those who went to Myanmar were outgoing FFCCCII president Tan Ching as well as the candidates to be the next president next month at their biennial convention: Alfonso Siy of Fortune Net Group, Angel Ngu of Angus Aluminum, Henry Lim Bon Liong of Sterling Paper Group, FFCCCII vice-presidential candidates Cecilio Kwok Pedro of Hapee Toothpaste and Reynaldo Go of Columbia Candies.  AYFCE was led by chairman emeritus George T. Siy of Marie France/Facial Care, chairman Jeffrey T. Ng of Astoria Hotels/South Forbes/Cathay Land and AYFCE president Jovenson Ong of Dragon Fireworks, Inc.

source: philstar.com

Philippine business mourns the loss of a ‘governance crusader’

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business organization mourns the loss of Honorable Jesse Robredo, Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

PCCI is one with Secretary Robredo’s family, colleagues, peers and the rest of the country in grieving the loss of a man known to many as the “governance crusader.”

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a man who is known as the face of governance reform in the Philippines. His leadership in DILG and the city of Naga is well recognized as he instituted important reforms that propelled public-private partnership to greater heights,” Miguel B. Varela, PCCI president said.

Robredo, a multi-awarded public servant, was a prime mover of public-private partnership in the city of Naga. As former mayor, he instituted significant reforms in governance transparency, citizens’ participation, investment promotion and local economic development that led to Naga’s recognition as one of the hall of famers of PCCI’s Most Business Friendly Local Government Unit.

Under Robredo’s watch, PCCI and DILG inked a memorandum of agreement to work hand-in-hand in promoting local governance transparency and competitiveness especially in securing and expanding investments. Among the significant advocacies that Robredo pioneered in support of PCCI included, streamlining of business permits and licenses, creation of investors’ assistance centers in LGUs, capacity-building programs in local economic development and business support, and reforms in the LGU code.

“Secretary Robredo’s unmatched integrity and dedicated public service are his significant contribution to the reforms that we support and adhere to in the business sector. We can only hope that his legacy will live in the various institutions and public servants in our country,” Varela emphasized.

source: interaksyon.com