Mr.

Fernando Zobel de Ayala serves as

the Chairman and President of Alabang
Commercial Corporation. Mr. de Ayala
has been Chief Operating Officer and
President of Ayala Corp. since April 2006
and serves as its Vice Chairman. Mr. de
Ayala has been Executive Director of
Ayala Corporation since May 1994. He
served as an Executive Managing Director and a Co-Vice Chairman of Ayala Corp. He serves as
the Chairman of Ayala DBS Holdings, Inc., AC Energy Holdings, Inc., Ayala International Pte.
Ltd., Ayala Automotive Holdings, Inc., AC International Finance Ltd., Ayala Hotels, Inc. (AHI),
Ayala Infrastructure Ventures, Inc., Enjay Hotels, Inc., Caritas Manila, Roxas Land Corporation,
Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club, Inc., Laguna Properties Holdings, Inc., Hero Foundation,
Inc. and Manila Water Company, Inc and has been its Director since October 19, 1994. He serves
as a Co Vice-Chairman of Globe Telecom, Inc. He serves as the Vice Chairman of Aurora
Properties, Inc., Habitat for Humanity International, Azalea Technologies, Inc. and Vesta Property
Holdings, Inc. He serves as Vice Chairman of Mermac, Inc. He served as Vice Chairman of Ayala
International Pte. Ltd. and Ayala Foundation, Inc. He has been Independent Director of Pilipinas
Shell Petroleum Corporation since April 30, 1996. Mr. de Ayala has been a Director of Manila
Water Company Inc. since May 15, 1997; Globe Telecom, Inc. since October 1995 and Integrated
Microelectronics, Inc. since January 1, 1995. He serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees at
International Council Of Shopping Centers Inc. He serves as a Director of Ayala International
Holdings Ltd. He serves as a Director of Pure Foods Corporation, LiveIt Investments, Ltd., Honda
Cars Philippines, Inc., AI North America, Inc., Ambeca Pte Ltd., AG Holdings Limited, Ayala
International Pte Ltd., Ayala International Property Pte Ltd., Ayalafil (US) Co Inc., Habitat for
Humanity International Auspac Pte Ltd., Cottlesloe Int’l Limited, Stevens Park Pte Ltd., Asiacom
Philippines, Inc., Isuzu Philippines Corporation and Manila Peninsula. He serves as a Trustee of
Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig Advisory Board and National Museum.
Mr. de Ayala serves as a Member of The Asia Society, World Economic Forum, INSEAD East
Asia Council and World President’ Organization. He serves as a Co-Chairman of Philippines-
Japan Economic Cooperation Committee and Chairman of Habitat for Humanity’s Asia-Pacific
 REACTION PAPER

SOCORO RAMOS

National Book Store, the Philippine’s largest chain of bookstores is the featured success story for
today as we witness the life story of the woman behind it, Socorro Ramos or more commonly
know to her staffs as Nanay Coring.

Her story is truly an inspiring one as she built the business National Book Store from scratch with
a lot of challenges and hurdles as she and her husband Jose Ramos literally built and rebuilt the
business three times from scratch. That’s the true entrepreneurial spirit with enough courage and
determination

JOHN GOKONGWEI

to keep your mind sharp, and to face your inner fears. In the end, entrepreneurship is not only
finding opportunities to create value in the business sense, but also finding the opportunities to be
your best self John Gokongwei Jr. has everything that a person should possess in order to become
a successful entrepreneur. He was confident enough to seek for opportunities, plan
creatively/innovatively and intelligently take risks. A strong desire for achievement that made him
responsible and self-directed is also John’s strength. He is also an independent man who has a core
capability to solve problems of his business. Gokongwei's prosperity conveys with it an inexorable story
that can motivate each learning and Being able to have self knowledge, and act according to what is
in the best interest for our individuality and the people who surround us is wise. The reason most
of our leaders are old is because they are wiser and have more knowledge. They have lived longer
lives, and they have more experience, which usually makes them have a better judgment. There is
an old saying in the Spanish language: that the devil knows more for being old, than for being the
devil. Success cannot be accomplished if one cannot take advice and learn from somebody else's
mistakes. Wisdom is the ability to observe something and come to the conclusion of whether the
results were good or bad
HENRY SY

Opportunity is where yo u find it, not where it finds yo u . Crisis

a n d weakness indicate one can look for opportunities. Transforming problemsinto
opportunities can bring good returns. Prosperity and growth come onlyto a business
that systematically exploits its potentials and systematicallyoptimizes its
performances.” These are few words from the daughter of the richest man in thePhilippines, as
she shared the story of his father’s success. This man is noneother than, Mr. Henry Sy, a
considered “Tai-Pan” who is the founder of SMgroup and chairman of SM Prime
Holdings – the largest retail chain in thecountry known as SM or Shoe Mart, and also
the owner of Banko De Oro –EPCI Bank and majority holder in China Bank.Because of Mr.
Sy’s determination, discipline, optimism, thriftiness andhis perseverance to pursue their
goals despite those tough times includingthe Asian crisis and World War II; from just a
reseller of sachet products, to aventure of American shoes, to seller of accessories,
apparels and leathergoods, he is now the owner of 33 SM malls - including the SM
Mall of Asiawhich is considered the fourth largest mall in the world – plus in addition
tohis bank, the recent acquisition he made like Equitable PCI Bank.It is indeed another rags-to-
riches stor

FERNANDO AYALA ZOBEL

for true success is the ability to be in touch with our own spirituality. To be able to look at
ourselves, as small beings of a much bigger creation and know that our creator is something much
bigger than we, makes us take decisions that not only benefit ourselves but also the people that
surround us. The only thing that separates human beings from other animals is the ability to belief
in something that is beyond what we can see, touch, or smell; this is the believe in a higher being
that is the ruler and creator of everything. Faith in a higher being is what makes us respect each
other and fear to do wrong. Sharing, helping each other, and being able to love our descendant's
future more than our own lives are all examples of how our spirituality makes us successful.