Not only that Cebu is rich in terms of natural wonders and resources, it also hosts to a number of economic developers who have helped the island province become the center for tourism, business, infrastructures, and economic development. In fact, according to the provincial government of Cebu, the growth rate of the province for the past five years has averaged to almost 20 percent – considerably higher than of the country and any other province in the Philippines.
Here are Cebu’s wealthiest billionaires who continue to move and shape the economic status of the province. May their success inspire you and more Cebuanos to aspire and realize their dreams.
Erramond Aboitiz is the grandchild of the Aboitiz patriarch, Don Ramon Aboitiz. He is the current president and chief executive officer of the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc – a company that is highly involved in banking, food, land development, and biofuel.
Michel Lhuillier is the founder and chairman of the largest financial and real estate businesses in the Philippines – the M Lhuillier Group of Companies. From pawning and remittances, Lhuillier Group of Companies has also now ventured into construction, restaurants, food product importation, food processing, and many more. He is the father of the international fashion designer, Monique Lhuillier.
Belonging to the prominent Gaisano family, Jack Gaisano is one of the children of the founders of Metro Retail Stores, Victor and Sally Gaisano. He is the current Director of Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. which has over 45 stores in Luzon and Visayas. Aside from this, Jack Gaisano is also the Chairman and President of Taft Property Venture Development Corporation, Midland Development Corporation, and Vsec.com Inc. as well as President and Vice Chairman of HTLand, Inc.
Known as the man who makes education possible to those who have less in life, Attorney Augusto Go is the founder and president of the University of Cebu and chairman of Toyota Cebu City. He is also the chairman of the Board of Aspac Rural Bank Inc., Cebu Central Realty Corp. (Elizabeth Mall), Cebu Coliseum Complex Inc., Metro Ferry Inc., Visayan Surety and Insurance Corp. and AWG Development Corp. Augusto Go is also the Chairman of the Board of the College of Technological Sciences-Cebu, the president of Cebu Eastern College and a Member of the Board of Sacred Heart School-Jesuits.
Bernie Liu is the man behind the clothing line, Penshoppe which has over 800 stores around the world including the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and many others.
Danny Lua is the Chairman and President of the country’s overall market leader in the bottled water industry, Nature’s Spring bottle water. Just last 2016, the Lua family entered into the hospitality business by opening Bai Hotel , which is located in North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City, near the primary commercial and business district of the city.
Justin Sy Uy is the founder of the largest dried fruit producer in the country, Profood International Inc. The company is known for producing and selling dried and processed fruits and juices to more than 50 countries around the world. To address the growing demand of the mango industry, he also built a plant in Cambodia that would supply the requirement of dried mangoes for the Chinese market.
From mangoes, he then ventured into tourism and retail by investing billions of pesos to buy the Korean company that used to own JPark Island Resort and Waterpark of BXT Corporation. And just recently, he also opened the P8 billion JPark Island Resort in Panglao.
Jose Soberano III is the great man behind one of the biggest real estate developers in the Southern Philippines, Cebu Landmasters Inc. He was one of the brains who worked for the entry of Ayala Group in the establishment of Cebu Business Park and Cebu IT Park. Currently, Cebu Landmasters has more than 45 projects in seven key cities in V isayas and Mindanao.
Jay Aldeguer is the founder of the renowned provider of premium-quality souvenir items in the country – Islands Souvenirs. Island Souvenirs has become the most awarded retail concept in the Philippines that has distributed to all the high traffic tourist destinations like of Boracay, Bohol, Palawan, Baguio, Vigan, Manila, and many others. His zest and creativity has been duly acknowledge as he was recognized as the recipient of the prestigious “The Outstanding Young Men” Award for Business Entrepreneurship by the former president Fidel V. Ramos. Also, he was also included as one of the “10 Most Outstanding Filipino Entrepreneurs” by the Entrepreneur Philippines and “International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year- Philippines” by the British Council.
As an advocate of Philippine tourism, he also earned the “Entrepreneur of the Year Tourism” award given by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry conferred by then-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Kenneth Cobonpue is an internationally-known Cebuano industrial designer who is highly-recognized for his unique designs using indigenous materials through innovative handmade production. He holds several international awards like Hong Kong’s Design for Asia Award, Japan Good Design Award, French Coup de Coeur Award, and the first Asian Designer of the Year title given by the Maison et Objet in Paris. The award winning Filipino Designer, was hailed by TIME Magazine’s “Rattan’s First Great Virtuoso”.
