You see their faces with their prim and proper suits in the business pages. They smile when they talk about the ups in the economy. But when the downs are really down — thanks to natural catastrophes and man-made disasters such as corruption and too much politics — their faces are as depressing as the current events in Israel and Ukraine.
But outside the boardroom, what will make them laugh? And what will make them cry? What were their childhood dreams? Who are their idols? What do they wish for ?
For The Philippine STAR’s 28th anniversary, we decided to look beyond bottom lines and search for the heart and soul of 28 captains of industry — not through the usual interviews, but by making them answer questions usually found in teenage slum books. Truth is, these juvenile slum books originated in the late 1890s when French novelist Marcel Proust answered questions in a “confession album to record thoughts and feelings.” Best known for his monumental Remembrance of Things Past, this writer published his Proust Questionnaire answered by eminent personalities of his time. These are essentially the same questions asked by James Lipton in his TV show Inside the Actors Studio, as well as Vanity Fair for its back-page interview.
“Yes, let’s look at their human side,” STAR president Miguel Belmonte said as we emailed questions to movers and shakers in Philippine business. And yes, they preferred to email their answers, except for Manny V. Pangilinan, who graciously found time to sit down for an interview as our stylist David Milan tried to steal smiles for the camera.
In 10 sections starting with this one, 28 business people reveal fragments of their heart and soul. Did you know, for instance, that reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude makes JAZA (Jaime Augusto Zobel) cry? That Fernando Zobel’s idea of happiness is family reunions and yearly motorbike trips with close friends? That MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) is a good singer? That Anton Huang used to race motorcycles? That Ben Chan is able to watch television shows and movies only onboard a plane? That Ramon Ang loves walking in the park? That Virgie Ramos’ idea of happiness is Christmas — she has, in fact, Christmas decor in unexpected nooks of her house the whole year round? That Joey Antonio is a photography enthusiast — he actually takes good travel photos? That Robina Gokongwei-Pe’s childhood dream was to be a samurai warrior? That Lance Gokongwei is a voracious reader — but not of business books? That the song Hindi Kita Malilimutan always makes Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng cry? That Rikki Dee used to sell ladies’ underwear during his college days? That Hans Sy is an avid art lover and his favorite artist is Juvenal Sanso, who was the Sy family’s next-door neighbor during the war? That Nedy Tantoco’s heart melts by watching movies like Frozen? That Tessie Sy-Coson’s idea of happiness is a free schedule? That Marvel comics characters are Isidro Consunji’s favorite heroes and heroines in fiction? That Philip Cruz is a nature lover and loves sailing to near and far islands? That Manny Villar loves poetry? That Fred Uytengsu once dreamed of becoming a heart surgeon? That Kevin Tan really likes to sing — and yes, he is a good singer, that he even sang at his own wedding? That his brother Kendrick Tan is pretty good at Jeopardy? That Mikee Romero really wanted to be a PBA basketball player? That Josephine Gotianun-Yap really wanted to be a fashion designer? That Leo Po is a geeky fanboy at heart? And Chris Po still uses a BlackBerry? That Donnie Tantoco likes to shop but keeps buying the same stuff such as blue shirts? That Michael Tan used to be able to dunk a basketball? And that while his dad George Yang is an acclaimed opera singer, Kenneth Yang is now debuting as a drummer?
The most trivial and mundane questions can look so easy to answer. But then Lance Gokongwei complained: “The questions are hard.”
Tessie Sy-Coson- Vice Chair of SM Investments
Describe your occupation.
Business manager.
What is your chief characteristic?
Hardworking and determined.
Your favorite qualities in a man?
Risk-taking.
Your favorite qualities in a woman?
The mother instinct.
What is your favorite food?
Japanese shabu-shabu and Chinese hotpot.
What makes you laugh?
Real-life comedy.
What makes you cry?
Memories of people in my life that have gone.
Describe your occupation.
Business manager.
What is your chief characteristic?
Hardworking and determined.
Your favorite qualities in a man?
Risk-taking.
Your favorite qualities in a woman?
The mother instinct.
What is your favorite food?
Japanese shabu-shabu and Chinese hotpot.
What makes you laugh?
Real-life comedy.
What makes you cry?
Memories of people in my life that have gone.
What is your present state of mind?
Calmness despite the turbulent news. Jet-lagged at present.
What is your idea of happiness?
No work and free schedule.
What is your personal wish right now?
That our country will continue to be the bright spot in the Asean region.
What is your wish for others?
Let’s all work together for this country.
Hans Sy
Describe your occupation.
Real estate developer.
What is your chief characteristic?
Determined and driven.
Your favorite qualities in a man?
Achievers who are resilient.
Your favorite qualities in a woman?
A self-motivated and result-oriented mindset.
Who is your favorite artist?
Juvenal Sanso.
Who is your favorite author?
Dalai Lama.
Who is the character in history you most despise?
“Despise” is a rather strong word; it’s not in my vocabulary.
What was your childhood dream?
To be the best in all of my endeavors.
Who was your childhood idol?
My dad.
Who is your current idol?
Still my dad.
What is your favorite song?
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
Your favorite singer/band?
Barry White.
What TV shows do you watch?
Almost everything on History Channel.
What is your favorite food?
Particularly Japanese food, but in general “see food.”
What makes you laugh?
Good old friends.
What is your present state of mind?
I would like to think it’s in a dynamic state and resilient to changes and challenges.
Your favorite place in your country?
Tagaytay.
Your favorite place outside your country?
Tokyo, Japan.
What is your idea of happiness?
Having peace of mind.
What is your personal wish right now?
To successfully promote the welfare of our youth in the field of education and sports.
What is your wish for others?
Altruism.