I DIDN’T realize I had a number of readers outside the Philippines.

A few of them e-mailed to ask: Where is Mall of Asia? The address is Central Business Park I, Island A, Bay City, Pasay City. If that still confuses you, go to the end of E. de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA, corner Buendia, cross Roxas Boulevard, and go straight until you see the big globe. That’s Mall of Asia. At least two readers wanted some background about Henry Sy Jr.

I have three sessions of interviews with Henry Sy totaling seven hours. Here are some excerpts:

How did you develop your character?

I am the second of seven children—four boys and three sisters.  When I was a boy of 12, I was in China studying. Then I wanted to see the world.  My father was in the Philippines and he would visit his homeland every two to three years. I asked my father if I could come to the Philippines. When I arrived in the Philippines, I was surprised to find my father was working so hard to make a living. He had a sari-sari store.  I saw his business and the surrounding environment. It was not ideal.  So I asked him what can I do.  No. 1, I didn’t speak English.  No. 2, I didn’t speak Tagalog. I asked my father if I could go back to school.  I thought he would not consent.  Fortunately, he said, yes. I studied at the Anglo-Saxon School in Quiapo.

Describe a typical day

I wake up at 7 in the morning after about six hours of sleep. I take fruits for breakfast. Before, I used to exercise by lifting weights.  I use my house as an office.  It’s very convenient.  I can summon anybody, my children, to come here to hold meetings.

I don’t try to mingle with people.  I don’t talk too much.  Externally, I am quite.  But inside, (points a finger at his temple), I’m very strong.

How is your health?

I am in perfect health. I can eat anything. But my knees are weak. I used to visit the malls every weekend. Then I stopped visiting them. That when my knees started to weaken. I am about 170 lbs. Sometimes, I use a wheelchair but I walk whenever I want to.

Why did you think of malls as a business?

In the 1950s, there was a tug of war between the city and the suburb. The downtown area had started to lose its appeal. The space was limited and there wasn’t really much you can do in it. After ten years, everybody wanted to go out of the city. The shopping center came which later gave way to the mall. Everybody got a car.  If you don’t drive your own car, your life is not complete.

I want to do something. Then opportunities came up. So now, I am in this situation.  It began as a hobby which became a business.

How do you get ideas?

I travel.  That’s the only way to discover things.  It’s the best education.  I finished elementary school but not high school because of the war.  After the war, I wanted to go to college.  So I went to FEU and asked them to give me an entrance exam.  They gave it to me and I passed it.  But I reached only until second-year college.

I didn’t finish formal college because of the war. But I have experience.

Item: I went to Cebu last week.  Then I rebooked my Cebu Air return flight.  They charged me P2,000.  Why so much, Bong Mojica?