HBD, MVP
By Robbie Pangilinan
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 14 Jul 2011
Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP), the highest paid Chief Executive Officer in the Philippines, celebrates his birthday with this wish: health and wealth to his family, co-workers, and the Filipinos. The Chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the country?s pioneer, largest and most profitable telecommunications company, and Smart Communications, Inc., the Philippines? leading wireless services provider, has nothing else to wish for himself. After all, it can be said that he has lived his life to the full, with his myriad of different businesses and advocacies in the ?academe, charitable, non-government, arts and culture, sports and health organizations (www.smart.com.ph)?.
The basketball chief?s birthday celebration will be highlighted by a possible two-game series between Smart-Gilas-Pilipinas and an NBA All-Star Selection on July 25 and 26 at the Araneta Coliseum. The game is part of the team?s build up for the coming Fiba Asia championship in Wuhan, China in September. NBA Superstars Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Mario Chalmers and Andrei Igoudala are expected to play in MVP?s birthday gift to Filipino basketball fans.
He chairs other companies like the Associated Broadcasting Company (TV5), Pilipino Telecommunication Corporation (Talk N' Text), Manila Electric Company (Meralco), Digitel, ePLDT Ventus Inc., Stradcom International Holdings Inc., First Pacific Company Ltd., Digitel, Maynilad Water Services, Inc., Medical Doctors, Inc., Landco Pacific Corporation, Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and of the Board of Trustees of San Beda College where he studied elementary and high school.
MVP now owns ABC 5 (TV5), a fast-rising network that has proved to be a fierce competition for the country?s top networks with its innovative programming. The PBA Board of Governors has recently approved TV5?s offer to cover the league in the next five years.
Pangilinan?s first job was as an executive assistant. After this initial hurdle, he went on to establish First Pacific in Hong Kong, a regional banking and trading business that started with six employees and a 50-square meter office. Its companies now have more than 60,000 employees across the region and $5-billion sales.
He established the PBA team Meralco Bolts after buying the Sta. Lucia Realtors franchise. He likewise owns the Talk N? Text Phone Pals and Smart Gilas Pilipinas, a developmental national basketball team that aims to make it to the 2012 London Olympics. He is the patron of reigning UAAP and NCAA champions Ateneo and San Beda College. He has also been eyed to help save the Sacramento Kings of the NBA by personally investing an estimated $260 million, which will make him the first Asian to control an NBA franchise.
He heads the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the governing body in amateur basketball. He is also chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) and is a staunch supporter of various sports organizations and events.
The MVP Sports Foundation, with its slogan ?GOAL Pilipinas,? is Pangilinan?s advocacy. He calls sports ?a powerful catalyst for change? which ?can be the answer to our desire to lead better lives.? The foundation will support basketball, boxing, cycling, taekwondo, badminton, tennis, running and football.
Pangilinan?s goals for these sports are to be the Asian champion in basketball, to get Olympic gold medals in boxing and taekwondo, as well as an Asian games gold in running, to produce a Filipino rider competing in the Tour de France in cycling, and to be among the best in Asia in badminton, football and tennis.
MVP is known to have high ethical standards. He never compromises his principles. In his keynote speech at the Ateneo graduation in 2006, he said, ?I [also] want to offer a warning: you will meet people who?ll entice you to compromise your principles. They?ll try to seduce you and distract you with money, power, security and perhaps, most dangerously, a sense of belonging. Don?t let them; it?s not worth it. You can have genuine values and still get that job. You can have a conscience and still make money.?
This man has been an inspiration to me, personally and professionally. I admire him not only because he is my grandfather, but because of his immense contribution to Philippine sports, economy and status. MVP?s father is my grandfather?s cousin. He is the uncle of Senator Kiko Pangilinan, media personality Anthony Pangilinan, and talent manager Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano.
He has been named ?Management Man of the Year 2005? by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), primarily for being an exemplary Filipino capable of effective and ethical leadership and of competing with the best in the international business community. Truly a role model. Certainly worth emulating.
During the MVP Sports Foundation?s launch, Pangilinan said, ?In life, nothing quite compares to the thrills of victory. And I want to share this feeling with everyone.?
For the victory in this part of our lives, we only have MVP to thank. Happy birthday to a great man, a staunch sports advocate, a genius. #
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Robbie Pangilinan.
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