Fourteen years after the University of San Carlos bestowed an honorary doctorate in Business and Enterprise Development on John Gokongwei Jr., the Cebu-based institution of higher learning has once again honored JG Summit Holdings’ founder and chairman emeritus.
At the first grand reunion for alumni champions of the University of San Carlos held on Oct. 18, 2018 at Summit Galleria Cebu hotel, USC officials led by president Fr. Dionisio Miranda and USC Alumni Association chairman Ronald Po presented the lifetime achievement award to Mr. John.
What a life it has been for Mr. John, now 92 years old. His arc has been described as a twist on the classic rags to riches tale, as Mr. John began his life born to privilege. However, a variety of circumstances pushed his family to lose everything, forcing the then-13-year old John Gokongwei, Jr. to rely on his wits, intelligence, hard work and perseverance to pull himself and his family out of despair, molding him into the man that he is today.
After the university presented Mr. John with the lifetime achievement award “for a lifetime, fully lived, of invaluable contributions that addressed the needs of local, national, regional, and global communities, and for having deeply touched, empowered, and transformed the lives of others through a legacy of entrepreneurship and education,” a commissioned portrait of Mr. John was unveiled. Then, it was time for the man of the hour to speak.
Addressing the crowd of school officials, fellow alumni and his close friends and family members, Mr. John began his brief yet inspiring acceptance speech by showing his deep appreciation for his hometown and his alma mater.
“I flew this morning on the airline I named after the city I love, Cebu Pacific. I went to school here at the University of San Carlos for my primary and high school. I was valedictorian in grade school and I was number one in high school and because of that, I received free tuition in school. I thank the school for that,” he said with gratitude.
Displaying his still sharp memory, Mr. John then shared a recollection from his younger academic years, back when the school was still known as Colegio de San Carlos, drawing chuckles from the crowd. “I especially remember Fr. Smith, who was the disciplinarian, because one day he caught me running in front of his office, and I had to stand in the corner for one hour,” said Mr. John, providing a rare glimpse of his mischievous side.
Mirroring his own life, the speech then grew serious. “When I was 13 years old, my father died, leaving me to take care of my mother, my brother and my sister. At the time, my youngest brother James was only nine months old. I took care of them all because the family has always been my priority,” he said.
As life’s twists forced him to drop out of school, Mr. John honed his entrepreneurial skills, first by selling peanuts from his backyard, then by becoming a peddler at the market. Along the way, he also developed his legendary toughness and resilience.
“It was here in Cebu that I earned my first few pesos. I always used to wake up before dawn to ride my bicycle to the public market many kilometers away. I set up a little table in the market to sell spools of thread, bars of soap, and candles,” he said.
“I earned about 20 pesos a day by working longer and harder than everyone else, but it didn’t matter because I really loved my work. I loved being an entrepreneur,” he said.
Using himself as an example, he proved that it’s never too late to learn and that you are never too old to be working—as long as you have the passion for it.
“Today, I am 92 years old. I still wake up early and I still love what I am doing. I still know everything that is going on in my company,” said Mr John, bring his speech to a close.
“I still love to learn and I’m always reading books, and now, online stories in this digital age. I always tell my children, my grandchildren, and my colleagues: Love your work, work hard at it. Love your family. Love your country, never stop learning, and always look back and be grateful to where you came from,” he said.
From a precocious, intelligent child to one of Asia’s most admired businessmen, it’s a lifetime achievement definitely worth celebrating.
