Real estate magnate Manuel Villar remained as the country’s richest for the third straight year, with a total net worth of $7.2 billion, based on Forbes magazine’s 35th annual world’s billionaires list.
Villar and 16 other Filipino billionaires were included in this year’s Forbes’ list.
The former Senate president’s riches come from his real estate businesses Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. and Golden Bria Holdings Inc., and retail development under Vista Malls Inc. and All Home Corp.
Villar’s global ranking jumped 200 spots to No. 352 in Forbes’ list this year from 565th place in 2020.
Port and casino tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. is the second-richest Filipino with total net worth of $5 billion.
The 61-year old Razon is the chairman of International Container Terminal Services, the country’s leading terminal operator and Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which owns and operates Solaire Casino & Resorts. He ranked No. 561 in the global list.
Beer and tobacco taipan Lucio Tan placed third and was ranked 925th worldwide with a total net worth of $3.3 billion followed by two of the six heirs of the late mall tycoon Henry Sy—Hans Sy and Herbert Sy and real estate tycoon Andrew Tan with net worth of $3 billion, each.
Other heirs from the Sy family—Harley Sy, Henry Sy Jr. and Teresita Sy-Coson posted net worth of $2.7 billion each, while Elizabeth Sy followed with net worth of $2.4 billion. Jollibee Foods Corp. chairman Tony Tan Caktiong also had $2.4 billion.
Other Filipinos included in the Forbes billionaires list are San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang, San Miguel director Inigo Zobel, JG Summit president Lance Gokongwei, former Trade minister Roberto Ongpin Jr., Century Pacific Food Inc. chairman Ricardo Po Sr. and DoubleDragon Corp. chairman Edgar Sia II.
Forbes said 2021 was a record-breaking year with a total of 2,755 billionaires, including 493 newcomers, which is unprecedented by any measure, especially in a year in which large economies around the world were hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Altogether, they are worth $13.1 trillion, up from $8 trillion in the 2020 list.
Outgoing Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos remained at the top of the list for the fourth straight year, with a net worth of $177 billion.
