Once known as the man behind Carmen’s Best Premium Ice Cream, Francisco “Paco” Magsaysay is now dipping into the world of technology as the president and chief executive officer of Asian Vision.
A leading internet service provider in Zambales, Batangas, and Quezon, Asian Vision started as a cable television company in 1973. It has evolved since to offer an ecosystem centered on internet cable and connectivity with managed services, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, professional IT services, and structured cabling.
Drawing from his experience as an entrepreneur, Paco aims to empower small and medium enterprises with these technologies, especially businesses in areas outside of Metro Manila.
“We have local presence. We have people on the ground who provide good customer service. A lot of our staff are locals in the areas we currently service, so they know what’s going on there. You need to give your customers the attention and importance they deserve, and that’s what Asian Vision provides,” Paco said.
According to Paco, while industry leaders are concentrating on big businesses, they have been keen on serving local businesses instead. For him, being Mr. Ice Cream guy, it takes one entrepreneur to know the struggle of another entrepreneur.
“Our competitors are focused on the big corporations, so that creates a void for the small and medium-scale enterprises. That is the market that we want to serve, particularly the businesses engaged in tourism, healthcare, hotels and resorts, and banking and finance,” he added.
These are companies, he explained, that serve a dedicated market and do not have the capacity to invest in telco-grade equipment. He further revealed that there are also companies that are big users of data but are intimidated to take the next step and are still unfamiliar with the technology they need to grow their business, for instance, a cloud storage.
“From offering cable services in the past to now becoming a full ICT services company, we want to serve the people from the grassroots level. We can help SMEs grow their business because we know their aspirations,” he further shared.
Through its partnerships with industry leaders, Asian Vision aims to build an ecosystem whereby its clients can benefit from various services that will help grow their businesses. Among Asian Vision’s current partners are Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Cisco, Google, GreatnessLab, Huawei, Kyrios, Packetworx, Sprout Solutions, and more.
Asian Vision was founded by Paco’s father, the former Senator Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay, Jr. who is the son of beloved former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay.
Paco may not be in politics, but he has proven that credibility and integrity run in the family, even when running a private enterprise.
On his own, Paco did not only grow a successful artisanal ice cream business, he has also received industry awards and the recognition of his peers. He has received the 2018 Agora Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, the 2022 Emerging Entrepreneur Award from the Italian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the 2022 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Small Business Category, and the 2022 Mansmith Award for Enterprise Innovator for Product Innovation.
Most recently, he was named one of the Philippines’ Top 30 Leaders on LinkedIn and was given the Leadership Catalyst – Top Business Leader for Innovation Award.