Tourism Advocate

CEBU, Philippines - He is a motivational speaker, a resource person on relevant industry issues specially on tourism, and   is  a catalyst of change. He has co-authored manuals and booklets such as the Convention and Exhibiton Manual, The Basic Guidelines of Importing in the Philippines and Bring Out the Best. He holds the distinct honor of being Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Latvia to the Philippines.

As the catchphrase of the Johnny Carson late night show would say…Heeere’s Robert Lim Joseph.

Bobby, as he is fondly called, is first and foremost a dedicated husband to wife Ida, and a loving father to daughters Rea Gonzales and Riza Yuhico and to sons,  Robi, Richard and River.

In business, he has had more than his share of successes. He is Chairman of the  Philippine Wine Merchants that imports and distributes wines and spirits from around the world since 1975 and  is chairman of Coltrans Cargo Group of Companies.

He is the founder of  NAITAS, (National Association of Independent Travel Agencies), one of the most active travel organizations in the country.  He travels extensively around the country, organizing students into a League of Tourism Students. To further develop this, he has gathered members of the academe, most notably deans and teachers, and formed TEAM Philippines, an  acronym for Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines, Inc. He also founded 777 and 888 News forum and is a member of the Rotary Club of Manila, Management Association of the Philippines, Skal International and the Manila Overseas Press Club.  He is passionate and outspoken about his advocacies that include Fair Open Skies and the Culture of tourism.

But along the way, four years ago he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. They were words  nobody wants to hear. During the months and years  that followed since that grim prognosis, Bobby has been on a journey of self discovery. He has uncovered facets of his personality that he never imagined, dormant character traits that even now make him smile with a sense of personal pride and personal satisfaction. He has a heart of a fighter and a hard won confidence in his ability to survive.

There is an incredible amount of love and support from his family and dear friends. This was manifested recently when he celebrated his birthday in Cebu, his second home, surrounded by family   and dear  friends from the different sectors of society.

Bobby’s journey has been filled with lessons learned from everyone whose path he has crossed. Likewise, he has shared countless experiences of humility, generosity without expecting rewards, joy and courage that have greatly inspired his family, friends and associates.

Filled with colorful anecdotes about his life, Bobby has a deep sense of compassion, a great curiosity about people and ideas, and a burning passion for living life to the fullest. (FREEMAN)