Success strategies of ‘The Philippine Star’

Officers and members of the Association of Young Filipino Chinese Entrepreneurs (AYFCE) recently honored The Philippine STAR and its president, Miguel Go Belmonte, at a private dinner at Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Feb. 26.

AYFCE honorary chairman Michael “Mike” G. Tan of the Lucio Tan Group revealed to me that on March 14, the board of trustees of their alma mater Xavier School will confer on Belmonte the prestigious “2014 Xavier-Kuangchi Award for Exemplary Alumni” along with three other achievers. Another awardee was the late idealistic social worker Lawrence Dy Ong, whose mother is my paternal cousin. Two other awardees are the late agriculture philanthropist Willy U. Co and rural barrio preventive health care advocate Dr. Roland Stephen T. Cua.

Under Belmonte’s stewardship, the STAR has surpassed other older newspapers in advertising revenues consistently “every month since October 2006 up to now. It is also the biggest newsprint consumer in the Philippines.”

More significantly, the newspaper continues his late mother Betty Go Belmonte’s commitment to a free and independent press, and Belmonte has preserved his mother’s philanthropic legacy as chairman of Operation Damayan, which is the only newspaper social arm that is active throughout the year.

What are the factors behind the newspaper’s success? Belmonte shared some strategies with AYFCE, such as a balanced and positive outlook, “its strength in the A, B and upper C market segments with the most purchasing power,” innovativeness as seen in the strong and interesting sections, high quality and standards, the overall dynamic and competitive spirit, the integrity of the newspaper, and taking good care of all their employees.

On integrity as the key to success, Belmonte said, “A newspaper without credibility is nothing; it wouldn’t even be worth the paper it’s printed on.”

On the company policy of taking good care of all employees as a top priority in the newspaper business, he revealed: “Two days before my mother Betty Go Belmonte died in January 1994, her last words to me were, ‘Miguel, please take care of my people.’”

* * *

Microsoft Retires Bill Gates & Steve Ballmer

Whether big or small firms, even for non-profit organizations, succession planning is all-important. A daunting challenge is how to ensure long-term success and continuity beyond the lifetimes of the leaders, most especially if they’re first-generation founders.

Speaking of succession planning, the world’s largest software giant, Microsoft Corporation, is showing the way by retiring its two world-famous big billionaire bosses, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, as chairman and president, relegating them to still-important positions on the board of directors but allowing an infusion of new blood and new leadership.

Microsoft Corp. chairman John Thompson, a board member since 2012 who replaced co-founder Gates as chairman earlier this month, led the recent search for a new chief executive officer, which led to the choice of Satya Nadella to succeed Ballmer.    

The world-famous Gates will spend more time on company strategy, similar to JG Summit Holdings founder John Gokongwei Jr. and Metrobank Group boss George SK Ty.

Thompson told the international media that he never envisioned becoming Microsoft chairman and he plans to mentor Nadella, whom he described as “young and aggressive and open-minded.”

* * *

Bohol as the next bali for tourism entreprenurs?

The government should give more support and incentives for tourism entrepreneurs, whether local or foreign, so the Philippines can surpass our ASEAN neighbors in tourist arrivals and revenues.

I heard that one of the country’s top business leaders, John Gokongwei Jr., has been visiting Bohol province. Does he have plans to tap its immense tourism potential?

Two high-end resorts there are the Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa owned by entrepreneur Richard Lim and Amorita Resort owned by Ateneo de Manila University management cum laude graduate Ria Hernandez Cauton, whose Hernandez family owns Victory Liner. Bohol entrepreneur Marlito Uy bought half of the Fonacier family’s Bohol Beach Club Resort and opened South Palm Resort. The Henan Group of Henry Chusuey is also now in Bohol.

The newest addition to the Bohol tourism boom is the luxurious three-hectare, 169-room The Bellevue Resort, owned by Johnny Chan of Bellevue Manila Hotel in Alabang’s Filinvest City. It has the biggest beachfront in Panglao. His son Ryan said their target markets are high-end Europe, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong tourists.

On the future of Bohol, Ryan said, “Bohol is going to be the next Bali, in the sense that there’s going to be direct international flights when the international airport will open in 2016 in time for President Noynoy Aquino’s term. We hope the Department of Tourism continues to promote Bohol more globally, because tourism is one of the sunrise industries of the Philippines, which benefits many sectors.”

When asked to name one competitor resort he admires, Chan, who is the Bellevue Group of Hotels executive, said, “Botanika Tarsier Resort owned by a top Hong Kong-based French interior designer Nicholas Moussemppes and his wife Patricia. His project is eight villas on eight hectares of land, with a nice art museum and deck restaurant.”

* * *

Politico franchises good-reputation businesses

Unlike other traditional politicos, former La Salle basketball athlete and now San Juan City Vice Mayor Francis Zamora of the distinguished political and mining clan has planned to focus on his public-service career by creating stable cash cows through franchising his own good-reputation businesses. His latest venture is the first Goldilocks bakeshop outlet in Greenhills, San Juan, which opened on Feb. 22.

Goldilocks operations head Franklin Go said that Zamora is so unassuming that he personally went to apply for a franchise, and that the vice mayor and his team even underwent the required one-month training.

When I asked Zamora’s mom, art collector Rose Zamora, how she raised a son who is not spoiled and has no feeling of entitlement, she said, “When my kids were young, I already brought them to my business meetings and even during collections from clients of curtains I was selling. At the grocery when my kids had requests, I didn’t agree and would tell them that we had to buy the essentials first, then if there was still money left, only then could their requests be considered.”

STAR reader and DZMM’s popular Sakto radio program host Amy Perez also shared that many listeners ask for advice on how to make the most of their shopping budget. She said, “Never go to the grocery if you’re hungry, because you’ll become takaw mata and tend to buy too much. Whether rich or ordinary shoppers, it is best to shop wisely.” Her co-host Marc Logan, who has a growing family, agrees that spending wisely is a good habit.

* * *

Aussie firm with filipina exec donates to Yolanda victims

Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon shared the news that they recently received a generous donation for typhoon Yolanda victims from Australian multinational engineering firm Jord International, which was turned over to him by its high-ranking Filipina executive Jessie Salazar and staff from their Philippine branch.

Salazar said that Jord International not only hopes to do more business in the fast-growing Philippine economy and tap the country’s “wealth of technical personnel and talents,” the Australian firm will also continue its civic commitment to help in social development.

* * *

Thanks for your feedback! E-mail willsoonflourish@gmail.com. or follow WilsonLeeFlores on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and http://willsoonflourish.blogspot.com/.