Businessman Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco is back in the business limelight, after agreeing to become the joint venture partner of Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada for the $4-billion Manila Bay Resorts in Parañaque City.
Cojuangco chatted with business journalists, who witnessed the topping-off ceremony for the first hotel development in Manila Bay Resorts, for 30 minutes and candidly answered all questions thrown at him about his other businesses like AirAsia and his plans to venture again into telecommunications.
He was no longer shy and timid, responding with a smile when teased that people came to know he was the new local partner of Okada afterhis long-time companion Gretchen Barreto posted several pictures of him with Okada on her Instagram account even before the official announcement.
Cojuangco said he got the Okada deal not because of his “close link to Malacañang.” Cojuangco, known in the business circle as ‘Tonyboy,’ is a second cousin of President Benigno Aquino III.
“I never went to the president for this. They [Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc.] got the license way, way back,” Cojuangco said.
Cojuangco, the former owner of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and TV 5, was the biggest contributor to the presidential bid of Aquino in 2010.
“I intentionally did not go to Malacañang for this. In fairness to the president, he is very serious about his statement na walang kamag-anak [There are no relatives in government],” he said.
Cojuangco said he did not know about Manila Bay Resorts until the last minute.
“I learned this project in March last year,” he said.
Okada was earlier in talks with Robinsons Land Corp. of tycoon John Gokongwei and Century Properties Group Inc. of Ambassador Jose Antonio to form a joint venture for Manila Bay Resorts.
Negotiations with both parties did not push through.
Okada’s Tiger Resort then teamed up with Cojuangco’s All Seasons Hotel and Resort Corp. to develop Manila Bay Resorts.