Without doubt, it takes nothing short of a genius to simultaneously manage multiple corporations with impeccable efficiency to deliver the desired results.
I am talking here about Manuel Veles Pangilinan—simply MVP to most people—who is so successful everything he touches virtually turns into gold.
And perhaps, MVP, more commonly translated as Most Valuable Player, is a most fitting moniker for the man who, at this point, has nothing more to ask for.
But what is his secret to success?
There is no secret, he says, and I suppose he doesn’t have the mythical Midas touch either.
Addressing Ateneo de Manila University graduates a few years back, MVP said; “When it comes to success, there are no secrets, no magic, no mystery.”
In his speech, MVP enumerated the ingredients of success. “I told them (graduates) that success springs from old-fashion values—values as fundamental as being honest and truthful—with yourself and with others. And so is being diligent, hard-working, and disciplined.”
“But most of all, success is about passion—passion to succeed, passion for excellence, passion to compete,” he added.
MVP himself was an alumnus of the Ateneo where he graduated cum laude in Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Then he dreamed of taking his master’s degree in the United States although he was aware that his parents could not afford the costs of attaining his vision.
So he explored his options, and Lady Luck smiled down on him. Procter and Gamble was offering scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. Established in 1881, it was reputedly the world’s oldest collegiate business school.
So it came to pass that MVP took the competitive tests for the scholarship, and passed it with flying colors, so to speak.
However, MVP had his own share of defeat. It was even ironic that after his masteral at Wharton, he applied for a job at Procter and Gamble, but he was rejected.
“I ended up working at PHINMA where I had the privilege of working for and learning from many giants in Philippine industry,” he recalled.
After seven years in PHINMA, MVP decided it was time to expand his career horizons. So, he flew to Hong Kong, resolute to go it alone, cognizant though that being still young, he is vulnerable to mistakes.
Somehow, the negative thought failed to dampen his determination.
Eventually, he formed First Pacific in 1981 and rented a 50-square meter room as its base of operations, manned by no more than six people, himself included. Thus, the seed of the money tree was sown.
Cutting to the chase, when First Pacific turned 30 in 2011, it has ballooned into a regional conglomerate with operations across Asia and more than 100,000 workers under its wings. The rest is history.
Presently, MVP has memberships in some 120 corporate boards across more than 20 industries. That’s an awful lot of hats to wear, I daresay.
In addition, he is a staunch supporter of sports, and maybe, we can consider him the patron saint of Philippine boxing, having been chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, and chairman emeritus of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
MVP sat as managing director of First Pacific since its inception in 1981 until 1999. He was named executive chairman until June 2003, after which he was named managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) .
Additionally, MVP held the positions of president commissioner of PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk based in Indonesia.
At the home front, he is chairman, president and CEO of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., chairman of PLDT Inc., Smart Communications, Inc., PLDT Communications and Energy Ventures, Inc., Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), Global Business Power Corp., Maynilad Water Services, Inc., Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., NLEX Corp., Philex Mining Corp., PXP Energy Corp., Landco Pacific Corp., Medical Doctors, Inc. (Makati Medical Center), Colinas Verdes Corp. (Cardinal Santos Medical Center), Mediaquest Holdings, Inc. and Associated Broadcasting Corp. (TV 5), and vice chairman of Roxas Holdings, Inc.
In recognition of MVP’s contributions to the country, the Philippine Air Force conferred on him the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (reservist) in July 2021.
In 2010, the President of the Philippines awarded MVP the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Bayani.
He was also bestowed the First Honorary Doctorate Degree in Management by the Asian Institute of Management in 2016, Honorary Doctorate in Science by Far Eastern University in 2010, in Humanities by the Holy Angel University in 2008, by Xavier University in 2007 and by San Beda College in 2002.
He was formerly chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ateneo and was a member of the Board of Overseers of Wharton.
In the corporate social responsibility department, MVP sits as chairman of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), PLDT-Smart Foundation Inc., One Meralco Foundation Inc., co-chairman of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), and director of the Philippine Business for Education (PBED).
He is chairman of the Board of Trustees of San Beda College and co-chairman of the Board of Trustees of Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute and the U.S.–Philippine Society.
IF reading through MVP’s credentials should was dizzying enough, how much more about the man on whose shoulders actually rest all those duties and responsibilities?
Notwithstanding his incredible achievements, MVP never forgets where he comes from.
Born on July 14, 1946 in a not-so-middle class neighborhood in Little Baguio, San Juan, MVP says he was not exactly a stranger to the tribulations of dire economic want. “From my bedroom window, I could see, smell, and feel the lives of the poor,” he narrated. He said he overhear quarrels between husband and wife, watched people fetch water from leaking pipes and canals, and children multiplying like mushrooms.
MVP admitted they were neither rich nor poor, but perseverance, hard work, and determination made the difference.
For school allowance, he gets 25 centavos daily for a bottle of soda, crackers, and bus fair to and from his place of study.
His grandfather started off as a public school teacher in Pampanga, later became superintendent of public schools, and eventually secretary of education despite the fact he was a college dropout.
His father was a messenger at then state-owned Philippine National Bank, while his mom was plain housewife.
Before the end of his commencement speech at the Ateneo, MVP enunciated some terse words of wisdom. “We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world.”
Maybe, what he meant was for young people to be prepared to tackle the bull by the horn. In other words, meet the challenges head on.