NO GUTS, NO GLORY: CHAIRMAN GENUINO AND HIS JOURNEY TO PERSONHOOD

Text and Interview by Lea Salen Peralta, Kevin Rein Galang Alvia, and Kimberly Cochingco Wy


HYATT HOTEL—He was not in his office when we arrived. He was attending an urgent meeting with the President and the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management at the Malacañang Palace. We were almost disappointed, and we thought that our toils to satisfy our intrigues about him turned to dust. But when one of his female staff called him via his mobile phone to remind him of a rendezvous with us, he swiftly returned and welcomed us to his chic but manly office.

To say that it was effortless setting up an interview with such a busy personality in the country, especially if he happened to receive instant calls from the President or if he happened to speak in a conference in such a short notice, with no ample time to accommodate a personal interview in his extra hectic to-do list, was a tall tale, only professional mass media practitioners obtain. Our young hearts were throbbing—intimidated with the proud stance that he carried around. But when we stepped into his cold and spacious office, he seemed calm and unperturbed; his workaholic image did not seem to reflect on his face. Despite his stylish red tie and sophisticated black coat, giving him a seemingly domineering façade, he looked like an ordinary man, very warm and in all smiles, working yet in a not-so-ordinary office.

He was talking with a man in an executive ensemble—perhaps meeting an associate who was beating a deadline—when his beautiful receptionist ushered us inside his office. When he saw us, he surprisingly cut their conversation short and warmly accommodated us. He invited us to sit in front of his big, black desk. Still in awe, we started the interview with a light query about his childhood. It was a free-wheeling interview that took us more than an hour jotting down everything that we need to know.

Mr Efraim Cruz Genuino described himself as a man of honor, integrity, and strong character. Reared in San Roque, Navotas, though he was born in General Trias, Cavite, Mr Genuino told us that his childhood was inevitably difficult because he came from a brood of three boys and 12 girls. Mr Felix Genuino, his father, was a simple fisherman, while Mrs Trinidad Cruz, his mother, was a plain housewife. However, with his father’s hard labor in the ocean and in raising swine, with the mutual support of his family, which according to him, “was more than enough to form a basketball team,” they had modest but honorable lives.

“Nagtitinda ako ng ice drops at nag-aalaga ng paanaking baboy noon. Nasa Tangos Elementary School ako noon,” Mr Genuino remembered.

It was in high school when Mr Genuino developed his sense of leadership. He served as the corps commander of the Wesleyan High School Philippine Military Training, now Citizen Advancement Training. As a martial artist, he also developed his sense of valor, bouyancy, and moral fiber, adding that he is a black belter.

“Ang mga iyon ang kailangan natin sa buhay. Kailangan nating maging matapang. No guts, no glory, kumbaga,” Mr Genuino explained. “Pero, noong high school ako, nahuli akong nangongopya. Napahiya ako. Nagbago ako. Nag-aral ako ng mabuti.” And he graduated as third honorable mention, a feat he still remembers with a glee.

Finishing his undergraduate studies was equally tedious for him because he had to work part time to financially support his education. He worked as a laborer in Central Textile Mills where, because of hard work and dedication, he was promoted as a supervisor at the age of 18, handling less than 50 workers twice or thrice his senior. And while working to fend himself and his family, his industry and intelligence paved the way for a scholarship grant that lessened his expenses. It was in the textile mills where he developed his good interpersonal skills and how to negotiate properly with people.

After finishing Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Management at the Philippine Christian University, he joined the Great Pacific Life Insurance Company as an underwriter. Later, he joined the Filipinas Life Insurance Company, the precursor of the Ayala Life Assurance Company, where he was recognized as its best insurance agent in the country. Two years later, he eagerly informed his superior that he wanted to be promoted as supervisor, or else, he would resign from his job. However, he was told that his request was far from possible because he was only 22 year old then, too young for the position since aspirants needed to be at least 24 years old. His superior challenged him that if he could break all records of his forerunners since the company started; he would have his request granted.

“I accepted his challenge. Sinira ko ang lahat ng records ng kumpanya. Still, the management did not want to promote me. I planned to leave the company,” Mr Genuino proudly told us. But when he was about to file his resignation letter, the management had no option but to promote him because “asset daw ako ng kumpanya.” With his admirable work ethics, he was promoted to the position he wanted. Yet, after two years again, he wanted another promotion, this time, as a division manager. And it was granted again. Talk about hardwork and charisma rolled into one!

But then again, at the age of 28, “gusto ko na namang maging presidente ng kumpanya.” He informed again his superior about it who promptly dissuaded him because the president is also the owner of the company. Right there and then, “I tendered my irrevocable resignation telling my boss that if I could not be the company president, I’ll resign, establish my own company, and become the president.” And so he did.

“Nagsimula ako sa PhP2 500. Nakipagsapalaran ako. Nakipagsosyo ako sa isa kong kaibigan. Naniwala ako na ang isang bagay, basta gusto mo, there is always a way, para makuha mo,” Mr Genuino said.

With only such a meager amount in his pocket, all he had was his determination to go farther, to make something out of his bare hands. His Trace Pest Control and General Services defined the dawn of his peaking triumph, earning him almost PhP30 000 a day. It was followed by several other successful businesses that he himself founded, supervised, and managed. One of which is the Trace Computer and Business College, the first computer school in the country established before the advent of STI Colleges and AMA Computer University. Successful enough, Trace now has four branches, and its Los Baños Campus hosted this year’s Miss Earth beauty pageant and last year’s Southeast Asian Games aquatic competitions. In partnership with the Singapore International School, he told us, the Trace International School will be established in Global City in the years to come.

“Pinatutunayan ng nakamit kong tagumpay na ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang sa inaasam na tagumpay basta’t may pagsisikap at mabuting hangarin sa bawat gawain na ating nilalayon,” Mr Genuino adviced us.

On January 21, 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Mr Genuino as chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), the country’s third biggest moneymaker after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs. During his incumbency, Pagcor’s revenue almost doubled from PhP14.62 billion in 2000 to PhP23.3 billion in 2005. “The best solution to a problem is to prevent it. What are important in management are control and human relation,” answered Mr Genuino when asked how he manages his corporation.

Mr Genuino then informed us that out of the earnings of his corporation, 50 percent of which is remitted to the National Treasury, 5 percent to the BIR, 5 percent to the Philippine Sports Commission, and 1 percent to the Board of Claims. He also informed us that all vaccines and vitamins that health centers distribute and administer across the country came from the earnings of his corporation. Capping all of these, he added that his foremost priority was to serve the common people, to help them in any plausible ways.

Spearheading the most progressive government-owned and controlled corporation, he is one of the best chief executive officers and is one of the most powerful persons in the country, ranking 42nd in the Biz News Asia’s Power 100. Perhaps, no better appreciation of his and Pagcor’s undertakings can be more moving than the apostolic blessing that he and Pagcor received from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI early this year.

As a family man, Mr Genuino were blessed with four children—two boys and two girls—whom he and his wife, Mrs Aurora Flores Genuino, reared very well. Ate Sheryl, 27, is a successful business woman who manages their business conglomerates. Kuya Erwin, 25, studied in Colegio Santa Rosa, La Salle Greenhills, Ateneo de Manila University, and the University of the Philippines for his pre-school, elementary, secondary, and tertiary education. At present, he is finishing his law education at the Ateneo Professional Schools. Mr Genuino even showed us his son’s handsome picture saying that his son wanted to serve the masses someday.

“Naglilinis yan ng palengke nung araw. Kasi nga may tindahan kami sa Guadalupe Market noon. Hindi yan spoiled. Marunong yan sa buhay,” Mr Genuino quipped with pride.

Kuya Anthony, 24, finished his undergraduate education in De La Salle University, who according to his father, is a sportsman who wants to intensify sports development program in the country to save the youth from illegal drugs. Ate Angeli, 20, who at the middle of the interview called her father, went to Colegio de Santa Rosa for her elementary and secondary education and is wrapping up her college degree in La Salle. Throughout the interview, we could, without a doubt, notice how he loves his family so much. Though he was overly occupied with heaps of public commitments, he always make it sure that he spends quality and more than enough time with his wife and his four children especially when they were still young.

“My family waits for me every night. They are the source of my strength,” Mr Genuino smilingly said.
As he was amusingly narrating his life story to us, he was constantly being paused by urgent phone calls and reminders for meetings and other appointments. At one point, one of his female staff informed him that a commissioner from the Presidential Commission on Good Government was waiting outside and was very eager to speak with him. But, he patiently went on with the talk show, not minding other executives waiting outside.

We felt special enough to have been sitting in front of him, a man thoughtful enough to entertain our simple aspirations despite being caught in a bad timing. This exhibited his social neutrality when it comes to attending people, that he is negligent of people’s social repute, that whichever class one belongs, he deserves to be treated equally.

“Dapat, kahit successful ka na, marunong ka pa ring lumingon sa pinanggalingan mo,” he meekly uttered.

Mr Genuino then told us in a wholehearted tone that he could not possibly ask for more anymore, since he has already actualized all his aspirations in life.

“Life is what you make it. With control and determination, you can surely be successful,” Mr Genuino said while standing at the pedestal of idealism and rectitude and while every person would want to be just like him—humble, amicable, learned, determined, and hardworking.

Having a tête-à-tête with such a prominent individual was more than an honor. It was overwhelming to ascertain that behind his power, he remains as humble as when he started, willing to face everyone to bare himself. Mr. Efraim Cruz Genuino embodies a rugs-to-riches personality, firm with a conviction that an uphill struggle coupled with a strong determination to succeed will concoct and reciprocate worthwhile miracles.

“Hintayin ninyo, gagawa tayo ng milagro sa Pilipinas. But for the meantime, get involved, totally involved in your communities,” Mr Genuino said, ending his story.