Top 15 Philippines' Richest People as of 2007

Now that we’ve seen the World’s Richest People as of 2008, it’s now time that we get to know our own Billionaires and Millionaires. The Top 15 Philippines Richest People as of October 2007.

Guess who’s on the Top list of Philippines Richest People of 2007 according to Forbes.com? It’s no other than Mr. Jaime Zobel De Ayala, surpassing the previous no. 1 Henry Sy.

For the complete list with their corresponding Net Worth and brief intro, read on.

#1 Jaime Zobel de Ayala & family
	Networth: $2 billion Age: 73 Marital Status: Married, 7 children Patriarch of country’s largest conglomerate, Ayala Corp. Family referred to as the Filipino royal family. Stepped down as chairman last year. Personally holds no shares; wealth now in children’s hands. Eldest son, Jaime II, Ayala’s chairman, chief executive.
#2 Henry Sy & family
	Networth: $1.7 billion Age: 82 Marital Status: Married, 6 children Completed merger of his Banco de Oro with competitor Equitable PCI in May, forming nation’s second-largest bank. His SM Prime Holdings is nation’s largest shopping mall developer. Shares fortune, which includes stakes in a dozen companies, with his children.
#3 Lucio Tan & family
	Networth: $1.6 billion Age: 73 Marital Status: Married, 6 children Former chemical engineer from China mopped floors to pay for school. With family, owns Fortune Tobacco, nation’s largest cigarette maker; Philippines Airlines, which just emerged from 9 years in receivership. Being sued on claims that much of his wealth belongs to late president Ferdinand Marcos’ estate.
#4 Andrew Tan
	Networth: $1.1 billion Age: 55 Marital Status: Married, 4 children Big boost to fortune from restructuring holding company Alliance Global; shares of his property company, Megaworld, also higher. Likes to eat breakfast at McDonald’s (his group owns stake in country’s franchise) and sip his Emperador brandy, world’s largest seller by volume. Son of factory worker walked to college campus—couldn’t afford bus fare.
#5 Manuel Villar
	Networth: $940 million Age: 57 Marital Status: Married, 3 children Philippine senate president (and possible 2010 presidential candidate) also largest shareholder in real estate firm Vista Land. Shrimp vendor’s son grew up in slum, got start in construction.
#6 George Ty
	Networth: $870 million Age: 74 Marital Status: Married, 5 children Metrobank founder passed on chairmanship to eldest son, Arthur, last year. Family’s Toyota Motor Philippines supplies nearly half country’s new cars and trucks. Teaming up with John Gokongwei (15) to develop luxury condos in Metro Manila’s Mandaluyong City.
#7 Andrew Gotianun
	Networth: $860 million Age: 79 Marital Status: Married, 2 children Started out salvaging ships after World War II. Branched into car financing with help of wife, Mercedes. Main companies are public real estate firms, Filinvest Development, Filinvest Land; also privately held East West Bank. Going into biofuels; bought 2 sugar mills and a plantation in June in a deal worth $215 million. Children Jonathan and Josephine run daily operations; Gotianun chairman emeritus.
#8 Enrique Razon Jr.
	Networth: $820 million Age: 47 Marital Status: Married, 2 children Chairs International Container Terminal Services, which buys, develops, manages container ports and terminals worldwide. Has operations in 9 countries including the Philippines, China, Ecuador. Enjoys golf, helped save Philippine Open this year from near cancelation.
#9 Tony Tan Caktiong & family
	Networth: $790 million Age: 57 Marital Status: Married, 3 children Fast-food king heads Jollibee, now with more than 1,500 locations and 7 brands. Bought out partner in Shanghai fast-food chain Yonghe King, acquired Chinese restaurant chain Hongzhuangyuan for $50 million in September, opened store in Las Vegas.
#10 Oscar Lopez & family
	Networth: $775 million Age: 77 Marital Status: Married, 8 children Scion of one of Philippines’ best-known family businesses. Harvard grad heads its Lopez Inc., which has controlling stake in media group ABS-CBN Broadcasting, run by his nephew. Family who shares fortune also has interests in construction, power generation.
#11 Vivian Que Azcona & family
	Networth: $670 million Age: NA Marital Status: NA Runs Mercury Drug, nation’s biggest drugstore chain with more than 500 outlets and an 87% share of the retail drug market. Private group recently launched a credit card with Citibank for use in its outlets. Shares fortune with father, Mariano Que, who began selling single-dose pills from pushcart in 1945.
#12 Inigo & Mercedes Zobel
	Networth: $660 million Age: NA Marital Status: NA Children of late Enrique Zobel, cousin of Jaime Ayala de Zobel (1), inherited their stakes in Ayala from late aunt, family matriarch Mercedes Zobel McMicking. Inigo sits on San Miguel’s board and runs one of nation’s largest mango exporters. Mercedes helps run Enrique Zobel Foundation.
#13 Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.
	Networth: $540 million Age: 72 Marital Status: Married, 4 children Chief executive of country’s largest food and beverage conglomerate, San Miguel. Planning to take its beer business public, possibly next year. Owns a large stud farm in Australia. Former presidential candidate lost 27% of San Miguel stake in 2005 court decision; still faces civil suit over last 15.5%, which government says were “ill-gotten” during Ferdinand Marcos’ reign.
#14 Emilio Yap & family
	Networth: $445 million Age: 81 Marital Status: Married Midsize bank Philippine Trust is biggest source of his wealth. Trying to take over Philippine Bank of Communications; battling with biggest shareholder for control. Also owns newspaper Manila Bulletin. Chairman of Centro Escolar University.
#15 John Gokongwei Jr. & family
	Networth: $430 million Age: 81 Marital Status: Married, 6 children Chairman emeritus of JG Summit, conglomerate he founded, donated half his stake to family charity. Still supposedly carries 2 cell phones. Brother James Go is chairman, son Lance president. Group, with interests in telecom, property, food, bought Philippine branch of U.S. hardware chain True Value this year; also owns Handyman hardware chain.
Up to Top 20 #16 Enrique Aboitiz & family – Networth: $375 million (Aboitiz Power) #17 Alfonso Yuchengco & family – Networth: $365 million (Yuchengco Group) #18 Beatrice Campos – Networth: $220 million (Unilab) #19 David Consunji & family – Networth: $210 million (DMCI) #20 Luis Virata – Networth: $200 million (Nickel Asia)