10 Filipinos among world’s billionaires

MANILA, Philippines – Ten Filipino businessmen with a combined net worth of US$40.1 billion made it to Forbes Magazine’s prestigious list of world billionaires for 2014.

The richest Filipino – 89-year-old Henry Sy Sr. – landed on 97th place with a net worth of $13.2 billion. Sy, who chairs one of the Philippines’ largest family conglomerates SM Investments Corporation, ranked 68th in 2013.

Lucio Tan, 79, the second richest in the Philippines, moved up to the 227th spot from 248th last year, with a net worth of $6.1 billion. Tan owns Asia Brewery, maker of popular Beer na Beer, and a stake in Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco.

Carrying a net worth of $4.7 billion, 61-year-old Andrew Tan came next at 319th place, up from 345th in 2013. Tan is the owner of Alliance Global Group, which is engaged in food and beverage (Emperador Distillers), real estate (Megaworld) and gaming (Travellers International).

The other Filipinos who made it to the list:

• #354 Enrique Razon Jr., 54, net worth $4.2B (port: ICTSI, and casino: Bloomberry Resorts)
• #388 John Gokongwei Jr., 86, net $3.9B (real estate: Robinsons Land, food manufacturing: URC, and airline: Cebu Pacific)
• #483 David Consunji, 92, $3.3B (construction, power and mining: DMCI Holdings)
• $764 George Ty, 81, $2.3B (banking: Metrobank, and power: Global Business Power)
• #1046 Tony Tan Caktiong, 61, $1.7B (fast food: Jollibee)
• #1154 Robert Coyiuto Jr., 61, $1.5B (insurance: Prudential Guarantee, and car distribution: PGA Cars)
• #1565 Andrew Gotianun, 86, $1B (real estate: Filinvest Development)

See how their net worths changed from 2012.

Forbes’ 2014 world’s richest list includes a record 1,645 billionaires, up from 1,426 in 2013. Together, the billionaires have a net worth of $6.4 trillion, up from $5.4 trillion last year.

Microsoft’s Bill Gates is back on top as the richest person in the world. With a net worth of $76 billion, the technology guru beat telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu, now on the second spot, with a net worth of $72 billion. – Rappler.com