Manny Pangilinan

Education

Pangilinan grew up in a house in Little Baguio, San Juan that was by a squatter settlement's boundary. His mother, Soledad Perriera Velez, had Portuguese ancestry by way of her Portuguese ship captain grandfather who married a Filipina. His mother was working at Syvel's, then an upscale department store along Escolta, when she met his father. His father, Dominador Pangilinan, was a messenger for the Philippine National Bank who eventually retired as the president of Traders Royal Bank. He spent his childhood summers in Teachers Camp in Baguio as his grandfather was a public teacher in Pampanga and Tarlac who became a superintendent of public schools, eventually becoming the secretary of education. Pangilinan completed his primary and secondary education at San Beda. He graduated as cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Pangilinan won a scholarship to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania sponsored by Procter & Gamble and graduated in 1968 with a Master of Business Administration degree.

Career

Pangilinan's first job was as the executive assistant to the president of Philippine Investment Management Consultants, Inc. (PHINMA), where he served for six years.

In 1976, Pangilinan relocated to Hong Kong as executive director at Bancom International, an investment bank, where he gained experience in international finance. He then worked at American Express in Hong Kong as an investment banker.

In Hong Kong, Pangilinan co-founded First Pacific in 1981 with Indonesian businessman Sudono Salim and his son, Anthoni. In 1987, Pangilinan established Metro Pacific as First Pacific's investment arm in the Philippines.

In 1998, First Pacific acquired PLDT, the largest telecommunications firm in the Philippines. Under First Pacific's management, the company, which had been troubled by debt and technological issues, improved to become the nation's leading provider of digital communications.

Pangilinan is also a major patron of Philippine sports. He owns three PBA teams: TNT Tropang 5G, the Meralco Bolts, and the NLEX Road Warriors. He founded the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, and served as its first president for two consecutive terms (2007 to 2016). He is currently the chairman emeritus of SBP. He was elected to the Central Board of FIBA in 2014 and served until August 2023. Moreover, his MVP Sports Foundation has supported other Philippine athletes, some of whom won gold medals in the 2018 Asian Games.

Involvement in sports

Pangilinan is a sports patron and was raised in a family that regularly enjoyed basketball. His mother was a fan of the San Beda Red Lions basketball team and was best friends with Caloy Loyzaga. His father played basketball, baseball, and tennis. Pangilinan himself plays badminton. Through the MVP Foundation, Pangilinan funds initiatives in badminton, boxing, golf, and taekwondo.

Honors

National Honors

• [[File:PHI Order of Lakandula Commander BAR.svg|45px]]: Order of Lakandula, Commander – (May 24, 2006)
• [[File:PHI Order of Lakandula Grand Cross BAR.svg|45px]]: Order of Lakandula, Grand Cross – (June 5, 2010) Others
• FIBA Order of Merit – (August 24, 2023)

References

References

1. Nugent, David. (May 14, 2017). "For the first time, MVP talks about the love of his life on Mother's Day".
2. Beltran, Bjorn Biel M.. (July 14, 2022). "MVP at 76: Success shaped by wisdom, passion, and experience".
3. Fokno, Mia Madalena. (April 6, 2025). "Manny V. Pangilinan: Beyond business, a life fueled by sports and service".
4. Sabornido, Lyza. (July 22, 2012). "Manny Pangilinan: A Filipino Entrepreneur's Success Story".
5. Conoza, Adrian Paul B.. (July 14, 2021). "MVP at 75: Winning in life and career one game at a time".
6. (March 19, 2017). "Manny Pangilinan's journey to success".
7. Tolentino, Ariel Jerald. (2025-03-23). "Pangilinan in talks with foreign investor for Philex's Silangan mine amid gold surge".
8. Schmetzer, Uli. (February 14, 1993). "Telephone Monopoly Hangs Up Philippines".
9. (April 6, 2018). "PLDT is undisputed leader in home broadband".
10. (February 6, 2017). "A Message from SBP Chairman Emeritus, Manuel V. Pangilinan".
11. Bracher, Jane. (September 14, 2014). "Manny V. Pangilinan elected to FIBA board".
12. Ibarrola, Khristian. (September 6, 2018). "MVP Sports Foundation seeks to further hone Pinoy athletes for international tourneys". Fox Sports.
13. (September 22, 2019). "Why MVP isn't giving up on the country's basketball dream". Sports Interactive Network Philippines.
14. "XXII FIBA Congress concludes on the eve of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023".