San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) chief executive officer and chairman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. passed away on the evening of June 16. He was 85.
Cojuangco died of pneumonia and heart attack as confirmed by his family in a statement.
SMC thanked and paid tribute to Cojuangco’s legacy of building the company for many decades, as a partner of the Philippines in nation-building and bringing change to the lives of many Filipinos – both employees and consumers alike.
“For decades, ECJ (Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.) guided the San Miguel Group, making a difference in the lives of so many of our employees, past and present. Values he lived by: malasakit (compassion), and sama-sama (togetherness), the idea that we either make it together or not at all—are at the heart of what it means to be San Miguel,” said SMC in its statement as Cojuangco served as its chairman of the board and CEO since July 7, 1998.
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Malacañang has expressed its sincerest condolences to the bereaved Cojuangco family.
“The Palace offers its fervent prayers for the eternal repose of the soul of Mr. Cojuangco as we convey our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends, and loved ones,” said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque in a press statement.
Secretary Roque remembered Cojuangco’s “immense contribution” to the socio-economic development of the Philippines through SMC’s operations in food, beverages, energy, power, oil refining, and infrastructure.
“SMC has provided livelihood opportunities to tens of thousands of our countrymen as direct workforce, and creation of additional jobs as suppliers, distributors, retailers, and the like,” said Secretary Roque.
In separate statements, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles also mourned the death of Cojuangco.
Andanar recognized that Cojuangco, as head of SMC, enabled the company to generate thousands of livelihood and employment opportunities that benefitted thousands of Filipino families.
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Roque and Andanar also lauded Cojuangco for being a “reliable partner” of the government in mitigating the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country by extending assistance to front-liners and vulnerable sectors.
“Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Cojuangco and SMC have extended assistance not only to the front-line personnel and vulnerable sectors but also to the government in mitigating the impact of the pandemic,” Andanar said.
He said Cojuangco’s passing was “not only a loss of a patriarch to his loved ones and SMC but also a loss of a philanthropist to the people and a reliable partner of the government in poverty alleviation and economic development.”
Nograles said Cojuangco’s wisdom and business acumen will be “sorely missed.”
He also bade farewell to Cojuangco “with the knowledge that (the latter) will find peace and blessedness of spirit.”
“We mourn and grieve the passing of a true titan, one of the last of his kind, in Philippine business and politics,” Nograles said. “His (Cojuangco) verve for life will continue to inspire those he leaves behind.”
