Our Foundation

Gokongwei brothers John, Johnson, Henry, and James, established the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation in 1992 with the goal of having a lasting impact on education in the Philippines.

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has dedicated itself to contributing to the country's progress by providing quality education to its future workforce, particularly in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Core Focus

The foundation works toward the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, believing that this is the driving force for sustainable national development.

Mission

Building the Future Through Education

Vision

Every Filipino with access to education that enables them to work and contribute to family and the country

Core Values

We prioritize efforts that are sustainable, scalable, and measurable.

We believe that values are as important as competencies. Hard work, integrity, grit, innovativeness, and service to others define excellence for us.

We favor helping people who are themselves helping others.

We believe in the power of collaborative effort and synergy.

Lance Y. Gokongwei

Chairman

Mr. Lance Y. Gokongwei is the Chairman of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of JGSHI and Cebu Air, Inc. He is the Chairman of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., Universal Robina Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, JG Summit Olefins Corporation, and Robinsons Bank Corporation. In addition to this, he is a Director and Vice Chairman of the Manila Electric Company and a Director of Oriental Petroleum and Minerals Corporation and United Industrial Corporation Limited.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

James L. Go

President

Mr. James L. Go is the President of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He is the Chairman of JGSHI and Cebu Air, Inc. and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Oriental Petroleum and Minerals Corporation. He is also the Chairman Emeritus of Universal Robina Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, and JG Summit Olefins Corporation. He is currently the Vice Chairman of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., and a Director of Marina Center Holdings Private Limited, United Industrial Corporation Limited, and Hotel Marina City Private Limited.

Since November 3, 2011, he has been a Director of the PLDT Inc. He was also elected a Director of the Manila Electric Company on December 16, 2013. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering.

Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe

Secretary

Ms. Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe is the Secretary of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. She has been a Director of JGSHI since April 15, 2009. She is also a Director of Robinsons Land Corporation, Cebu Air, Inc., and Robinsons Bank Corporation. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., which consists of Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Department Store, Handyman, True Value, Robinsons Builders, Robinsons Specialty Stores, Robinsons Appliances, Toys R Us, Daiso Japan, Ministop, South Star Drug, and The Generics Pharmacy.

She is also a Trustee of the immaculate Concepcion Academy Scholarship Fund. She was a member of the University of the Philippines Centennial Commission and a former Trustee of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation. She attended the University of the Philippines-Diliman from 1978 to 1981 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the New York University in 1984.

Patrick Henry C. Go

Treasurer

Mr. Patrick Henry C. Go is the Treasurer of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He has been a Director of JGSHI since 2000. He is currently a Director and Vice President of the Universal Robina Corporation. He is the President and Chief Operating Officer of JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, JG Summit Olefins Corporation, URC Packaging (BOPP) Division, and the Flexible Packaging Division. In addition to this, he is a Director of Robinsons Land Corporation and Robinsons Bank Corporation.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University and attended the General Manager Program at Harvard Business School.

Johnson Robert G. Go, Jr.

Trustee

Mr. Johnson Robert G. Go, Jr. has been a director of JGSHI since August 18, 2005. He is currently a director of Universal Robina Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, Robinsons Bank Corporation and A. Soriano Corporation. He is also a trustee of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Liberal Arts) from the Ateneo de Manila University. He is a nephew of Mr. John L. Gokongwei, Jr.

Antonio L. Go

Trustee

Mr. Antonio L. Go is a Trustee of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. He has been an Independent Director of JGSHI since May 28, 2018. He is a Director and President of Equitable Computer Services, Inc., and Chairman of the Equicom Savings Bank and ALGO Leasing and Finance, Inc. He is also a Director of Medilink Network, Inc., Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, Equicom Manila Holdings, Equicom Inc., Equitable Development Corporation, United Industrial Corporation Limited, T32 Dental Centre Singapore, Dental Impant and Maxillofacial Centre Hong Kong, Oriental Petroleum and Minerals Corporation, Pin-An Holdings, Inc., Equicom Information Technology, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc., Cebu Air, Inc., and Steel Asia Manufacturing Corporation.

He is also a Trustee of the Go Kim Pah Foundation and Equitable Foundation, Inc. He graduated from Youngstown University, USA, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. he attended the International Advanced Management Program at the International Management Institute in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as the Financial Planning/Control Program at the ABA National School of Bankcard Management, Northwestern University, USA.

Lisa Y. Gokongwei-Cheng

Trustee and General Manager

Ms. Lisa Y. Gokongwei-Cheng is a Trustee and the General Manager of Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. As General Manager, she oversees the programs, projects, and initiatives to ensure that they are aligned with GBF’s vision and mission. Aside from leading GBF, she is an advisory board member of Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. She is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Media Group, as well as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Media Informatix Holdings, Inc.

She graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a Bachelor of Arts degree (in Communications) in 1990 and obtained a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Columbia University in 1993.

Wilfrido E. Sanchez

Trustee

Atty. Wilfrido E. Sanchez is a trustee of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, inc. He is a tax counsel at Quiason Makalintal Barot Torres Ibarra Sison & Damaso Law Firm. He is also a Director of Universal Robina Corporation, Asian Institute of Management, JVR Foundation Inc., Asiabest Group International Inc., Asia Brewery Inc., EMCOR Inc., House of Investments Inc., J-Del Investments and Management Corporation, Kawasaki Motor Corporation, Tanduay Distillers Inc., and Trimotors Technology Corporation. He is also a trustee at EEI Corporation.

Marcia Y. Gokongwei

Trustee

Ms. Marcia Y. Gokongwei is a Trustee of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. She is also the Co-Managing Director for Operations of Universal Robina Corporation Branded Consumer Foods Group (URC-BCFG). In this role, she is accountable for all operational aspects of sales and customer development, integrated supply chain management, and all functional support initiatives. Prior this, she served as Vice President for Snack Foods of URC-BCFG Philippines, where she managed all Jack ‘n Jill brands which include Snacks, Bakery and Confectionery categories.

She completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and attended the Developing Strategy for Value Creation program at the London Business School. Ms. Gokongwei obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree major in Communication Arts from the De La Salle University, Manila.

Creating Meaningful Breakthroughs

In the past 30 years, GBF has granted scholarships to deserving youth, built strong and communities, constructed quality learning facilities, supported reputable academic institutions, and created synergies geared toward uplifting the Filipino.

Empowering Learners through Scholarships

With its long-standing commitment to increase access to quality education and support the growth of STEM learners and educators, GBF has grown to become one of the top scholarship-giving organizations and the biggest private sector provider of STEM related scholarships in the country.

To prepare our scholars to contribute through work and service to community, GBF laid out its scholar journey from recruitment, leadership development, upskilling to career preparation, employment, and contributing their expertise as GBF alumni.

Since 2006, GBF has offered scholarship programs to 1780 scholars producing 1116 graduates as of 2022, with almost half of them having been employed by various Gokongwei Group companies.

Strengthening STEM Educators’ Content Mastery and Teaching Expertise

Believing in the power of communities to grow and build STEM champions amongst educators, GBF strengthened its efforts on community building by providing opportunities for social learning, capacity building, and professional development.

In 2019, GBF established a partnership with the University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development to strengthen the project, KaSaMa (Ka-Science at Ka-Mathematics) Teachers Community.

In 2021, GBF engaged IDEO, a global pioneer in design thinking, to conduct the process of designing Project Future, a learning app for teachers that delivers what to teach in the context of how and when to teach it.

In 2022, GBF piloted STEM Collab, a professional development program and community for STEM teachers that enables peer-to-peer coaching and social learning.

Striving to Build the Nation, One Community at a Time

By developing strong and sustainable STEM communities in areas where our business units serve, GBF contributes to building the nation, one community at a time.

Juan Community for Education focuses on addressing the learning and resource gaps through Juan Brigada Eskwela and Juan Kapatid Tutorial. Equally important to GBF’s mission is to respond to the needs of our local communities to help them bounce back from crisis through Juan Community for Resilience.

Running an Industry-Standard Technical Training Center

GBF established in 1999 its first major project, a Technical Training Center with industry-standard facilities in Pasig City. GBF TTC serves as home of Iskolar ni Juan, a one-year fully-subsidized scholarship in Mechatronics Servicing and Instrumentation and Controls Servicing, and education-to-employment opportunity for high-potential high school graduates.

Partnering with Top Academic Institutions

GBF recognizes strength in collaborating with leading educational institutions. In honor of GBF’s endowments, centers of excellence in business and engineering education adopted the official names Ateneo de Manila University John Gokongwei School of Management in 2002 and De La Salle University Gokongwei College of Engineering in 2011, respectively.

These endowments consist of significant allocations for student scholarships, faculty and student research, and facility improvement. GBF’s endowment to DLSU also led to the establishment of John Gokongwei, Jr. Innovation Center in its Science and Technology Complex in Laguna.

In 2021, the Ateneo de Manila University established its newest Loyola school, the Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design to elevate education and drive learning innovation in the country.

John L. Gokongwei, Jr.

A pioneering entrepreneur, industrialist, and philanthropist, Mr. John, as he was fondly called, devoted much of his life to making the lives of all Filipinos better. Through hard work, creativity, and passion, he became a paragon of success in business and industry, and a true role model for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere.

When he turned 80, Mr. John blazed a trail in philanthropy when he announced on his birthday that he was donating half of his personal holdings in JG Summit to establish the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Gokongwei Group. Among its chief goals is to provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education and scholarships to the underprivileged.

Mr. John considered education as an investment for one’s future. Even though he had to stop schooling in his teenage years to support his family, he always understood the value of having a good education. He firmly believed that education is the best way to uplift the country’s people, and that a quality education is what would enable Filipinos to compete on equal footing in this world.

Creating Meaningful Breakthroughs

In 1992, industrialist John Gokongwei Jr. and his brothers—Henry, Johnson, and James—established the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), with the goal of making a lasting impact on our nation’s education. Three decades later, the foundation is one of the largest philanthropic educational organizations in the country.

This year, GBF held a kick-off event that celebrates the joint launch of the Gokongwei Group’s master brand and the Foundation’s 30th Anniversary.

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has always believed in the role of good education in building a strong Philippine economy. For the past three decades, the foundation has equipped learners with the tools they need to grow and develop as well-rounded members of the community. It has also provided the content and technology teachers and other stakeholders need to develop their skills as educators.

The partnerships between GBF and the Gokongwei Group business units are dedicated to reach our ambition of fast-tracking the learning journey of 1 million learners and 10,000 educators by 2025.

 

A Yearlong Celebration

The Foundation is gearing toward these upcoming activities that will highlight GBF’s advocacy and commemorate our 30 years of service.

GBF STEM Advocate Awards

A recognition of outstanding educators, employees, and alumni for their contributions to STEM towards the growth of the Gokongwei Group and nation-building

STEM is for Every Juan

A people-driven campaign to increase appreciation of STEM in everyday life

30th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration

A multi-stakeholder, internal and external partners gathering that will conclude the yearlong celebration