[Left photo shows Boss Jim with his trademark tantalizing smile ensconced in his chair at his PAL office. Middle photo shows Boss Jim with the same trademark smile taken during his younger years. Right photo is a group photo taken perhaps in the late 1980s showing JOJI, Boss Jim’s better half, Boss Jim himself, and their only daughter JAYMEE.]  

 

 

I remember them as a QUARTET,

They were FOUR (4) and were all chosen by BERT ^1;

But ONLY TWO (2) of them got brought to my KEN,

One is my brother WILSON ², the other is the subject of this PEN!

 

From SGV ³ they were PIRATED,

And all of them were in their early TWENTIES;

But one was prophesied to LEAD,

His professor⁴ said: “YOU’LL BE MANAGER IN 5 YEARS!”

 

 

His name is JAIME J. BAUTISTA,

He’s as strong and cunning like wrestler BATISTA;

But his strength is not of the BRAWN,

He’s strongest when you speak about his MENTAL CROWN ⁵!

 

 

 

JIM is a true PARAGON of HUMILITY,

He’s so HUMBLE as a PIE; that would be a VERITY —

But his brains work so FANTASTIC,

EL KAPITAN ⁶ chose him to lead the group’s ⁷ diversification EPIC!

 

 

And BOSS JIM’s terror professor at LETRAN,

Proved to be worth his salt as though it was some PLAN;

For not just prognosticating the managerial ascent of BOSS JIM,

‘Twas because BOSS JIM became PREXY of a FIRM!

 

 

Thus in 2004, BOSS JIM became President of PAL ⁸,

From then on BOSS JIM brought to PAL lots of wherewithal;

Subsequently emerging from some kind of REHAB,

PAL has seemingly risen to become South East Asia’s popular aviation HUB!

 

 

And BOSS JIM has made it CLEAR and HIGHLY,

His work principles are CRISP and DILLY;

It’s HONESTY, INTEGRITY and lots of EFFICIENCY,

His virtual mantra unto PERPETUITY!

 

 

 

But what appears to be BOSS JIM’s TALISMAN,

Is actually a WOMAN and not a MAN;

A Caviteña who is named JOJI⁹,

Boosting BOSS JIM’s trek to his destined APOGEE!

 

 

But long ago when BOSS JIM wooed and COURTED,

JOJI’s Dad  was fond of a  MUSKET¹⁰;

And every time BOSS JIM would VISIT,

 JOJI’s Dad seems too eager to FIX IT¹¹…

 

 

And the greatest mantra that has guided HIM,

His philosophy which has turned in to some MAXIM;

…“The secrets of a successful family is to give and take and to trust each OTHER!” …

Truly, a helpful guide for LOVERS…indeed, for one ANOTHER!

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSS JIM!

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[Legend: 1 – BERT refers to the late Roberto N. Bacsal who was purportedly instructed by Mr. Lucio Tan to scout for promising young professionals then (during the early 80s) who could eventually be trained and honed for top managerial posts in Mr. Tan’s various businesses.

2 – WILSON, my brother is WILSON T. YOUNG who eventually became the President and Chief Operating Officer of Tanduay Distillers until his retirement in 2015. WILSON is now the Chairman of VICTORIAS MILLING CORPORATION.

3 – SGV is SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. which is the Philippines’ largest multidisciplinary professional services firm. As of 2014, the company has employed over 3,000 professionals from various disciplines.

4 – NICK LIMJOCO is the name of Boss Jim’s professor in FINANCE 101 at the COLEGIO DE SA JUAN DE LETRAN when Boss Jim was pursuing a course in ACCOUNTANCY. Prof. Limjoco prophesied that Boss Jim will surely become a president of a company in the future.

5 – MENTAL CROWN would refer to Boss Jim’s BRAINY HEAD.

6 – EL KAPITAN is the sobriquet which refers to Mr. Lucio Tan. It was told that Mr. Tan once jokingly recounted that he’ll never be promoted, as he would just remain as KAPITAN, not to be promoted ever to the rank of HENERAL….

7 – Group refers to the LUCIO TAN GROUP of companies which started out from cigarettes, to bank, then to brewery to agriculture, to piggery, to construction, to hotel and eventually, the aviation business.

8 – PAL is Philippine Airlines. Philippine Airlines, is now actually a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc., also known historically as Philippine Air Lines, which is the flag carrier of the Philippines.

9 – JOJI is Josefina Nazareno Bautista, the alluring and the ever supportive wife of Boss Jimmy. JOJI hails from Cavite, a province south of Manila. Though Cavite is positively proud of being the cradle of heroes like Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo; Cavite is however known too, to be the place of toughies, and gunmen.

10- MUSKET is a GUN.

11- FIX IT – Boss Jim recounted during one of his interviews by a media firm that when he was courting JOJI, JOJI’s Dad would almost always be toying, brandishing and/or cleaning his 45-caliber gun in the very presence of Boss Jim.