[The phenomenal rise of Dr. LUCIO TAN has proven to be an INSPIRATION to a lot of ENTREPRENEURS in the Philippines. Stories bruited about town, speak about Dr. LUCIO TAN’s modest beginnings as some sort of a FACTOTUM during his BATAAN CIGAR and  CIGARETTE days; and his eventual rise to the pinnacle of SUCCESS. Dr. LUCIO TAN just reached his 86th YEAR this month of JULY. I offer this FUN RHYME as  BIRTHDAY  GREETINGS  to  my  former  BIG  BOSS  at  ALLIED  BANKING CORPORATION, which eventually was absorbed with its merger with PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK.]

Happy birthday Sir LUCIO TAN, also known as EL KAPITAN…

You’ve been the inspiration of lots of entrepreneurs, ‘cause your truly the MAN;

Who’s so humble and meek, but who can turn ideas into FUNDS- –

You’ve truly become a STAR, with lots of admiring and adoring FANS!

EL KAPITAN started with simple and modest BEGINNINGS…

But now he can be considered as one of the business KINGS;

And still his simplicity and modesty has REMAINED- –

Would even walk a mile bypassing traffic, and won’t be hurt or PAINED!

EL KAPITAN is an exemplar of modesty and HUMILITY…

Vanity and precious things and gadgets are not his CUP OF TEA;

I remember one time, when at the Allied Bank Corp. Legal Dept., we asked for more law BOOKS- –

He sort of smiled, winked and retorted: “ Oh, many many books spoil the COOKS!”…

EL KAPITAN despite his PAL ownership, won’t be used to fly FIRST CLASS…

For indeed, FIRST CLASS or ECONOMY, you’d arrive same time in a BUS;

The usual buses in mega airports that does the SHUTTLE- –

Indeed, if you fly FIRST CLASS, you won’t arrive at the tarmac with the sound of drums and BUGLE!

On your natal day, my esteemed and humble EL KAPITAN…

I’d pray and fervently hope that you’d reach ONE HUNDRED AND ONE;

Just one wish that I’d ask and REQUEST- –

The 100,000 pesos cash prize be granted unto the ABC Core Group (for the next GRAND REUNION date after COVID) as sort of your BEQUEST!

JOKE,JOKE,JOKE!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EL KAPITAN!!!!