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Getting the right people to bring vision to reality: Danding’s legacy in business and sports

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/tvpatrol/06/17/danding.jpg"/><figcaption>San Miguel Corp CEO, and Nationalist People&#x27;s Coalition chairman emeritus Ambassador Eduardo &quot;Danding&quot; Cojuangco speaks during the oathtaking of Tarlac Board Members, Congressmen, Vice Governor and Governor at the Bulwagan Kanlahi, Diwa ng Tarlac in Tarlac City on June 28, 2019. Dax Simbol, ABS-CBN News file photo</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Tycoon and politician Danding Cojuangco was a visionary, but his true gift lay in getting the right people to execute his vision, according to one of the independent directors of San Miguel Corp.SMC director Carmelo Santiago, who was also a close friend of the late tycoon, said Cojuangco secured the future of San Miguel by choosing Ramon Ang to succeed him.“He has a perfect synergy with RSA [Ramon S. Ang] who he considers to be his true son,” Santiago said in an exclusive interview with ANC’s The Boss.“And he didn’t make any mistake in choosing RSA because the synergy between them is such that the boss [Cojuanco] gives him the vision and Ramon executes that vision and delivers more than what the boss expects,” he added.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/17/20/tycoon-and-kingmaker-danding-cojuangco-dies">Tycoon and kingmaker Danding Cojuangco dies</a></li></ul>Ang is San Miguel’s COO, while Conjuanco remained CEO until his death last week.Santiago said Cojuangco had already been planning the company’s future when he got sick 2 or 3 years ago.Under Ang, San Miguel boosted its investment in infrastructure, kickstarting the construction of new tollways, railways, and securing the government’s approval to build a new international airport in Bulacan.Cojuangco meanwhile retreated from the business limelight to concentrate on another of his passions: basketball.<div>PASSION FOR BASKETBALL</div>But even in sports, Cojuangco was keen on hiring the right people, and taking care of them so that they reach their potential, according to the sports professionals who had worked with him.Cojuangco was a huge fan of the San Miguel PBA team and often watched the games live, according to Paolo Tanjuatco, who handled marketing for the San Miguel basketball squad.“He enjoyed it so much,” Tanjuatco said of the late San Miguel boss.Cojuangco would often host post-game dinners for the team because “he wanted to get to know everyone.”<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/tvpatrol/06/17/dslu-green-archers-pic.jpg"/><figcaption>From L-R, Aljun Melecio, Danding Cojunagco and Andrei Carracut. Photo courtesy of Aljun Melecio and Andrei Carracut</figcaption></figure></div>After each game, Tanjuatco said he and Cojuangco would chat for hours just talking about the game, analyzing it and trying to see what could be improved.Besides San Miguel’s PBA Team, Cojuangco also supported the De La Salle Green Archers, whose players affectionately called him “Boss Danding.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/17/20/la-salle-players-mourn-passing-of-boss-danding">La Salle players mourn passing of &#x27;Boss Danding</a></li></ul><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/27/19/uaap-caracut-looks-back-on-uaap-career-hindi-naging-madali">Andrei Caracut</a>, former DLSU team captain, said he admired Cojuangco for always treating others with respect, even if he was already one of the richest and most powerful men in the country.“Hindi mo mafi-feel sa kanya na pinaka-head ng San Miguel parang… napaka-humble ni Boss,” Caracut said.Once, when he was feeling down after having a bad game, Cojuangco talked to him just to boost his confidence.“Talagang inalagaan nya kami, yun lang ang masasabi ko,” Caracut said.<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/03/16/la-salles-aljun-melecio-to-be-named-uaap-rookie-of-the-year">Aljun Melecio</a>, another Green Archer who was recruited by Cojuangco, also attested to the generosity of the late tycoon.“Boss is very humble and he takes care of the people who work for him,” Melecio said.In his last year as a Green Archer, Melecio said that Cojuangco even gave him a business in his home province of Bukidnon, as a supplier of chicken to San Miguel.“Aalagaan ka nya hindi ka nya papabayaan,” he said.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/tvpatrol/06/17/san-miguel-director-carmelo-santiago.jpg"/><figcaption>San Miguel director Carmelo Santiago with company CEO Danding Cojuangco during the latter&#x27;s 85th birthday celebration</figcaption></figure></div>Besides being a businessman and a sports fan, Cojuangco was also one of the most powerful politicians in the country, as head of the political party Nationalist People’s Coalition.After a failed presidential bid in 1992, Cojuangco didn’t run for another post, but supported other politicians who aspired to the presidency.“He is a very astute politician, and I believe that he is the best president we never had,” Santiago said.During Cojuangco&#x27;s 85th birthday party, Santiago said the San Miguel Boss talked to him and said, &quot;Pare, I&#x27;m homebound.&quot;Cojuangco passed away June 16. He is survived by wife Gretchen and his four children Tina, Lisa, Charlie and Mark.Catch the special &quot;Eduardo &#x27;Danding&#x27; Cojuangco, Jr.: the legacy special on June 26, Friday, 830 pm Manila time on ANC.

Tycoon and politician Danding Cojuanco was a visionary, but his true gift lay in getting the right people to execute his vision, according to one of the independent directors of San Miguel Corp.

Tycoon and politician Danding Cojuanco was a visionary, but his true gift lay in getting the right people to execute his vision, according to one of the independent directors of San Miguel Corp.