These Filipino personalities look back on their lives 25 years ago

Kenneth Cobonpue

Founder and Creative Director of KENNETHCOBONPUE

I was starting a brand built on a vision that many thought was impossible. At the time, the furniture industry here was driven by manufacturing for other brands, not by creating and exporting your own design identity. It was a challenging path, but Filipino creativity deserved its own place on the world stage. That belief became KENNETHCOBONPUE. Along the way, I also became part of Movement 8, joining fellow designers and artists in proving that design from the Philippines could be original, globally relevant and proudly rooted in our culture.

Read also: Kenneth Cobonpue on pushing the boundaries of Filipino design

Small Laude

Digital Content Creator and Entrepreneur

Back then, life was a beautiful kind of chaos. I was pregnant with Tim while raising my two boys, who were both in grade school. At the same time, I had just started my preschool and was running a garment manufacturing business.

Looking back now, I wonder where I found all that energy!  When I think about those years, I remember them as incredibly meaningful. My life revolved around my children, my school and caring for the people I love. It was a season filled with hard work, endless laughter and countless unforgettable memories.

Kevin Tan

CEO of Alliance Global Group

Fresh out of college, I began working as a condominium salesman. We did not have malls then, so I would visit other malls to hand out flyers, only to be chased away by guards or have my materials confiscated. Rejection was a regular part of the job, but it taught me perseverance, humility and the value of hard work. Every closed sale felt earned. Those early experiences laid the groundwork for how I came to understand the business, appreciate every opportunity and remain determined through every challenge.

Jaime Ponce de Leon

Founder and Director of Leon Gallery

I was a barangay captain in Dumaguete City, overseeing Rizal Boulevard with all its commercial establishments. My mornings started at the barangay hall—signing permits, addressing community concerns and coordinating with community patrols (tanod) to maintain peace, especially around bars and restaurants. I also ensured the boulevard stayed clean and its plants well cared for. It was a life of public service and responsibility. Today, I live in Manila and sell art. Life has changed greatly, but each chapter has shaped who I am and given purpose to my journey.

Tessa Prieto

Lifestyle Journalist

It was a completely different chapter. I was already six years into my marriage, having been a single mum for almost a decade. Building my own family unit, we celebrated every milestone and enjoyed golf, scuba diving and travel. Between creating beautiful interiors and an active social scene, life was more present and engaging as the texting culture exploded.  Twenty-five years later, I have come full circle. I still celebrate every milestone as a single mum, and my love for travel, especially Africa, is even more compounded. My era is now unscripted and unafraid. Looking back, the one thing I am most proud of is my children.

Sofia Zobel Elizalde

Founder of Steps Dance Studio

I was 32, a young wife and mother of three toddlers, pouring my heart into Steps Dance Studio’s seventh year. I dreamt of building scholarships for gifted dancers who couldn’t afford tuition. Today, my children are grown and thriving, each chasing their own dreams. With my husband Patxi’s unwavering support, Steps just celebrated its 32nd beautiful year. Our PCNC-accredited Scholarship Foundation continues that dream; and our alums, dancing locally and abroad, fill me with pride as they carry Filipino talent to the world stage.

Raymond Rufino

CEO of NEO

Back in 2001, I was transitioning out of my role in our family’s non-profit, LRP Foundation, which operated Louie’s THX Cinema. It was my first job after college, and where I learnt how business can be a force for good. But then I  started working on my first large-scale, mixed-use real estate project, called Times Plaza, in Manila. This was the year I truly discovered my twin passions of real estate and advocacy—that success, to me, would mean not only developing buildings but also delivering impact. This was also the year I met Anna, who is now my wife and the mother of my three children.

Kit Zobel

Philanthropist

I was 34 and enjoying the pleasures of motherhood with two young, wonderful daughters, Natasha and Sylvia, ages 4 and 2.  Traditions like Christmas, Easter and Halloween became more special as we enjoyed them through our children’s eyes. I was very caught up in the world of motherhood and parenting and felt very fulfilled at this life stage. Our family grew with two more children, Katya and Alvaro. Now we have another marriage to add to it, with our eldest, Natasha, having tied the knot this year with our son-in-law, Jamie. I am thankful for the blessings of love and family.

Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey

Model and Miss Universe 2015

I was an 11-year-old booking my very first modelling jobs for a teen cosmetics brand. Baby powder, clear mascara, lip balm… It may have seemed small, but to me, it felt like everything. On weekends, my mum would chaperone me to photo shoots, fashion shows and magazine covers while I balanced school during the week. I was just starting in showbiz, learning what it meant to show up, be professional and work hard. Looking back, those moments became so much more than childhood memories. They taught me that even the smallest opportunities can lay the foundation for dreams far bigger than you can imagine.

Pops Fernandez

Singer and Actor

In 2001, I staged a very personal comeback concert, titled SHINDIG. Produced by DSL Productions with the support of ABS-CBN, it became more than a concert—it was a celebration of music, healing and gratitude. We also created a television special and a commemorative magazine that captured the journey behind the show. Because of the overwhelming response, a live album titled SHINDIG was released, allowing the memories and emotions of that night to live on. A repeat performance followed, making the experience even more meaningful. Looking back, SHINDIG remains one of the most heartfelt and unforgettable milestones of my career.

Heart Evangelista

Actor and TV host

I was 16, fresh-faced, a little fearless and working harder than people realised. My days were spent on the set of hit afternoon teen shows, sharing scenes with a love team and friends that opened so many doors. I remember believing I had life figured out: the schedule, the dreams, the future. But I was only really just beginning. Those years taught me gratitude, resilience and the quiet courage to keep becoming the woman I am today, every day.

Read also: Fashion is your armour—Heart Evangelista looks back on how she found her authentic self and style

Drs Aivee and Z Teo

Founders of the Aivee Group

Dr Z Teo: I was in Scotland doing my medical training at the University of Glasgow. It was during one of my overseas rotations at the National Skin Centre in Singapore that I met Aivee.

Dr Aivee Teo: I had just completed my Dermatology residency training at the University of Santo Tomas and was beginning my fellowship at the National Skin Centre in Singapore. It was during that time that I met Z—a meeting that became one of the most meaningful moments of my life. Looking back, those years were filled with growth, new beginnings and memories that I continue to treasure.

Steven Tan

President of SM Supermalls

I was a bright-eyed, fresh graduate from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris when the winds took me to Shanghai. I couldn’t resist the lure of China and joined the opening team of the Barceló Hotel Group to launch a major hotel property. Asia was on the cusp of a transformation. I am grateful to have experienced this incredible time firsthand. The inspiration remains and guides me in my work today, shaping world-class retail and lifestyle destinations for SM Supermalls in the Philippines—a citizen of the world, 25 years ago and to this very day.

Donnie Tantoco

President of Rustan Commercial Corporation

In 2001, I was 35 years old, working closely with my grandfather, the late Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco. He was proud that our first Shopwise was bringing Rustan’s quality to more Filipino families; and he wanted us to expand. He entrusted me with modernisation initiatives. My wife was also deeply involved in Shopwise. Outside work, I cherished being a husband and a father to Nicole, Camille and Christian. Then, as now, my life centres on meaningful and purposeful work, being constantly present with my family and just trying not to squander the blessings and gifts I have been given.

Mia Borromeo

Lifestyle Curator

I already had a love and curiosity for travel. It was always so exciting for me to discover new places and travel to a country for the first time! This photo (from a little over 25 years ago) was taken at the Forbidden City during my first visit to China with my mum on a mother-daughter trip. It was fascinating and unforgettable. At the time, China was just beginning to open up to the rest of the world and was not very developed. Each site we visited was more impressive than the last. 

Myla Crespo-Villanueva

CEO of MDI and Novare Technologies

25 years ago, I was cradling my newborn son, a little brother to my daughter. At the same time, I was giving birth to something else entirely: my third startup, Meridian Telekoms, now known as Smart Bro. We’d just sold Wolfpac Mobile, and I’d earned a rest, but I was restless. The data wave was coming, and I caught it. Today, I do pro bono public service after corporate retirement. I’m proud to have helped shape an industry. (The photograph above was taken when Luis was six years old and Blanca was 12 years old.)

Emerson Yao

Managing Director of Lucerne Philippines

I was 35 and making my first trip to Baselworld in Basel, Switzerland. I arrived as a young watch retailer from Manila, eager to meet leading luxury watchmakers and persuade them to entrust their brands to Lucerne [our watch company] in the Philippines. Founded in 1982, Lucerne grew through the enduring friendships and partnerships formed during those early years. As the company approaches its 45th anniversary, my son, Mark Yao, has recently come on board and is being prepared to help lead its next chapter. It is deeply meaningful to see the business now being passed to a new generation.

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