Cover Atty Martin Loon and Colonel Ariel Querubin wear CH Carolina Herrera, available in Greenbelt 5
Atty Martin Loon and Colonel Ariel Querubin wear CH Carolina Herrera, available in Greenbelt 5
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Atty Martin Loon and his hero, Colonel Ariel Querubin, discussed their shared passion for service and how they beam as inspirations to each other
In just a few years, Atty Martin Loon has made substantial headway in the local insurance business. A graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines College of Law and Georgetown University, the lawyer has served as the president and CEO of the country’s biggest Filipino-owned stock life insurance company since before the global pandemic began.
Read more: What's it like to be a CEO at 32? Cocolife's Martin Loon on service and making it to the top
Upon a closer look, Loon’s quality as a natural leader is evidently brought about by the influence of a stalwart father figure: his stepfather, retired Colonel Ariel Querubin. A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, Querubin is often regarded as the country’s most decorated soldier, having received the Medal of Valor, the military’s highest honour, among many other distinctions. Loon carries with him his father’s love for country and resilience during times of conflict, while Querubin holds great admiration for his eldest son’s selfless dedication to the family when duty called him away. “Good thing there was Martin,” muses the soldier. “He’s always been very responsible. He became the mentor to all his siblings.”
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Although being separated from his family entailed a significant sacrifice, Querubin felt an undeniable calling to be out in the field. Even today, when he reflects on the hardships his kin endured then, he can’t help but think of the men he served alongside and the families they, too, left behind. Driven by such an innate sense of duty, the decorated colonel believes he still has an “unfinished job”, yearning to return to public service now that his youngest children are nearly done with university. He shares, “All my awards pale in comparison with what I have accomplished as a father. I have prepared all of them for the complexities of life; now I’m ready to serve the Filipino people.”
Growing up with a father like Querubin has undoubtedly influenced Loon’s own leadership at Cocolife. Anchored on delivering quality service to all Filipinos, the company has played a major role in making insurance more accessible to and resonant with all ages across the country. “Of course, it’s difficult to follow in the footsteps of a hero. They’re made of special stuff,” the young CEO says, smiling. “But that guidepost alone was able to inspire us to have what it meant to have courage, integrity, loyalty and discipline—the value of commitment, sacrifice and keeping your word.”
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Rooted in these principles, Loon firmly reinforces the service-centric foundation of Cocolife, focusing on the ways they can augment customer experience. “We’ve already made great strides from the time we started, but we want to improve it even more, make it more efficient and more convenient on the part of our customers,” he relays. “Being sick or losing a loved one is difficult enough. The least we can do as an insurance company is to ensure the ease of utilising our services when they need them. To continue serving the Filipino people and give them the best customer experience in the market, comparable with the best in the world, is really the goal.”
See also: The future of finance: How Cocolife puts the Filipino first
The strong family ties shared by the Cocolife president and his father are likewise evinced in Loon’s endeavour to impart the value of financial security and prudent foresight to Cocolife’s audience. “The world is changing; it’s getting more uncertain,” Loon shares. “The protection and security that insurance offers will play a big role in having that peace of mind as you face the rapidly evolving and changing times. And the more long-term your mindset is, the better it is for the stability of the Filipino family.”
United in their desire to serve in whatever capacity, both continue to inspire many others to take up the noble act for the betterment of their country. With their story exemplifying the transformative power of patriotism, passion and familial bonds, the two remind us that success is not only measured by monetary gains but also by the positive influence we leave on the lives of others.
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Credits
Photography: JV Rabano
Grooming: Johnson Estrella
Styling: Monique Madsen
Outfit: CH Carolina Herrera in Greenbelt 5
Production: Michelle Soriano, Johannah Reglos
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Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.
