BIZ BUZZ: Some billionaires a little bit poorer
The latest global billionaire tally from Forbes shows a familiar lineup of Filipino tycoons—but a closer look reveals that several prominent names quietly slid down the wealth ladder in 2026.
One of the most notable shifts came from property magnate Manuel Villar, who had topped the Filipino list in 2025 with an estimated net worth of $17.2 billion.
In the 2026 global ranking, however, Villar placed lower globally at rank 1,376 with $3.1 billion, marking a sharp drop from the previous year’s valuation.
Villar had led the list since the passing of Henry Sy Sr. (whose wealth was then distributed to heirs whose fortunes were henceforth counted per individual).
Other tycoons also saw modest declines. Ramon Ang, president of San Miguel Corp., was listed with $3.6 billion in 2026, slightly lower than the $3.7 billion reported a year earlier. Meanwhile, members of the Sy family—including Hans Sy, Herbert Sy, Harley Sy, Teresita Sy-Coson and Elizabeth Sy—registered lower fortunes compared with their 2025 estimates.
Fast-food billionaire Tony Tan Caktiong, founder of Jollibee Foods Corp., likewise saw his wealth ease to $1.1 billion from $1.3 billion the year before.
The estimated net worth of digital gaming magnate Eusebio Tanco also slipped to $1 billion from $1.2 billion previously.
Still, not all fortunes moved south. Port and logistics tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. emerged as the richest Filipino in the 2026 list with $16.5 billion, far surpassing his estimated $10.9 billion wealth a year earlier.
Banking and retail investor Lucio Co and retail magnate Andrew Tan also posted higher fortunes compared with their 2025 figures.
For others such as Lucio Tan and Henry Sy Jr., their positions in the billionaire ranks remained broadly steady, signaling resilience despite the reshuffling of wealth among the country’s business elite.
******
Get real-time news updates: inqnews.net/inqviber
