THE Simple Life OF
FELICISIMO PIO GOROSPE:
A BIOGRAPHY
Written By: Angelo D. Tabuac
January 2000. This was supposed to be the end of the world. Hypes about the then so-called “millennium bug” were off the charts. I really didn’t take this bug seriously being an information technology practitioner myself as I am certain there is always a solution to any programming anomaly. I was faced with a rather bigger problem – how do I make my life and my personal economy better? In plain words, how do I make more money? While working in a highly diversified conglomerate in the Philippines as an investment associate, I did some consultancy projects on the side. It was this year of the millennium bug that I met Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe or simply “Fel.”
Mr. Gorospe contracted me to conduct a technology validation and feasibility study on meteor burst communications technology to be applied in the South East Asian setting. The technology is enabling communications via falling stars. Meteors falling from the sky basically create a reflector-like trail acting as a natural satellite and Mr. Gorospe envisions this to be of great benefit to the Philippine market and the greater ASEAN region. I thought he was a man of vision and I was impressed. In pursuing the localization of this technology, we went to The Netherlands to validate the technology applications in Western Europe and later on in the United States to meet with the patent holders. It was during this period that I got intrigued with the life of Mr. Gorospe.
The uniqueness and greatness of Fel Gorospe does not rely on the profoundness of his thoughts, but rather on the realism of his ideas. In life, one is exposed to too many complications that you tend to forget the simple things that is basic and real and that which really matters, Fel Gorospe always find a way to relay this message to his peers effectively. Mr. Gorospe epitomizes the adage that ultimate sophistication can only be achieved through simplicity.
Fel Gorospe didn’t grow up from an affluent family. Although the surname “Gorospe” is known to be a family of old riches, Mr. Gorospe would jokingly say that he came from the poor side of the Gorospe clan. In fact, Fel would always say in his speeches that he is proud to come from the poor because that served as his inspiration to achieve more in life. None could ever be more inspiring and motivating than the need to put food on the table.
As a child, Fel lived an ordinary and normal life. Born on August 6, 1936 to Mr. Santiago Gorospe, truck driver, and Mrs. Nieves Pio, housewife, Fel was the eldest among 12 children. Living in Barangay Miramar, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, Fel is notorious as being an active kid, sometimes overly active, as his hyperactivity is focused on humoring elders in his community. A memorable story in Fel’s childhood would be his trauma towards Japanese soldiers during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines when his group of friends was joking and name calling Japanese soldiers. One Japanese soldier got irate and all kids ran, unfortunately for Fel who just got into the area and the littlest among everyone for he was left behind and got the spanking of his life. To date however, the trauma is transformed into a humorous story commonly referred to as his “Best Japanese Spanking Ever.” Academically, Fel’s elementary days in Pagsanaan Elementary School however proved exceptional. He was a born leader even at this early age as he led almost all activities within the area.
In High School, Fel was consistent with his leadership skills. During his freshman and sophomore years in the Ilocos Sur School of Arts and Trade (which later became University of Northern Philippines) in 1951 and 1952, he was elected the batch president in both years. According to Mr. Exaltacion Quitoriano, a former classmate in UNP, he wasn’t elected as batch president during his junior year for school year 1953-54 because he was already the overall student council president, beating the seniors when he was only in third year.
Mr. Fel Gorospe took his tertiary education from three institutions: Divine World College (1956), Arellano University (1963) and a London-based International Correspondence School (1959). He took up Secretarial Science, Journalism and Short Story Writing. He also has units in Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Education. Concurrently, he served as Barrio Lieutenant in Barangay Miramar and in 1957, he successfully enhanced social activities of the community in Magsingal by establishing the Barangay Ronadalla and Zarzuela. During this period, Fel was also instrumental and served as the champion in the establishment of the Barangay Clinic and Post Office in Miramar, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. One of the notable acts of Mr. Fel Gorospe is his paving the way for the establishment of Miramar Elementary School. Prior to his efforts, classes were held only in a neighboring barangay until he lobbied to various government officials and the school was finally formalized, concretized and erected.
Fel’s early professional career is rather intriguing. His mentor, idol and inspiration, as he would openly declare, is the late entrepreneur and visionary Mr. Domingo Guevara of the Guevent Group of Companies. In 1966-1973, Fel Gorospe served as the Personnel Manager (and concurrently the Editor of Guevent Publications and Sports Coordinator) of Guevara & Sons Inc. and Guevara Foundation, Inc. His personnel management skills, as he is now a proven people-person, were honed during these years and in collaboration with Mrs. Chita Guevara-Monfort, he was material in establishing the corporate social responsibility take of Guevent Group of Companies, the Guevara Foundation, Inc.
Prior to his stint with Guevent Group, Mr. Gorospe also held other positions in the National Census and Statics Office as Illustrator II (1958-1960) and Regional Director (1960-1964). He also served as Editor-in-Chief of various publications such as Volkstrad, Tinig ng Guevent and Guevent Headlines (1966-1972); Silahis, official publication of Technological Training Center, Inc (1973- 1976); and Philippine Garments Today, official publication of the Garment Business Association of the Philippines (1977-1978). He later became the Printing Manager of Magna Services Corp in 1970-1980.
In 1973, Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe served as president of the Technological Training Center, Inc., a training institution which pioneered the “Study Now, Pay Later” program founded by Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe. The program later became a national policy and benefited the Filipino community in large scale. Through Fel, the Technological Training Center, Inc. was able to deploy and assist over l,000 garment and textile workers in Metro Manila.
The year 1978 was a critical year for Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe. This was the year that he decided to take things on his own hands and become a full-blown independent entrepreneur. His life was at stake, but he was willing to take the risk. He formed Villa Gorospe Enterprise which is a family business named after an amalgamation of his late first wife’s maiden name Villa and his surname Gorospe. His late wife, Edith Villa Gorospe, has been very instrumental and supportive in Mr. Fel Gorospe’s entrepreneurial spirit. Villa Gorospe Enterprise was engaged in several businesses including travel and tourism, trading, and business consultancy. Fel served as proprietor and manager of the company from seed stage startup to its maturity. Villa Gorospe Enterprise later on became the VGent Group of Companies in 1988 (ten years after its original formation) deriving its name from its predecessor Villa Gorospe Enterprise.
Perhaps one of the most painful part of Fel’s life, as I have witnessed it, is the death of his beloved first wife, Edith. As we would commonly call her, “Manang” is a lady you can easily relate to: caring, motherly and always smiling. My memory of “Manang” are all good memories. It was in the year 200_ when “Manang” passed away after fighting lung cancer while in Chicago, USA. This portion of Mr. Gorospe’s life, along with other issues, and coupled with a bad economy, ultimately led him to a decision of scaling down business operations and just settling in the United States. However, some unknown force has been pulling Fel back to the Philippines. This unknown force is perhaps genetically rooted to his passion to helping the Philippines or perhaps mainly, destiny. In 20005, Fel Gorospe found love again with a long-time business associate and family friend, Linda. As I would call her, “Ate Linda” is a jolly, energetic and vibrant lady with overflowing practical ideas. The years of suffering and darkness finally ended, as the two of them rebuilt the VGent Group of Companies and soared high more than ever.
To date, the VGent Group of Companies is a successful conglomerate with diversified portfolio of business in the fields of tourism, pharmaceuticals, distribution, manpower, technology, environment, education, socio-civic works, brokerage and consultancy. It has presence and partners all over the world with headquarters in Manila, Philippines and Kosice, Slovak Republic. The VGent Group of Companies is composed of VGent Group, Inc. (holding company); Phil-Slovakia Tours Inc. (tourism arm); Seahorse Industries, Inc. (distribution arm); Mannheim International, Inc. (pharmaceutical arm); Eurokonsult Human Resources, Inc. (manpower and human capital division); Global Aquatech Systems, Inc. (environmental technology arm); Trademakers Business Solutions, Inc. (brokerage and consultancy division); ProTrade Consultancy Services Inc. (trade consultancy division focused on Europe); VGent Europe, s.r.o. (head office of VGent in European Union); and VGent Foundation, Inc. (socio-civic and philanthropic sector).
Fel never stopped caring. In 2009, he ensured that a portion of revenues of the VGent Group of Companies is allocated for socio-civic works including the successful setup of a trust fund for VGent Foundation, Inc. (VFI) that would support at least one hundred (l00) VFI scholars annually and perpetually for the next 100 years. On January 13, 2010, Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe and the rest of the VGent Group of Companies, were material in ensuring and making it possible for bilateral relations of Slovakia and the Philippines to flourish with trade missions in cooperation with Slovakian Ambassador, Stefan Rozkopal. On October 16, 2009, Fel Gorospe was awarded as the Most Outstanding Alumnus of his alma matter, the University of Northern Philippines, honoring him for his over 50 years of determination.
On December 13, 2009, during the VGent Group’s Annual Christmas Party in Alta Vista de Boracay in Boracay Island, Mrs. Carmen Guevara-Montfort, the daughter of the late Mr. Domingo Guevara who is Fel Gorospe’s long time idol and inspiration said in her speech, “Fel, you have equaled, if not exceeded, the works of your idol.”
April 2010. It’s been over ten (10) years since I first met Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe. I feel honored to have known the man and have witnessed his life. I feel inspired, as I have felt during the first few years that I met him, the same inspiration which led me to start my own business, amass wealth and gain economic advantages. More than the economics however, to know Fel is still humbling. Not because of his achievements or monetary stature, but because of his simplicity. When we were discussing some socio-civic works and about to go to Ilocos, I vividly remember him blurting, “I would enjoy more riding the public buses and commuting going to Ilocos.” That is humbling. That is simple. And that is Fel.
DISCLAIMER: The author, Engr. Angelo D. Tabuac, is an electronics and communications engineer by profession and is currently a successful entrepreneur. He founded three companies, AlterBest Solutions, Inc., Learning Curve Matrices, Inc. and ZTek Telematics Solutions, Inc. of which two became highly successful. Mr. Tabuac attributes considerable segments of his learnings through the informal education he got from his mentor, Mr. Felicisimo Gorospe, whom he has known for over ten years now. The facts stated in this biography were all true and real life events which happened and witnessed by the author.
