By MARY LOU MARIGZA
www.nordis.net

This week, Forbes Magazine released a list of the richest people in the Philippines. Mind you, the wealth of the richest people was computed in dollars. Mind you and excuse me, but even if we pila everyday at the Lotto offices, we can never get to iggem this latsa moolah.

As Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) said: “The net worth of these tycoons appear obscene, happening amid a sea of poverty and hunger in the Philippines. The gap between the rich and poor has grown over the past years. We now have 15 billionaires on one hand and some 11.2 million poor families on the other hand.”

The combined wealth of the Top 40 according to Forbes increased by $13 billion to $47.4 billion this year. Whew, when they say they eat with golden plates and diamond encrusted spoons, I believe them. Anya ngay ngata ti kankanen dagiti bilyonaryo? Anya ngay ngata ti pagturturogan dagitoy a bilyonaryo? Anya ngay ngata ti iruruar da idiay kubeta – di met t—i? Ngem, nagalas piman ta siak ket boggoong laeng ti pagisawsawak ti inlambong nga ugsa (uggot ti sayote) ket isuda ket ribo ti bayad ti maysa a platito ti kanen da? Ngem panagkunak kabsat, naim-imas ti turog da iti rabii, aya? Ta inton bigat, panunoten da manen kasano da pay a paaduen ti pirak da, kasano da pay a pespesen ti dara dagiti mangmangged da, kasano da pay nga agumen ti daga ti makin daga ken ti pine tree ti makinsaleng tapno bumaknang da latta.

Piman tayo latta, aganus nga aglambong ti ugsa, aganus nga agdeppel ti asin, aganus nga agkukot ta naingpis ti ules, aganus latta.

And here is the list by Forbes Magazine: Eat your heart out!
1) Henry Sy – $9.1 billion (SM Prime)
2) Lucio Tan – $4.5 billion (Phillip Morris Fortune Tobacco)
3) Enrique Razon Jr. – $3.6 billion (International Container Terminal Services)
4) John Gokongwei Jr. – $3.2 billion (JG Summit)
5) David Consunji – $2.7 billion (DMCI)
6) Andrew Tan – $2.3 billion (Alliance Global)
7) Jaime Zobel de Ayala – $2.2 billion (Ayala Corp.)
8) George Ty – $1.7 billion (Metropolitan Bank)
9) Roberto Ongpin – $1.5 billion (Atok-Big Wedge)
10) Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. – $1.4 billion (San Miguel)
11) Roberto Coyiuto Jr. – $1.3 billion (National Grid)
12) Tony Tan Caktiong – $1.25 billion (Jollibee Foods)
13) Lucio and Susan Co – $1.2 billion (Puregold Price Club)
14) Iñigo and Mercedes Zobel – $1.15 billion (Ayala Corp.)
15) Emilio Yap – $1.1 billion (Philtrust Bank)
16) Jon Ramon Aboitiz – $955 million (Aboitiz Equity Ventures)
17) Andrew Gotianun – $825 million (Filinvest Development)
18) Manuel Villar – $720 million (Vista Land and Lifescapes)
19) Beatrice Campos – $700 million (Unilab)
20) Vivian Que Azcona – $690 million (Mercury Drug)
21) Alfonso Yuchengco – $570 million (Rizal Commercial Bank)
22) Mariano Tan Jr. – $420 million (Unilab)
23) Enrique Aboitiz – $400 million (Aboitiz & Co.)
24) Eric Recto – $365 million (Alphaland)
25) Jose Antonio – $300 million (Century Properties Group)
26) Gilberto Duavit – $270 million (GMA Network)
27) Menardo Jimenez – $265 million (GMA Network)
28) Frederick Dy – $260 million (Security Bank)
29) Manuel Zamora Jr. – $255 million (Nickel Asia)
30) Alfredo Ramos – $$250 million (Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development)
31) Oscar Lopez – $245 million (ABS-CBN)
32) Felipe Gozon – $240 million (GMA Network)
33) Betty Ang – $235 million (Monde Nissin)
34) Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. – $230 million (Alaska Milk)
35) Juliette Romualdez – $200 million (Banco de Oro)
36) Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. – $195 million (Rustan Commercial)
37) Jacinto Ng Sr. – $190 million (Rebisco)
38) Tomas Alcantara – $160 million (Alsons Consolidated Resources)
39) Michael Cosiquien – $150 million (Megawide Construction)
40) Edgar Sia II – $140 million (Mang Inasal) # nordis.net