(UPDATE) INDUSTRIALIST and civil society leader Jose "Joecon" Concepcion Jr. died Wednesday, March 6, at the age of 92.
Go Negosyo founder Jose Ma. "Joey" Concepcion 3rd announced his father's passing in a statement but gave no cause of death.
The Concepcion patriarch is survived by his wife, the former Maria Victoria Araneta, his eight children, 31 grandchildren, and his twin brother Raul.
Concepcion was the founder of the election watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), a former Trade and Industry secretary and the former chairman of RFM Corp.
As a business leader, he believed in the Philippines' ability to achieve economic development that was inclusive and pro-Filipino.
Under his guidance, RFM embarked on a path of diversification, venturing into animal feed milling, poultry and livestock, and obtaining the license from the American company Swift to produce processed meats in the Philippines.
These propelled RFM to establish itself as one of the leading food and beverage conglomerates in the Philippines. Staying true to its vision of putting food on every Filipino table, RFM offered products that were mass-based, high-quality and low-cost.
As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1971, he championed constitutional principles that would democratize the nation's capital base to allow Filipino manufacturers to thrive.
He was a master at inspiring ordinary citizens to action, appropriating aphorisms and leading by example.
During the 1986 snap presidential elections, he moved thousands of ordinary Filipinos to join Namfrel, saying "it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
As secretary of Trade and Industry, he rallied Filipinos to support local industries by saying, "Yes, the Filipino can."
When he was a detainee during Martial Law, Concepcion organized his fellow detainees to take turns with chores and keep order inside their cell block.
Even in retirement, he worked as the barangay captain of Forbes Park, famously alighting from his vehicle one night to direct vehicles himself to unravel a traffic snarl.
As a civic leader, among his early crusades was to help reform Pasay City through the formation of the Pasay Citizens League for Good Government.
He was one of the founders of the Capitol Jaycees, the Bishop-Businessmen Conference for Human Development, and the Asean Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Joecon was also a scholar. In addition to his Associate's Degree in Commercial Science from De La Salle University, he also obtained a Bachelor's Degree from Araneta University, majoring in soils and agricultural sciences.
He was the first to use radio-isotopes in the Philippines, applying it as a mechanism to find out how much phosphorus was needed in fertilizers to encourage growth. He later published a paper on "Radio-isotope Phosphorus in Plants."
Concepcion lived his life in adherence to his principles, believing "that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and business groups paid tribute to the former secretary.
DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual recognized Concepcion's impact on Philippine society and said that he was "a stalwart of entrepreneurship and business advocacy."
"His visionary leadership and dedication have left an indelible mark on the Philippine economic landscape," Pascual said in a statement.
He added that the whole DTI organization mourns Concepcion's passing and said that his legacy will forever inspire future generations toward fostering a thriving and pro-Filipino nation.
Namfrel said that he has inspired hundreds of thousands of ordinary Filipinos to take up the cause of free and fair elections.
"Concepcion was a visionary leader who truly loved his country, and believed in the power of ordinary citizens to effect lasting change in their own communities," said Namfrel.
The Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) also honored the former secretary and called him "an industrialist, a public servant and a statesman."
"When he was DTI Secretary, he initiated the 'Yes, The Filipino Can' movement, which was one of the inspirations of many Philippine franchises to expand beyond our borders," the PFA said.
The Makati Business Club said Concepcion played a significant role in establishing transparency in the historic 1986 election and helped re-establish democracy and free enterprise as Trade and Industry secretary from 1986-1991.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) also paid tribute and recognized Concepcion's brand of leadership that inspires others.
"Under his leadership, he gave shape to several advocacies — stronger engagement of the business sector in international trade negotiations, business that is inclusive and responsive to the needs of its community and stakeholders, and a community that is vigilant for democratic processes," it said.
Concepcion was chairman of the PCCI's Asean Committee and Philippine chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) and East Asia Business Council (EABC) when these were founded in 2002.
The public can pay its respects from March 7 (Thursday) to March 10 (Friday), from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City. A Requiem Mass will be offered on March 11 (Monday) at 1:15 p.m. at the Santuario de San Antonio Parish Church, Forbes Park, Makati City.
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