Sunday, December 4, 2011

Joseph Calata: One of the Brightest Minds of Philippine Economy

At 30, business tycoon and CEO of one of Philippine's biggest corporations, Joseph Calata has been living the life he had always wanted all because of an empire he courageously built and prospered for his family. The million-peso revenue worth industry started out as a small industry of feeds, fertilizers, and agricultural products distribution in Plaridel, Bulacan.

Climbing to the top was never easy for this young millionaire as he worked his way up a step at a time. In 2001, he joined the family business which was then named J. Melvin, as a clerk. He took over the highest post in the company after proving that he deserves the post. The successful entrepreneur, owing it to his background in financial management, decided to increase the distribution of goods to Central Luzon and Pangasinan.

By assimilating technology and research in agriculture, Joseph Calata led the company to much broader heights. Four years after he took the post, the company's revenues easily rose to P806 million, a billion in 2007 and reached P1.6 billion in 2008. In 2009, the company has reached P1.8 billion in revenues, which made him, who was just 29 years old then, the country's youngest CEO, and was featured in BizNews Asia and Business World's Top 1000 Corporations. At present, the corporation has expanded into the areas of construction, and also made investment in high-efficiency poultry farming, private airplane leasing, and trucking. The corporation, at present, prides itself with 200 workers.

He emphasized his belief during an interview with People Asia Magazine that empowering the agricultural sector would empower the deprived sector of the Philippines. "While it may not be the most alluring of sectors for businessmen, I believe agriculture holds great potential to boost the Philippine economy," he said, who has always kept a special eye on developing the Philippine's agricultural sector.

The seemingly smooth-sailing life and business of Joseph Calata went on the rocks after controversies following his appointment at a government post. Controversies came after critics pointed out his incompetency for the position. Soon after, he was relieved after President Benigno Aquino III took over the presidency.

Joseph Calata started out as a young entrepreneur until he took over the business in 2004. He made he investment on other sectors like construction, trucking, high-efficiency poultry farming, and private airline leasing, which generated high revenues.

-Alison Ward

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