The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Market Monitor salutes the contributions to the Philippines industrial landscape, of one of the pillars of the construction industry – the late Felipe F. Cruz Jr., who, unknown to many, subscribed to the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln.
Cruz, best known for establishing one of the country’s largest contractors, FF Cruz Co. Inc., passed away on May 19, 2013. He was 93 years old. Cruz, who started in the busi-ness as a surveying company in what was then known as High-way 54 (now Edsa) was known for his honesty and integrity and he was unafraid even to incur a loss just to deliver on his com-mitment.
Thus, from being a survey-ing firm in 1949, the FF Cruz and Co. Inc., patriarch steered the company to greather heights in the construction business here and abroad and later on added other services such as the reclamation project off Mandaue, which is now a teeming hub of commerce and industry.
FF Cruz provided the key “introduction” for other Phil-ippine companies to shine since the company’s impecca-ble record was known far and wide. Ever, the optimist, the late FFCCI patriarch continued in the construction business even in times of economic distress.
Impeccable in his all-whites, the elder Cruz , always quoted Lincoln to those who are close to him. He believed, like Lincoln, that one does not hurt the rich to help the poor.