Every member of the MAGSAYSAY Community is part of a bigger family which is composed of current and past employees, crew and their loved ones, our partners and principals, and pioneers and former colleagues who have left an indelible mark in our history, serving the greater good and leaving a part of who they are, through what they did, in our organization forever: their legacy mark. 

MAGSAYSAY is grateful to its pioneers and pillars: the colleagues who joined Robert C.F. Ho, Don Ambrosio Magsaysay, and Miguel Magsaysay, and who trusted and helped them as they embarked on their journey. 

Robert C. F. Ho

Robert C. F. Ho (RCFHo) was the founder and Chairman of the Fairmont and Magsaysay Group of Companies.  

From Shanghai, he studied at Columbia Business School, married Anita Magsaysay Ho, and settled in Manila in 1948. He established Magsaysay and actively worked with colleagues in the Filipino Shipowners ‘ Association to draft and push for the passing of the Philippine Overseas Shipping Act, which he believed would be vital for the country’s development, especially in its recovery from the aftermath of the Second World War. 

In 1963, he established Fairmont Shipping in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Vancouver, where he brought his family to live. He built an international shipping business with strong ties in Japan and Europe. 

RCFO loved the maritime industry, the global nature of the shipping sector, especially the opportunity it gives to many Filipinos to develop meaningful professional careers in seafaring. 

He built a strong Magsaysay and Fairmont culture guided by his strong values of integrity, respect, fairness, and consideration for others. Magsaysay and Fairmont management, employees, seafarers, and their families, will continue to be inspired by the spirit of his philosophy. 

Don Ambrosio Magsaysay loved engineering and dedicated his life as a patriot giving to his country as the General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District to build and develop the water and sewage system for Manila during post-war development. 

When the Americans occupied the Philippines, they offered a program of education for Filipinos. The US government selected scholars through examinations. Don Ambrosio passed the exams and was thus sent, with a second batch of scholars, as a pensionado, to the United States.  

He spent his first year at Iowa State University. He then studied at Cornell University to take up Civil Engineering, where he specialized in water systems.  

As a pensionado, he was required to work for the government on his return home. One of his jobs was to visit the provinces to check on their water systems.  

When he left government, he co-founded A. Magsaysay, Inc. together with Robert C. F. Ho with a vision to contribute to national development through shipping. 

Don Ambrosio enjoyed being a professor at the University of the Philippines. He worked there all through the war and post-war years, and retired to be President of Magsaysay Lines until he passed away in 1966.

Don Ambrosio Magsaysay

Miguel Magsaysay

Throughout the early 1950s, Miguel Magsaysay, together with his brother-in-law Robert Ho, worked actively in the Filipino Shipowners Association to draft the approval of the Philippine Shipping Act of 1955. The legislation has been the foundation of Philippine overseas shipping. 

This act gave the needed impetus to organize a new liner company to service the Philippine-Japan-U.S. trade route to compete with the traditional liner companies serving the country at that time. 

Don Miguel Magsaysay, amongst other things, was instrumental in the focus of training and upgrading of Filipino seafarers. 

In 1964, Eduardo Manese, together with Fermin Celi, Lucio Buhat, and others, founded the Magsaysay Lines and started chartering Magsaysay vessels to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Showa Lines of Japan. 

Eduardo Manese strengthened the commitment to training and developing Filipino seafarers. He is the President of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council, Inc. and IMMAJ-PJMCC Foundation, Inc. 

In 2019, he was awarded with Certificate of Commendation for his distinguished service in promoting economic relations between Japan and the Philippines in contributing to promoting friendly relations between Japan and other nations.

Eduardo Manese

Fermin Celi
Lucio Buhat
Nonito Lim
Capt. Mario Alfelor
Capt. Jose Vela
CE Dominador Hernandez
Carmie Manese
Bing Manese

Lydia Repoyo
Charlie Gamo
Ramona Pleno 
Emong Pleno
Emma del Rosario
Victor (Manoling) del Rosario
Atty. Teodoro Ungson
Dr. Enrique Garcia

Fanny Garcia
Don Albino Sycip
Washington Sycip
Estelito Mendoza
Rosie Mendoza
Jay R. Olivarez
Cornelius “Boy” De Guzman

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