The Forbes Rich List is an annual source of intrigue, indicating who the biggest power players are in any respective country.
Notably, the Philippines rankings in particular are dominated by people with links to the gambling sector. Topping the list are the Sy siblings whose US$11.8bn fortune is linked to the SM Holdings real estate empire.
second richest person in the Philippines is Enrique Razon Jr. with US$11.5bn
The second richest person in the Philippines is Enrique Razon Jr. with US$11.5bn. While he made his name in the shipping space, he founded Bloomberry Resorts, which opened the Solaire Resort Entertainment City in 2013 and the Solaire Resort North in 2024.
Just behind Razon in the rankings is Manuel Villar who’s working on a massive development site that will include two casinos when it’s finished, as well as a hospital, tech valley, and a business district.
Three other people with links to the country’s gambling sector made it into the top 20 – Lance Gokongwei, Andrew Tan, and Eusebio Tanco.
