Enrique Razon, EKR to you, is the richest Filipino today, according to Forbes’ World’s Billion-aires list. That’s news but not really. For the last several years EKR has been there, done that.

What’s new is how rich he is today, compared with last year. How do you count ₱918 billion?

Not that it matters to him, what with the attendant publicity (any kind is anathema). He avoids cameras and photographers the way he avoids social events, including weddings, even those of family members. He is simply a very private person, specially when he has to be in the public eye. It doesn’t help that his ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services Inc.) is on six continents.

If you were to ask EKR what is the secret of his success, he would most likely scoff at the ques-tion. Since he was a teenager, or thereabouts, he has been working in the port area (also spelled Port Area). Some years ago, when he built a handsome cafeteria supposedly for employees only, I asked him why he never invited me there for an iced tea. At the time, he was publisher of the newspaper where I was chief editor. His reply was, “Because you’ll write about it.”

Based on my own experience, EKR can be most generous. When I asked him for permission to take a leave to visit my mother who was then in Canada, he said, “Why 10 days? It’s too long.” I said, “Sayang ang pasahe” (the fare costs too much). He countered, “I will pay for your fare, come back after five days.”

Speaking of mothers, when I met EKR’s mom during a non-ICTSI event several years ago, I in-troduced myself to her as an employee of her son and thanked her for raising such a nice guy. Looking back now, I could pinch myself for not telling her how EKR had gamely agreed to pose with me for a picture that was supposed to be taken from a distance by my best friend. It was meant to be a stolen shot, because I was not sure if he would agree to pose for a picture. But as it turned out, he did! Problem was, that friend never gave me a copy!