Port tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. leads the Philippines’ contingent on the Forbes 2026 Billionaires List, ranking 175th globally with an estimated net worth of USD16.5 billion, making him the richest Filipino this year.
Razon built his fortune through global port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. and has expanded into energy, water utilities and gaming. His growing empire reflects the rising value of infrastructure assets as the Philippines ramps up spending on logistics, power and other projects needed to sustain economic growth.
Infrastructure is also central to the fortunes of other Filipino tycoons climbing the global wealth ladder. Ramon Ang, president and CEO of San Miguel Corp., ranked 1,189th with USD3.6 billion. San Miguel has poured billions into toll roads, airports and power plants, positioning itself as one of the country’s biggest private sector builders of infrastructure.
Together, Razon and Ang show how the country’s long standing infrastructure gap is turning into opportunity for conglomerates and the billionaires behind them.
Further down the list is property magnate Manuel Villar, who ranked 1,376th globally with an estimated USD3.1 billion. The former Senate president, House speaker and once formidable presidential contender built his fortune through mass housing developments across provincial growth corridors and suburban communities.
Villar was, for a time, the country’s wealthiest, lifted by soaring valuations of his listed property companies. But scrutiny over property valuations flagged by regulators rattled investors and sent shares of his flagship property firm sharply lower, trimming his paper wealth.
Because Forbes estimates billionaire fortunes largely from the market value of publicly traded stocks, swings in share prices can quickly reshape the rankings.
The Philippine presence on the list extends well beyond these names. Tobacco, airline and banking magnate Lucio Tan ranked 1,223rd with USD3.5 billion. Retail and property heirs from the SM empire also remained prominent.
Henry Sy Jr. placed 1,676th with USD2.5 billion, while siblings Hans Sy and Herbert Sy tied at 2,274th with USD1.8 billion each. Harley Sy shared the 2,386th spot with property and liquor tycoon Andrew Tan, both worth USD1.7 billion.
Retail magnate Lucio Co and Teresita Sy Coson tied at 2,481st with USD1.61 billion each, while fast food pioneer Tony Tan Caktiong of Jollibee Foods ranked 3,185th with USD1.1 billion.
Rounding out the list is Eusebio Tanco, ranked 3,332nd with USD1 billion. Tanco chairs STI Education Systems Holdings, which runs 63 schools nationwide, about 41 percent under franchise. Much of the recent rise in his wealth, however, has come from DigiPlus Interactive, the digital entertainment firm he also chairs. DigiPlus has ridden the boom in online gaming and recently expanded abroad.
Globally, the 2026 ranking lists 3,428 billionaires with a combined net worth of USD20.1 trillion, underscoring how industries tied to trade, consumption and infrastructure continue to shape fortunes worldwide.
