Beyond business, he dedicated himself to public service, serving twice as Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs — first in 2005 under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and again a decade later under President Benigno Aquino III — and to sports, passionately supporting Philippine basketball and cycling.
Lasting impact
Lina’s passing at 76, announced on Feb. 25, 2025, marked the end of an era for the industries he helped shape and the communities he uplifted.
Honoring Lina’s legacy, former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who worked with the former during the administrations of Arroyo and Aquino III, said:
“He was an exceptional entrepreneur, a dedicated public servant, and a visionary leader whose contributions to the logistics and freight industry, as well as his service to the nation, have left a lasting impact on the Philippines.”
Bert Lina, the second of 12 siblings — including former Senator Jose “Joey” Lina Jr. — was born on April 23, 1948 to WW II veteran 2Lt Jose S. Lina Sr. and Dionesia “Isiang” David.
At the onset of the Second World War, Jose bravely joined the guerrilla resistance, fighting to defend the country. He served with the Mt. Sierra Regiment, which saw action in Tayabas and Lucban, areas that are now part of Quezon Province.
His mother passed away in September 2024 at the age of 102.
‘Pinya, tatlo piso’
As a small boy growing up in Laguna, Bert’s entrepreneurial abilities began to take shape, selling sweet pineapples as a way to help his mother.
"Pinya, tatlo piso!," [Pineapple, three for a peso!) was said to be his signature sales pitch, enticing customers with an irresistible deal.
Academic excellence and career beginnings
Driven by grit and an early exposure to the hardships of life in the countryside, Bert excelled academically, graduating valedictorian in grade school and high school.
He later pursued higher education at the Philippine School of Business Administration (PSBA) where he earned his degree and successfully passed the board exam to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
While working at the auditing firm of LC Diaz, Bert also took on a teaching job at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).
Entrepreneurial breakthrough
Bert, whose regular dealings with freight forwarders gave him a ringside seat to the workings of the cutthroat logistics industry, saw an opportunity – instead of a setback – when he lost his job.
Together with his wife, Sylvia Lina (née Pacheco), they formed Airfreight 2100 Inc., now Air21 (21 being the date he was terminated, which he thought was auspicious). Air21 served as FedEx’s Global Services Program contractor in the country until 2012.
While later ceding management control of Air21 to the Ayala Group for P6.06 billion in 2022, the company would serve as the core of what would become the diversified OneLGC or the Lina Group of Companies.
From Air21 to OneLGC
With three major business units—logistics, customs brokerage, and transport and travel—alongside interests in business process management, technology, and back-office support, OneLGC has established itself as a key player in the industry.
Among its flagship firms are logistics provider GO21 Inc. and Air Transport Express by Ube Express, which operates a premium point-to-point (P2P) airport bus service connecting passengers to and from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals.
During a Virtual Town Hall held to explain the particulars of the Air21 deal to employees, Mrs. Lina expressed her gratitude to the OneLGC family for their unwavering trust in Mr. Lina’s leadership and extolled employees to continue supporting their chairman more so now with the entry of a new partner.
“Tuloy-tuloy niyo pa ang pagtitiwala sa ating chairman, lalo ngayon na meron na tayong bagong partner na talaga namang mapapagkatiwalaan.” (Continue trusting our chairman, especially now that we have a new partner who is truly reliable.)
In early 2006, Bert and tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan through BK Titans Inc, acquired control of Perf Restaurants Inc., the local operator of Burger King, when the Ayala Group exited the business. Today, BK Titans is controlled by Jollibee Foods Corp.
Government service
In February 2005, despite skepticism from naysayers and critics, Bert accepted the position of Customs Commissioner during the Arroyo administration.
“It’s payback time,” he told Belinda Olivares-Cunanan when asked what prompted him to give up business for public service.
To demonstrate his sincerity, Bert claimed that he let go of all his business “except those that don’t have anything to do with Customs.”
His tenure, however, was short-lived. He was part of the “Hyatt 10”, a group of key Cabinet members who resigned on July 8, 2005, in protest over the “Hello, Garci” scandal. During his brief term, Bert Lina introduced key reforms at the agency, including:
Redeploying top-performing customs collectors to high-volume ports
Requiring importers to open letters of credit for transparency
Collaborating with the Department of Finance to curb the influx of imported used through the Subic Bay Freeport
A decade later, in 2015, he returned as Customs Commissioner under President Benigno Aquino III, but like his first tenure, it was also brief.
Earlier, Bert also tried his hand at politics, running for Laguna governor in 2001, but was unsuccessful.
Sports and culture
Beyond business, Bert invested in sports, supporting basketball and cycling, while also being an avid golfer with a respectable mid-handicap.
He served as chair and president of the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), where he also owned the Laguna Lakers team. The league lasted four years, disbanding in 2002.
For 14 years, Bert was actively involved in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), owning teams FedEx Express, Air21, Burger King Whoppers, and Shopinas.
During this time, he took under his wing notable players such as RenRen Ritualo and Arwind Santos. He sold his PBA franchise to the MVP Group in 2014.
From there, Bert turned his attention to the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines or Philcycling, serving first as president and later chair. He also fully financed the Le Tour de Filipinas, the former Tour of Luzon, demonstrating his deep commitment to the sport.
Bert was also a patron of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and donated Church bells, ordered from Europe, to the St. James the Great Parish in Ayala Alabang. He also adopted a Surgical-Medical-Dental Mission in Ibajay, Aklan, further extending his philanthropic efforts to healthcare and community service.
Apart from his wife, Sylvia—after whom a theater at De La Salle Zobel is named—Bert Lina is survived by his daughters: April, Donna Mae, Sheila, and Bertha.
Features Reporter
