Robinsons Land Corp. has renamed the roughly one-kilometer Bridgetowne Avenue as John Gokongwei Jr. Boulevard, giving its founder a permanent place in one of its biggest mixed-use developments.
“Everything Mr. John built was born out of a deep commitment to hard work, integrity, and a profound love for the country. That mindset is Mr. John’s true legacy,” RLC president and CEO Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio said during the recent event.
Bridgetowne comes of age
Today, Bridgetowne has grown into a 33-hectare business and lifestyle district anchored by the upscale Opus Mall, office and residential towers and the 60-meter Victor landmark.
Still rising is the eight-story Helios Pickleball Center, a 25-court complex designed to bring international tournaments to Bridgetowne.
From market stalls to an empire
Gokongwei was only 13 when his father died, pushing him into business early as he sold soap, candles and thread in Cebu’s public markets to help support his family.
From those modest beginnings came the Gokongwei Group, whose businesses today span food and drinks, property, aviation and retail, alongside major investments in power and telecommunications.
An idea that kept growing
That same instinct for building around how people live helped shape Robinsons Land, from the early mixed-use model of Robinsons Galleria to larger communities such as Bridgetowne.
The boulevard also carries a piece of Bridgetowne’s engineering ambition, crossing a 200-meter bridge between the Quezon City and Pasig sides of the development.
With links to C-5 Road, Ortigas Avenue and Amang Rodriguez Avenue, the road serves the growing number of residents, workers and visitors moving through Bridgetowne each day.
Gokongwei Group founder name stays on
The renaming comes as the Gokongwei family and businesses mark the centennial of the entrepreneur who went from selling goods before dawn in Cebu to building one of the Philippines’ biggest business empires.
“May every person who passes through here be reminded that the path to progress is paved with the same grit, humility, and vision that Mr. John showed us every single day,” GoBio said.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
