Expert in Export

Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT), is renowned in the world of business as a key player in the trade industry. With such an illustrious career, he has made a name for himself as an export advocate and an instrumental figure in advancements of the Philippines with respect to the field.

FROM LAW TO TRADE
The son of landlords, Ortiz-Luis spent his formative years in his hometown of Cabiao in the landlocked province of Nueva Ecija. Upon finishing elementary school, he was sent to Manila to continue his studies, as was the practice at the time. Ortiz-Luis aspired to follow in his father’s footsteps, who was also a lawyer. However, the future executive ultimately thought better of it since he found the extra years of study were too long.

Among the experiences that influenced Ortiz- Luis to join the workforce instead was his first taste of
employment: a part-time job in the collection department of his father’s friend’s motor company that sold a Japanese brand no longer on the market today. In college, the would-be businessman went the LIA-COM (Liberal Arts-Commerce) path, a program that afforded students a chance of graduating with two degrees. In the case of Ortiz-Luis, he took up a bachelor of science in liberal arts and a bachelor of science in business administration.

Although this resulted in an additional year to his overall stay at De La Salle University (formerly known
as De La Salle College), he felt it was most suited to his decision to keep his path open to law, should he change his mind again. Eventually however, he ended up going for a Master’s in Business Administration at his alma mater as well.

He had initially wanted to join Operation Brotherhood, an overseas assistance program headed by
the Philippine Junior Chamber of Commerce, but was discouraged from doing so due to the war in Southeast Asia between the early ‘60s and ‘70s. So, Ortiz-Luis was recruited as an office manager and accountant.....