Felipe Yap is the current chairman of the Philippine Stock Exchange. A member of the first generation of his family's fortune, he's a classic self-made man. Armed with a degree in Philosophy from San Carlos in Cebu, he entered his parents' small buy-and-sell textile business and moved to Manila in 1959. The Yao/Zialcita brokerage proved to be his training ground, and he parlayed his business acumen and steely determination into a reputation that's legendary in the stock market.

Having served as president of the Exchange in 1983 and chairman in 1985-86, he was approached once again to take chairmanship last year during the tumultuous period of the BW scandal. Presumably, a good name, a strong character and a comprehension of the situation and reforms needed to bring trust back tot he the Exchange compelled those who had a choice to turn to him.

His prescience and vision are behind his new "baby" - the Yapster e-Conglomerate, a family owned corporation. It's click and mortar in cyberspace with a real footing in infrastructure that's as real as the page you now hold in your hands. Established in 1999, Yapster e-conglomerate is a holding company with interests in Internet companies, providing all-around business solutions for companies by offering a host of online services and supporting infrastructure companies. 2TRADEASIA.COM is run by daughter Christine and provides online trading; 2STUDYIT.COM is e-learning for various IT and business training requirements; 2INSUREALL.COM is an online insurance brokerage with transaction functionality; and 2TRAVELWORLD.COM, presently an info page will soon redefine travel management for its users. Yapster is also the partner of Lucio "Bong" Tan, Jr. in SOURCEPILIPINAS.COM, the leading e-marketplace for indirect expenditure in this country. ACTIVE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS and YAPSTER SHARED SERVICES, INC. are also part of the conglomerate.

It's a unique combination of corporate savvy and folksy wisdom though that made an special impression on me. You see Christine's unconditional devotion and admiration and you sense that here's someone who's carved a special niche in the hearts and minds of the people he's come into contact with. Something of an unconventional "China-man", it's this slewed perspective on life and business that makes Felipe Yap worth listening to.