Rivera wants to make Gensan a model community
Business experience, faith and philanthropy are the foundation of Ryan Rivera’s viewpoint on how to govern. The scion of a Mindanao industrialist, he is making a bid for congressman in the first district of General Santos City-South Cotabato under the Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan.
Ryan is the eldest of six children by selfmade billionaire Rodrigo Rivera Sr. and philanthropist Dolores Chua. The conglomerate has provided jobs for over 36,000 people in the Philippines and overseas and is the largest employer in General Santos.
Deep in his heart, Rivera wanted to uplift the country in his modest way.
On being an entrepreneur, Rivera says the business is not all about profit but more of community responsibility. “If you are successful, money will flow. We have been blessed by God, so we feel it is our responsibility to give back a certain percentage of our income after taxes. You have to think about being there for others,” he says.
Rivera is proud of the family’s philanthropy through the RD Foundation. As a Christian company, it believes in tithing 20 percent of its earnings for the service of humanity. The foundation has been supporting anti-poverty and education programs. One of its successful scholars is TV actress and host, Melai Cantiveros, who belongs to the Bilaan tribe.
“We send children to school from indigenous groups as part of our community service,” says Rivera.
The foundation also provides free prescription glasses to the elderly; supports orphanages in General Santos and South Cotabato and donates warm clothing and canned goods to the local tribes.
The family-owned Mindanao Medical Center has led medical missions and provided free services to indigent patients with stage 4 cancer and hospitalization to children of pastors.
He envisions making General Santos a model community that has high employment rate and good quality of life.