Antonio Floirendo

Antonio Floirendo Sr. (November 20, 1915 – June 29, 2012) was a Filipino entrepreneur and landowner whose main business was his 6000-hectare banana plantation in Panabo, Davao del Norte, Philippines, earning him the title as the "banana king" during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. He was among a group of close associates of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos referred to in media as "Marcos cronies", having benefitted from his close association with Marcos. The Marcos mansion at 2442 Makiki Heights Drive in Honolulu, Hawaii, in which Marcos spent the last years of his life in exile, was registered under the name of Floirendo Sr.

Early life and family Floirendo was born on November 20, 1915, in Bauang, La Union. He was in his 20s when World War II took place, and made a living through the war by ferrying passengers on his calesa (horse-drawn carriage).

He chaired the Davao regional chapter of Marcos's political party Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, through which he lobbied for appointments of local officials.

TADECO during the Marcos dictatorship

During the Macapagal administration, TADECO leased 6,000 hectares of prime, fertile government land for use as a banana plantation. However, the project was halted because it violated the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines and Philippine corporate law, which permitted only up to 1,024 hectares of land acquisition. Senator Lorenzo Tañada chaired a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into the matter, which caused Floirendo to shelf the plan and wait for a more favorable political climate.

The plan was realized after Marcos' second term. He purchased two units at the St. James Towers in Manhattan. He purchased a $1.35 million mansion in Makiki Heights in Hawaii. He purchased the $4.5 million Lindenmere estate in Long Island New York, and a $2.5 million Beverly Hills property.

1986 escape to Brunei The day before Ferdinand Marcos fell from power in 1986, Floirendo and his family fled from the Philippines to Brunei.

Compromise deal with the Presidential Commission on Good Government Antonio Floirendo Sr. signed a compromise deal with the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in 1987, turning over about PHP70 million ($1.5 million) in cash and assets.

Descendants Floirendo Sr. had six children. His eldest, Maria Linda Floirendo Lagdameo, married Antonio M. Lagdameo. His second child Antonio "Tonyboy" Floirendo Jr., became representative for the 2nd congressional district of Davao del Norte. His grandson, Antonio Lagdameo Jr. (through his daughter Linda F. Lagdameo), also held the same post in between the terms of his uncle Tonyboy. He had four younger children, Maria Cristina (who married Antonio M. Brias), Maria Theresa, Ricardo and Vicente.