Jose Concepcion Jr.

Jose Santos Concepcion Jr. was a Filipino businessman, industrialist, activist, and politician.

He was primarily known as the President and COO of RFM Corporation from 1965 to 1986, where he was able to grow and expand it from a flour milling company to a highly diversified conglomerate. He was also the co-founder of the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), a non-partisan election watchdog organization that became notable for monitoring the 1986 snap election, as well as exposing the multiple anomalies surrounding it.

After the People Power Revolution that erupted from the aftermath of the snap election, he served as the Secretary of Trade and Industry from 1986 to 1991, during the term of Corazon Aquino.

Early life Jose Santos Concepcion Jr. was born in Pasay on December 29, 1931, to industrialist Jose N. Concepcion Sr., who co-founded RFM Corporation and founded Concepcion Industries, which included a twin, Raul, who was born ten minutes

Concepcion was a trustee of the Makati Business Club from 1984 to 1986. Following the declaration of martial law in 1972, during which he was noted for organizing his cell block to do daily tasks. the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) as its chair. He helped mobilize thousands of members through his slogan "it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness" NAMFREL, particularly its volunteer wing known as the Bantay ng Bayan, became known for monitoring instances of fraud and other irregularities and publishing results of the 1984 Philippine parliamentary election that contradicted the official results released by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). His tenure in the Aquino cabinet was marked by his launching of the "Yes, the Filipino Can!" movement to promote the Philippines' economic recovery after the Marcos dictatorship and his establishment of the One-Stop-Shop program for obtaining business permits and licenses.

A message promoting the Yes, the Filipino Can! movement was included at the end of the 1991 comedy film Juan Tamad at Mister Shooli: Mongolian Barbecue. A year later in 1992, he ran for the position of senator, however achieved 29th place outside the winning circle of 24 candidates for that years elections.

Later years After leaving the Aquino cabinet, Concepcion returned to leading RFM, during which he also owned the Pop Cola Panthers competing in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1991 until the sale of its franchise in 2001. He was also elected in 1999 as barangay chairman of Forbes Park. and had eight children and 31 grandchildren. as well as a trade adviser to President Bongbong Marcos. Joey is also the founder of Go Negosyo, an organization that seeks to assist small and medium-scale entrepreneurs throughout the Philippines.

Concepcion died on March 6, 2024, at the age of 92. He was buried in Taguig.