Since 1990, tuna magnate Roger Lim has made a big impact on the lives of 150 poor fishermen in
Yet, sometimes he’s one of the most misunderstood men in fishing industry.
Lim said this is because he stands pat on his principles, no matter who gets hurt and no matter what the consequences would be.
He’s noted for being fearless and vocal in attacking misdeeds and vague policies of the government.
He openly criticized the government for allowing Taiwanese fishers to dump their non-export quality tuna product in the local markets.
He lobbied hard for the passage of a law in Congress reclassifying tuna hand line boats.
And recently, Lim fought, tooth and nail, for the relief of the entire Maritime 12 police whose members were accused of extorting money and other goods from tuna fishers.
Today, he’s still waging a war but a more difficult and meaningful one - that is to help alleviate the lives of poor tuna fishers.
Fishers to entrepreneurs
For about two decades, Lim built his fortune through his own sweat and blood, bringing ashore high value of large tuna species like the albacore, big-eye, yellowfin and blue marlin.
He owns the Gensan Aqua Traders, one of the leading exporters of fresh big tuna here.
However, instead of keeping his hard-earned money in the bank, Lim used it to help poor fishermen become fishing operators.
Lim launched the program “Social accountability†sometime in 1990.
The program aims to provide job and opportunity to grow to poor but deserving tuna fishermen.
From mere 60, the program beneficiaries increased to 150 fishermen.
â€I want to see the day when these poor fishermen become fishing operators themselves. They deserve to experience better lives,†he said.
Share the blessings
He believes that real people empowerment and genuine economic development would take place only if the employer would share whatever blessing or profit he earns with his workers.
He himself started in 1987 with a character loan capital of about P50,000.
â€I am giving utmost value on a man’s word of honor and credibility,†he stressed.
Following this line of philosophy, he finances the construction of hand line fishing boat of any interested tuna fisher even without a written contract between him and the beneficiary.
The beneficiary would just promise to pay back the cost of the boat and to sell whatever tuna catch he has to Gensan Aqua Traders.
After paying the amount for about three years, the beneficiary himself becomes a boat owner.
The program beneficiaries were former crewmembers or boat skippers working under him.
â€I have observed that my workers were motivated to work hard and they do take good care of the boats because in two- or three-year period they will own them,†he said.
At present, the 150 program beneficiaries owned about 200 tuna hand line boats with 10 to 15 gross tonnage capacities.
Formula of success
Aside from financial help, Lim has also been instilling good values and attitude in his workers.
He has been imparting to them the three principles that virtually made him the “tuna king†here.
First, he said, he taught them how to run a fishing business. Second, he taught them how to manage their own success to sustain it, and last; ensure continuity through management by succession or simply by developing within the family new brand of entrepreneurs.