Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr.

Eduardo "Danding" Murphy Cojuangco Jr. (born June 10, 1935) is a Filipino businessman and politician. He is the chairman of San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage corporation in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. He is a former Philippine ambassador and former governor of Tarlac.In 2016, his personal wealth was estimated at US$1.1 billion.It was estimated that, at one time, his business empire accounted for 25% of the gross national product of the Philippines. As of July 2017, his personal wealth was estimated at US$1.16 billion. He has been called "one of the country's leading businessmen".

Cojuangco was a close adviser and personal friend to former Philippine president Ferdinand E. Marcos, which led his estrangement from his cousin, Corazon Aquino, who, after Marcos' ouster, succeeded him as president. He was a member of the group nicknamed the "Rolex 12", a group of 12 men who were closest to Marcos and allegedly were his enforcers of Martial Law. He is also an honorary member ofPMA Class 1951. Cojuangco also was accused by the military men at the scene of Benigno Aquino Jr.'s assassination, as the leader who orchestrated the crime.

He is currently the chairman emeritus of the Nationalist People's Coalition, the party he founded in 1992 which served as his vehicle to further his aspirations in the 1992 presidential elections. He was a candidate for the Philippine presidency in 1992, ultimately losing in a tight election to Fidel V. Ramos. Ramos received 23.6% of the vote. Miriam Defensor Santiago came in second with 19.7% and Cojuangco came in third with 18.2%. He further tested the political waters in 2003, intending to run in the 2004 presidential election, but soon withdrew.

He was also an advocate for sports in the country through using his companies as sponsor for various events. He is notable for supporting basketball in a huge way since the 1980s as a basketball godfather for President Marcos with the famed Northern Consolidated team. Through San Miguel Corporation, he currently owns three teamsin the Philippine Basketball Association (the flagship San Miguel Beermen, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, and Star Hotshots). He is also the key benefactor of the De La Salle Green Archers men's basketball team.

Cojuangco is the eldest child of Eduardo C. Cojuangco Sr. and Josephine B. Murphy. His mother, the daughter of an Irish-Canadian U.S. Army volunteer who married a Filipina woman, was born and raised in Baguio. His father Eduardo Sr., the son of Melecio Cojuangco, was of Chinese descent.

Cojuangco was educated at Lafayette College. Besides English and standard Tagalog (Filipino) (national and official languages), he also speaks the Filipino regional dialects of Ilocano and Kapampangan (mother dialect), which are the native languages of Tarlac province.

He is married to Soledad "Gretchen" Oppen-Cojuangco. They have four children: Margarita "Tina" Cojuangco Barrera, Luisa "Lisa" Cojuangco-Cruz, Carlos "Charlie" Cojuangco and Marcos "Mark" Cojuangco. As of 2018, he was living with his partner, 1996 Binibining Pilipinas Universe winner Aileen "Leng" Damiles. They have two daughters.