The inspirational life of Ambassador Philippe Jones Lhuillier (PJL), one of the country’s most respected diplomats and Chairman of Cebuana Lhuillier, the nation’s largest micro-financial services company finally comes to life with “A Purposeful Journey of a Lifetime”.
“A Purposeful Journey of a Lifetime” is a collection of stories, records, and anecdotes about PJL, either told by PJL himself or expressed by the people who know him best. The book conveys the key stages of PJL’s life journey in six chapters.
PJL names the first chapter of his book “Beyond the Horizon”. PJL recounts life of his father and mother, his early childhood years, the start of the family pawnshop business, his teens and early adult years all alone in Manila, joining his father in the pawnshop business, and ends in his revolutionary success in establishing and developing the Cebuana Lhuillier brand.
PJL credits his father for his business acumen and success saying “I have always admired my father. I am thankful for the path he has chosen for me.”
In Chapter 2, “The Path to Servant Leadership”, PJL relates the next major stage of his journey, his transition from the life of a highly successful businessman to the life of a public servant. From serving as Philippine Ambassador to Italy in 1999 – 2010, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal from 2012 – 2016, and Philippine Ambassador to Spain from 2016 – present, PJL offers a candid look at his life as an ambassador. It gives readers a glimpse into the challenges he faced, the loneliness of the role, as well as his dedication to the accomplishment of Casa Filipinas in Spain, a passion project envisioned as a one-stop-shop multi-purpose center that will feature Philippine history and culture, promote the Philippines as a tourism and business destination and provide services to both Filipinos and Spaniards alike.
Chapter 3, “A Spiritual Sojourn”, showcases the PJ Lhuillier Museum Collection. The book provides an exclusive look into PJL’s personal collection of over 10,000 pieces of religious art, carefully curated over five decades. The stories behind these treasured works reflect his lifelong fascination with history, culture and his strong faith.
PJL writes a loving tribute to his wife, Edna in Chapter 4, “The Road that Leads to Home”. In turn, Edna writes about her life with the Ambassador, and at some point articulately describes his husband as a public servant: “For Philipe, everything is about the OFWs. He has helped a lot of OFWs and wants to continue to help them. That is the main reason why he still wants to be an ambassador, not because of the title.”
In this chapter written by PJL and his family, each one of PJL’s seven children shared their thoughts and experiences about their father through treatises of their own. In his article “Passing the Baton”, Jean Henri wrote, “In many ways, my father became more giving when he became an ambassador, he saw how Filipinos were working hard and felt their pain of being away from their families. In areas where he was assigned, he made sure that he could find ways to help them.” Meanwhile, Philippe Andre D. Lhuillier, in a commentary titled “Strive to be the Best”, wrote, “My father inspired us to strive for the best. He would always make you strive harder instilling in us that there would always be something more to achieve.” PJL expresses how proud he is of his children in this chapter by stating, “Edna and I feel very fortunate that they grew up to be good.”
Chapter 5, “Trails Filled with Love and Gratitude”, PJL’s friends share their own PJL stories and provide further insight as to his true character. In his article “A Brother for Life”, Louie S. Campos a close friend and tennis buddy of PJL wrote, “Three words to describe my dearest friend Philippe would be – caring, sharing, and laughing. Whether in his businesses, his family and community, or his government service. Philippe has lived each day excelling the best he can with these three words.”
The last chapter, “Paving the Way Towards a Bright Future”, presents a compilation of the various CSR and public service programs the PJ Lhuillier Group of companies have initiated and will continue to push out. This chapter displays the commitment of PJL and the entire Cebuana Lhuillier family to help improve the lives of Filipinos everywhere.
Asked why he wrote his memoir, Ambassador Philippe Jones Lhuillier replied, “A Purposeful Journey of a Lifetime is more than a memoir, it is an inspiring guide to living a meaningful life. I hope that through these stories, readers will find the motivation to pursue their own passions and embrace life’s many twists and turns. May this book inspire all readers in their life journeys. May they find purpose and meaning as they travel the many roads and crossroads along the way. Enjoy life. It is a journey, not a destination.”
“A Purposeful Journey of a Lifetime” is PJL’s tribute to the values of perseverance, service, and passion. His deep love for family, commitment to public service, and dedication to Filipino culture are interwoven throughout the narrative, motivating readers to embark on their own purposeful journeys.
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by Cebuana Lhuillier.
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