The Passing of a Purposeful Pillar

“You have to have a grateful heart. Every day is a special day. You cannot be positive without being grateful,” he said. “You have to do with passion the things that you like to do.” — Bobby Joseph

The life of ROBERT “Bobby” LIM JOSEPH was, in so many ways, exceptional. It vindicated his faith amid seemingly impossible odds; he redeemed that faith through a grateful heart; and overcame these odds to become, up until his passing, the longest living person with Stage 4 cancer. But while being a cancer survivor — and the great epiphany of spiritual conviction that arose from his affliction — was perhaps the apogee of his personal triumph, he’d had many admirable feathers tucked in his colorful hat. Apart from being a staunch travel and tourism advocate, he was a passionate environmentalist, a champion of admirable causes, a wine connoisseur, and a businessman, a diplomat (honorary consul general of the Republic of Latvia to the Philippines since 1994), a book author, and a motivational speaker.

Bobby was best known as the pillar of the Philippine travel and tourism industry, whose career dated back to as far as the mid-sixties when he was named top salesman for Egypt Air from 1965 to 1979. As a trailblazer in aviation marketing, he was an unstoppable force of nature, accomplishing unprecedented milestones in the country’s travel sector. He promoted Korean culture as part of his work in Korean Air Lines, long before K-Pop became vogue. He once collaborated with Asia’s “Fashion Czar” Pitoy Moreno in mounting a fashion show in the sky — onboard a KAL 747 flying from Seoul to New York with the 747’s aisles as the catwalk. And amid the massive economic fallout from the political crises in the eighties, he successfully spearheaded the Philippines’ hosting of the 17th Annual World Airline Clubs Association (WACA) Convention in 1984.

He founded the first travel cooperative in the Philippines for micro travel agencies, which quickly gained accreditation by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). He was president of the Network of Independent Travel Agencies (NITAS) as well as of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS), with more than a hundred chapters all over the country. Indeed, the capstone years of Philippine tourism was built by people like him. The industry was built by Bobby Josephs. He brought the tourism landscape a little bit closer to the pinnacle of the industry’s highest goals. He, together with Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, endeavored to establish a sustainable farm tourism project in San Jose, Batangas called “Paraiso Village Social Tourism Farm.” He also spearheaded the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST), as Vice-Chairman with former Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor as president.

But it was in his final years as President of the Rotary Club of Manila that I saw the man up-close-and-personal. As Club Secretary, I was at the front-and-center of his light which shone the brightest. Despite being aware of his ongoing medical condition, the members of Asia’s oldest Rotary Club overwhelmingly elected him in absentia to lead them through the organization’s most challenging moments. True to his mandate, he proved to all that there exists the capacity for great courage, that in all of us there is a longing to do what’s right, that in all of us there is a willingness to love all people, and to extend to them their God-given rights to dignity and respect. So many of us lose that sense. It’s taught out of us. We start feeling as if, in fact, that we can’t afford to extend kindness or decency to other people. But Bobby always saw the best in us. And when all seemed lost and the tide of public opinion seemed to be going against his way, he never gave up and never stopped speaking out because he saw the best in every single Rotarian. He believed in us even when we didn’t believe in ourselves.

He didn’t rest, even when his cancer was showing signs of recursion, along with its accompanying horrific side effects and pains. He would meet his Board almost on a daily basis — oftentimes, several times a day — to stave off a membership crisis. And, in the face of extended lockdowns during the worst of the pandemic, he even elevated what he started at the Manila Yacht Club in saving Manila Bay and by going nationwide in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and other government agencies to support various projects for sustainability. When other Rotary Clubs were struggling to stay afloat, he continued getting bigger projects in collaboration with other Rotary clubs abroad to secure grants to help the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the Tuloy Foundation of Father Rocky Evangelista, scholarships and student exchange programs, and outreach programs.

He astonished even the most dedicated workaholics during his punishing year as a dedicated Rotary leader with his cyclonic energy and confounded his skeptics with his steely resolve to accomplish the impossible, largely because of his “can-do” attitude to “optimism and positive thinking,” often masked in a disarmingly jovial demeanor. His warm face and relaxed manner rarely revealed his inner feelings. Those who knew him well say Bobby Joseph was a fascinating paradox, an idealist who never abandoned the hard edge of reality, a man of high principle who, without ever compromising morality, could play a tough game to win his goals.

Over the years, he had projected a commendable public modesty, but behind the humble exterior was a steely inner toughness. Looking back at these past few years, I know that everything Bobby Joseph did had a purpose. He was a creative energizer of people, a man unafraid to make unpopular decisions, a natural mentor and leader. What a gift Bobby Joseph was. We are all so lucky to have had him walk with us for a while, and show us the way.

Paalam, President Bobby. Let’s get together and indulge for a few drinks when we meet again.