Building a Business Empire with my Technological System

Chapter 375: The Ruffled Feathers

The boardroom at the Vista Land headquarters was a blend of luxury and practicality, befitting the empire built by Manny Villar, the billionaire who had transformed his family's real estate business into one of the most formidable conglomerates in the Philippines. But today, the room was not just a space for planning new projects or reviewing quarterly profits; it was a war room.

The biggest names in Philippine business had been summoned for an urgent meeting.

Villar sat at the head of the table, his expression as serious as the gravity of the situation demanded. Around him were the leaders of the country's most powerful corporations, all of whom had felt the impact of Reyes Corporation's meteoric rise. Ayala Corporation's Jaime Zobel de Ayala, SM Investments Corporation's Henry Sy Jr., JG Summit's Lance Gokongwei, and PLDT's Manuel V.

Pangilinan were among those present.

Villar began the meeting without preamble. "Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I'm sure you all understand why we're here. Michael Reyes and his Reyes Corporation have grown too powerful, too fast. His acquisition of GCash is just the latest in a series of moves that threaten our dominance in every sector."

Henry Sy Jr., known for his calculated business strategies, leaned forward. "Reyes has disrupted every industry he's entered. From healthcare to energy, and now banking. His resources seem limitless, and his technology is years ahead of what we currently have. If we don't do something now, we're all going to see our market shares dwindle."

Jaime Zobel de Ayala, always the voice of reason, nodded in agreement. "Reyes Corporation's growth is unprecedented. It's clear that they're not just competing—they're aiming to monopolize. But we can't act recklessly. We need a strategy that plays to our strengths."

Pangilinan, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke, his tone thoughtful but firm. "Reyes' strength lies in his ability to innovate and disrupt. We can't beat him at his own game—at least, not individually. But together, we can slow his momentum. We have the infrastructure, the connections, and the influence. We need to leverage those assets."

Villar tapped his fingers on the table, considering Pangilinan's words. "Our companies have always been rivals, but Reyes is a different kind of threat. If we don't unite against him, we're going to lose more than just market share. We'll lose our relevance."

"But it won't be easy. The net worth of Reyes Corporation outpaces even our combined resources," Villar continued, his voice laced with urgency. "His capital, his technology, and his strategic moves have put him in a position where he can dominate any market he chooses. We've all seen it happen before our eyes. If we don't act now, we may not have another chance."

Lance Gokongwei, whose family's JG Summit had a stake in various industries including aviation, telecommunications, and food manufacturing, leaned back in his chair, his expression one of deep thought. "We can't underestimate him. Reyes has something we've all struggled with—he's not just playing for profits, he's playing to change the game. And that's why he's been so effective.

He's not just building a company, he's building an empire."

Henry Sy Jr. nodded. "His vertical integration is unlike anything we've ever seen. He's controlling everything from production to distribution, and now he's adding financial services to his arsenal. Heck without even mentioning the fact that he entered the retail industry, competing against my own family's businesses with his high-tech retail stores and online platforms.

He's creating an ecosystem where every aspect of the consumer's life can be managed through his company. If we don't stop him now, there won't be anything left for us to compete over."

Villar's gaze swept across the room, reading the concern etched on the faces of the gathered tycoons. "So what do we do? We've all got our own interests, but we have to find common ground. This isn't just about survival—it's about retaining control over the industries we've spent decades building."

Ayala, always the strategist, leaned forward, his voice calm but determined. "We need to think beyond traditional competition. We need to explore regulatory pressure, strategic partnerships, and perhaps even public sentiment. Reyes Corporation is strong, but no company is invincible. If we can find a way to slow him down, to put up enough barriers, we might force him to make mistakes."

Pangilinan nodded, his mind already working through potential strategies. "Public sentiment could be a powerful tool. Reyes has been seen as a force for good—innovating in sectors that were stagnant, creating jobs, and driving technological progress. But what if we start highlighting the potential downsides?

The monopolistic tendencies, the loss of competition, the potential for data misuse with all the industries he's integrating? We could sway public opinion to our side."

Gokongwei chimed in, "And we should leverage our relationships with regulators. Reyes Corporation has expanded rapidly, and with that kind of growth, there are bound to be areas where he's stretched thin. Environmental regulations, labor laws, antitrust concerns—if we can't beat him in the market, we can slow him down with bureaucracy."

Villar nodded, seeing the plan take shape. "It's a multi-pronged approach. We need to use our influence in the government to push for stricter regulations on his industries. We should also consider collaborating in areas where we can still outmaneuver him—forming alliances, sharing resources, and pooling our innovations."

Jaime Zobel de Ayala added, "We should also prepare our own companies for digital transformation. Reyes Corporation's strength lies in its technological edge. We can't match him directly, but if we modernize our operations and integrate new technologies into our businesses, we can narrow the gap."

Villar, feeling the momentum of the conversation, stood up and addressed the room. "We're all powerful in our own right, but Reyes is threatening to eclipse us all. We've seen companies crumble because they failed to adapt to new threats. I don't intend to let that happen to us. We need to act, and we need to act now."

The room fell silent, each executive contemplating the gravity of the situation. They all knew the stakes—if they didn't unite and find a way to counter Michael Reyes and his rapidly expanding empire, their own empires could be at risk.

Villar continued, his tone resolute. "We'll form a coalition, a united front against Reyes Corporation."

One by one, the heads of the other conglomerates nodded in agreement. They understood the necessity of this alliance. The dominance of Reyes Corporation had become too great a threat to ignore.

As the meeting adjourned, the tycoons filed out of the boardroom, each of them already thinking about the moves they needed to make. The battle against Reyes Corporation was about to begin, and they knew it would be the most challenging fight of their careers.