DID you know that former Senate President and real estate magnate Manuel 'Manny' Villar Jr. revived his title as the country’s richest man through profitting immensely in his memorial business?

That's right memorial business, which means dealing with various aspects of creating and managing spaces and items used to honor the lives of deceased individuals. This includes cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial monuments and related services like software for managing these facilities. The goal is to provide dignified and lasting tributes to the memory of those who have passed away.

According to records, profits of Villar's memorial business Golden MV Holdings skyrocketed to nearly ₱1 trillion in 2024 due to fair value gains and this was enough for the former senator to overtake ports tycoon Enrique Razon and San Miguel Corporation chairman Ramon Ang. Forbes estimated that the former Senate president’s net worth jumped from just US$11 billion (approximately ₱628.83 billion) in 2024 to US$17.2 billion (₱983.26 billion) as of this month.

Much of Villar’s net worth is tied to his stake in Golden MV Holdings, which is known for developing memorial parks around the country. You might be familiar with some of its properties under the Golden Haven name, but it’s also in the residential development business. Golden MV currently has 30 developments nationwide and eight columbaria containing a combined 33,172 vaults.