Filipino entrepreneur all praise for UAE’s business-friendly climate

Filipino entrepreneur all praise for UAE’s business-friendly climate

Dubai: Frando Sarmiento, 44, who grew up in a Philippine town without electricity, always harboured a dream of becoming an en-trepreneur one day. And his dream has been realised in the UAE.

The successful Filipino expat attributes his success to his parents, having amazing business partners and the UAE’s pro-business climate

Born in Occidental Mindoro (from “Mina de Oro”), the seventh-largest island in the Philippine archipelago — the Spanish transla-tion means “Mine of Gold” – Frando was raised by working parents. “I am grateful to my parents for raising me and giving me good education. Thanks to their efforts, I am what I am today.”

Born in 1979, Frando grew up at Mindoro as a lone child. His mother Leticia worked at GCFI (Golden Country Farms Inc.), which back in the 80s was the largest agricultural company in Asia. “We moved to Lipa City, an hour’s drive south of Manila, and closer, to the capital back in 1988. She no longer worked from thereon,” he said.

His father Idillo – worked for the Air Force until 1986, then eventually moved to Saudi Arabia to join an American multinational company.

He added: “I would not want to change anything from my past. I had the best