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I was asked a pretty interesting question a couple of weeks ago — do I ever think about my mortality? It is more than an interesting question actually, it is a deeply philosophical query. At some point we all reflect on our own mortality. This is one of the many things that we all share as human beings. We know that our time on this earth is finite. Everything comes to an end. It is this profound realization that forces us to come to terms with our purpose as a human being and the meaning of our lives.

One time when I was having my coffee at one of the branches of Dear Joe, I observed a couple just sitting there enjoying their coffee while flipping through their iPads presumably reading an e-book. That imagery made me realize how times have changed.

Most people know me as a public servant or an entrepreneur. And modesty aside, I would like to think that I have been successful in both roles. I served our country for 21 years as a legislator; leading both houses of Congress as speaker and senate president. As an entrepreneur, I presided over a real estate enterprise that has become one of the leading integrated property developers in the Philippines and the largest homebuilder in the country overall.