BusinessMirror Chairman Who Amplified JCI Manila Stories Passes Away

Dominic Edgard Angeles Cabangon, chairman of the ALC Group of Companies, passed away Sunday afternoon at the age of 61.

Before he became widely known as the chairman of the ALC Group of Companies, D. Edgard A. Cabangon had long-standing ties with civic leaders and institutions that champion leadership and public service. During his high school years at Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong, Cabangon was a classmate of Past JCI Senate Manila President Randy Manaloto, an early connection that would later resonate within the network of JCI Manila.

Cabangon was also a distinguished member of the Rotary Club of Manila, one of the country’s most respected civic organizations. Through the years, he maintained friendships with several leaders within the JCI community, including JCI Senator Reginald Yu. During the 2025 Catholic Mass Media Awards, Sen. Yu shared that he had been personally invited by Cabangon to attend the ceremony, reflecting the business leader’s continued engagement with institutions that recognize excellence in journalism and public service.

Cabangon served as chairman of the Catholic Mass Media Awards Foundation, an institution that honors media practitioners whose work upholds truth, integrity, and social responsibility. It was during his tenure that Asian Pearl, the official publication of JCI Manila, received the Best Local Community Publication award. At the time of the awarding ceremony, Cabangon was already battling illness and was unable to attend personally. In his stead, his daughter Giannina Eunice Cabangon represented him and delivered his message to the awardees, a moment remembered by many in attendance as a reflection of his continued commitment to media that uplifts communities.

His support for JCI Manila also manifested in meaningful ways within the media institutions he helped steward. Through the years, numerous JCI Manila initiatives and community projects were also featured in BusinessMirror, one of the flagship publications under the ALC Media Group. This support became particularly evident when ET Joshua Aragon, then Director for Special Projects of JCI Manila, reached out regarding coverage of the “Built Different” Board of Directors Induction and Turnover Ceremonies, which was later featured in BusinessMirror.

Beyond these connections, Cabangon was widely known in the Philippine business landscape as the chairman of the ALC Group of Companies, a diversified conglomerate with interests spanning media, financial services, insurance, real estate, hospitality, transportation, memorial care, and security services.

His journey into business began early. While studying at Don Bosco Mandaluyong, he was already accompanying his father, Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, on business engagements. The experience served as an informal apprenticeship, allowing him to observe firsthand how enterprises were built and sustained.

He later pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at De La Salle University, before being sent to the United States after graduation to manage two gasoline stations with convenience stores. From 1986 to 1990, Cabangon immersed himself in the day-to-day operations, working even as a gas station attendant while overseeing the convenience stores. The experience gave him a practical understanding of management from the ground up.

Upon returning to the Philippines in 1990, he enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, intending to pursue a legal career while helping manage the family’s growing businesses. However, by his third year, the demands of supporting his father in overseeing the expanding operations of the ALC Group required his full attention. He eventually made the decision to forego completing his law degree in order to focus on the enterprise that would later become one of the country’s most diversified conglomerates.

The values that shaped his leadership were the same principles he learned working alongside his father: hard work, compassion, perseverance, and dedication. These ideals became central to his approach as he later assumed leadership within the ALC Group.

Under Cabangon’s stewardship, the ALC Group of Companies continued to operate across multiple industries. In media, the group manages DWIZ 882 AM, 97.9 Home Radio, Aliw Channel 23, and several publications including BusinessMirror, Philippine Graphic, Pilipino Mirror, and COOK Magazine, under Brown Madonna Press Inc. These platforms have become important voices in Philippine journalism, business reporting, and public discourse.

The group also maintains memorial care services through the Eternal Group, which includes Eternal Gardens, Eternal Chapels, Eternal Plans, Eternal Crematory, and Eternal Paw Crematory, providing memorial and cremation services for families across the country.

In education and social development, the group supports initiatives such as the Clayton Learning Center, while the Catholic Mass Media Awards Foundation continues to recognize excellence in journalism and media aligned with Christian values.

ALC’s real estate portfolio includes Citystate Properties and Management Corporation, ALC Development Realty, and ALC Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation, while its hospitality division operates establishments such as the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, Citystate Tower Hotel, and Citystate Asturias Hotel, serving both domestic and international travelers.

Cabangon also oversaw businesses in transportation and automotive, including Isuzu Gencars Inc., Prime Legacy Motors Inc., and the Batangas City Grand Terminal, as well as financial institutions such as Planbank, Citystate Savings Bank, AAA Equities, and Filipinas Pawnshop.

The group’s insurance companies include Fortune Life Insurance, Fortune General Insurance, and Medical Benefit Clearinghouse Inc., while its security services operate through Asian Security & Investigation Agency Inc., Eastern Defender Security & Services Inc., Red Falcon Detective Agency, and Vigilant Security Agency.

Despite overseeing a vast network of enterprises, Cabangon remained guided by the lessons learned during his formative years working alongside his father. His leadership reflected a belief that success is sustained not only through expansion, but through perseverance, responsibility, and service to the community.

For many within JCI Manila and the broader media community, his passing marks the loss not only of a respected business leader, but also of a quiet ally who supported institutions that promote leadership, responsible journalism, and civic engagement.

Through the continuing work of the ALC Group of Companies, the legacy of D. Edgard A. Cabangon, entrepreneur, media advocate, and supporter of institutions that build leaders, will continue to shape industries and communities for years to come.