Billionaire Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp. (PSE:SMC) will acquire an equity stake in Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (OTCPK:MPCF.F) at the invitation of tycoon Manuel Pangilinan-a move that will see the once fierce rivals become close business allies. The Inquirer learned from several sources that Ang, who heads the country's biggest conglomerate, would join the board of MPIC as part of his buy-in of a yet-undisclosed minority stake in the group, which also includes the Ty family's GT Capital Holdings and one of Indonesia's wealthiest men, billionaire Anthoni Salim.

According to a ranking Metro Pacific source, the entry of the SMC president and chief executive into MPIC was a prelude to the eventual merger of the toll road businesses of both conglomerates-SMC Tollways and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., respectively-into one super entity. 'Assuming that doesn't run into antitrust issues, that deal could potentially be a huge initial public offering,' the official said.