MANILA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Filipino-Chinese business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco died at 85-year-old on Tuesday night.

Cojuangco's passing was announced by San Miguel Corporation, of which he was the chairman and chief executive officer, in the corporation's statement on Wednesday.

The Philippine Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque sent his condolences to the Cojuangco family.

Roque said Cojuangco, through his San Miguel Corporation, "had immense contribution to the socioeconomic development of the Philippines through the company's operations in food, beverages, energy, power, oil refining, and infrastructure."

Cojuangco, who had a strong presence and influence in the Philippine business community. had served as the leader of San Miguel Corporation, the country's largest food and beverage corporation, since 1998.

Aside from San Miguel Corporation, he was also the chairman of several publicly listed companies.

Cojuangco also dabbled in politics. He first served as the governor of Tarlac province in the 1960s and ran for the Philippine president in 1992 but lost.