Favorite philanthropy of tycoons

Education is the favorite philanthropy of Philippine tycoons. Though some do not have college degrees, they nonetheless devote their personal and corporate funds to the enhancement of education.

School ownership. Many have taken over institutions of higher learning. Ramon del Rosario Jr.’s Phinma Group that marked its 60th birthday on March 18 controls four schools outside Metro Manila: University of Iloilo, University of Pangasinan, Araullo University in Cabanatuan, and Cagayan de Oro College.

Those owning Metro Manila schools are: Lucio C. Tan, University of the East; Henry Sy, National University (NU) and Asia Pacific College; Alfonso Yuchengco, Mapua Institute of Technology; heirs of Emilio T. Yap, Centro Escolar University; Lourdes Reyes Montinola (and her banker-son Aurelio Montinola III), Far Eastern University; and George S.K. Ty, Tytana College.

More than just owning a school, Ty’s Metrobank Foundation has become legendary for conducting the yearly “Search for Outstanding Teachers.” This year’s winners (along with the outstanding cops and soldiers) will each get P1 million—the biggest cash gift yet. Ty has recently endowed the Toyota Institute of Technology with P1 billion, matched by

another P1 billion by Toyota Motors of Japan.

Sy, Gokongwei, Ayala and Rufino. Aside from elevating the standards of his family’s lead school, NU chair Hans Sy told me his father Henry had mandated him to set up 50 NU campuses or affiliates all over the country.

Henry Sy, the wealthiest Filipino, has also constructed school edifices, the latest being the new 9-story Professional Schools Building of the University of the Philippines in Fort Bonifacio.

John Gokongwei, the second richest Filipino, regularly donates to leading schools. On his 80th birthday, he donated P200 million to Ateneo de Manila, and on this 85th birthday, he gave P250 million to De La Salle University. On his 90th birthday last August, he gifted the Sacred Heart School, Xavier School and Immaculate Concepcion Academy.

The Ayala conglomerate, led by the brothers Jaime Augusto and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, set up 27 “Affordable Private Education Centers” to prepare about 10,000 high school enrollees for higher-paying jobs.

For college students, Ayala has partnered with several universities to develop their on-the-job training curricula to enable the students to compete in the global workplace. It also sponsors the annual “Ayala Young Leaders Congress.” Together with the Lopezes and Washington SyCip, Ayala founded and continues to support the Asian Institute of Management.

The Rufino family (that controls the Inquirer) helped construct the new Rufino campus of De La Salle University in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

MVP, RSA and Jollibee. Manuel V. Pangilinan personally donated several buildings to Ateneo de Manila (as former chair), to San Beda College (as present chair) and to St. Scholastica’s College.

He veered to education the many foundations he controls, like the PLDT Smart Foundation (“Gabay Guro” and Dynamic Learning Programs), MFI Foundation (technical/vocational training in electronics, information technology, etc.), One Meralco Foundation, Philex Group Foundation, Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, First Pacific Leadership Academy, and Philippine Business for Social Progress.

Likewise, Ramon S. Ang, personally and through the San Miguel Foundation and other affiliated foundations, sponsors thousands of scholarships in agriculture and vocational education in underprivileged communities, the “Malusog na Katawan, Matalas na Kaisipan” program that feeds 4-8-year-olds, book donations to public schools, etc.

Jollibee Group Foundation’s much acclaimed “Busog, Lusog, Talino” project tends to the education, health and nutrition of thousands of schoolchildren nationwide.

May I just add that the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity has three education projects: the Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs, the Libpros scholarships for law students, and the legal dissertation contest, which are respectively cosponsored by the Metrobank Foundation, the Tan Yan Kee Foundation and the Ayala Group.

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