By James A. Loyola
Two Filipinos were named in Forbes Asia’s annual Heroes of Philanthropy list which highlights 30 outstanding altruists in the Asia-Pacific region.
The list includes billionaires, entrepreneurs and celebrities across the region who are committed to solving some of the most pressing issues facing the Asia-Pacific.
Included in the list are Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, and actress Angel Locsin.
Sy helped launch Child Haus’ newly renovated center in Quezon City in July to house 40 cancer-stricken children and their caregivers.He paid $400,000 in 2010 for the property, which now provides poor provincial families with temporary shelter, as well as programs and activities that promote healing.
On his 60th birthday in 2015, Sy bought the land for Child Haus’ first location in Manila for $600,000 and paid $1.4 million to build it. Opened in 2017, he still covers its operating expenses.
Locsin supports causes aiding victims of violence, natural disasters and the conflict in Mindanao.
“These are urgent times when we have to act as fast as we can to save lives and rebuild communities, and we don’t even have to think why,” she said.
Over the past decade, Locsin has donated as much as P15 million to causes such as educational scholarships for students, supporting the economic and political rights of indigenous people, and ending violence against women and children.
Her donations have also helped roughly 500 families hit by some of the country’s largest disasters: Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009, Typhoon Habagat in 2012 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
Locsin has also inspired many of her millions of social media followers to give back. “It’s like taking little steps towards substantive, holistic change for the future of the next generations,” she says. “The only motivation we need is being part of humanity.”
To select the honorees, Forbes Asia sifted through dozens of candidates, reviewing their monetary contributions, the depth of their involvement and the reach of their philanthropic efforts.
The goal is to highlight those giving their own money, not their company’s (unless they are the majority owners of a privately-held firm). The focus is on individuals who provide the capital and are personally committed to achieving a long-term vision.