A lifetime of achievement
Tomorrow marks the 10th “People of the Year” awards of PeopleAsia at the New World Hotel in Makati City — a memorable date since it is also the conclusion of the five-day visit of the magazine’s Special Awardee, His Holiness Pope Francis I.
As can be seen in the cover photo of our magazine, PeopleAsia has launched a very special edition with riveting stories on the awardees — all extraordinary individuals who not only excel in their chosen fields but also empower and inspire others to do better and become achievers.
The visit of the “People’s Pope” to this country has been a source of immense inspiration and encouragement to the Catholic faithful, most especially the victims of typhoon Yolanda as well as the poorest of the poor who are very close to the heart of this Pope.
Known for his kind and gentle ways, Pope Francis can also be firmly passionate in calling out the wrong that he sees even in the Vatican. We at the magazine are deeply honored to have Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Apostolic Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Giuseppe Pinto during the event to receive the People of the Year Special Award on behalf of Pope Francis.
We will also be honoring two venerable senior gentlemen whose achievements and contributions are legendary, to say the least: SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Company founder Washington SyCip, and Rustan Group of Companies founder Bienvenido Tantoco Sr.
Wash SyCip is one of the few who can claim that, except for Emilio Aguinaldo, he has met all Philippine presidents. Not many know that Mr. SyCip has declared war on illiteracy by launching the Zero Dropout Education Scheme through his WS Family Foundation in partnership with a microfinance company so the poorest of the poor can finish elementary, believing that if one cannot read or write, one will not get a job.
Former Ambassador to the Holy See Benny Tantoco was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the canonization of the first Filipino Saint Lorenzo Ruiz. The story of the former Ambassador — who had to make the hard choice of quitting a good paying job to concentrate on the fledgling business that he and his late wife Glecy started — just goes to show that sometimes, one has to be willing to take risks in order to succeed.
