Ty, Sanvictores receive awards from Japanese emperor

MANILA, Philippines — Metrobank chairman George S.K. Ty and Nihongo Center Foundation (NCF) president Philip Sanvictores received prestigious awards from Japanese Emperor Akihito.

The Japanese government announced yesterday the conferment of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, on Ty “in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the economic relations between Japan and the Philippines.”

“As a major player in the Philippine banking sector, Dr. Ty has been instrumental in forging several cooperation initiatives with not only major financial institutions but also rural banks in Japan, thereby facilitating the entry of more Japanese investments including MSMEs into the Philippine market,” the Japanese embassy said in a statement.

“Having successfully steered the Metrobank Group and the GT Capital Holdings to greater heights for decades, Dr. Ty also took the lead in launching landmark joint ventures with many Japanese companies in several sectors,” the embassy said.

The embassy also cited Ty for “actively engaging in different advocacy programs in the fields of education, visual arts and healthcare” in the Philippines.

Sanvictores, meanwhile, received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.

Sanvictores is also the former president of the Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni (PHILFEJA).

The Japanese government cited Sanvictores’ “invaluable contributions to the furthering of good relations between Japan and the Philippines through his work in NCF and PHILFEJA.”

“As head of NCF, Mr. Sanvictores has worked tirelessly and continues to dedicate efforts toward the promotion and advancement of Japanese language (Nihongo) education and training in the Philippines, resulting in a significant increase in Japanese-language student enrolment rates and graduation, as well as a steady rise in the number of capable Filipino teachers of Nihongo,” the embassy said.