BUSINESS leader and philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis is among the most respected Filipina-Americans in the US and has been in the forefront of promoting Filipino interests in her second homeland and the Philippines, as well.
“My passion is always for the
Filipino,” said the 72-year-old Lewis in an interview at her Makati City residence.
Lewis is glad that the Philippines is now making raves in the global community such as getting good credit ratings from Moody’s, Fitch and Standard & Poor’s.
A native of Sorsogon, she felt sad when the country was branded as the sick man of Asia by foreigners. Although there have been a lot of challenges, she said the current administration is doing a good job in managing the economy.
“The Filipino always got the bad rap until President P-Noy got elected,” Lewis said.
Last year Lewis was in the forefront of staging the opera version of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, which she admitted was a challenge to stage. “This is the last time I will promote a play. It’s very difficult,” she jested.
“The reason I helped in promoting Noli Me Tangere was to prove the Filipinos are world-class artists. I also wanted Filipinos to enhance their love for the art, literature and country,” she said.
Lewis was once one of the top students in the College of Law at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
Aside from boosting the country’s image, Lewis is also active in promoting the Philippines as a good investment site. But for the country to be on the radar screen of investors, Lewis said the economic provisions of the Constitution must be changed to attract and motivate investors to come to the Philippines.
“If you’re thinking of real investments, an investor will come in but will not get a minority share in the business,” she said.
She relates this situation to her experience when she opened The Lewis College named after her late husband Reginald Lewis in early 2000. Being an American citizen because of her marriage, she was not allowed to run the school. Instead, her relatives were tasked to manage the school.
“I want to show my appreciation to Sen. Franklin Drilon who was then the Senate president and former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. for their help in my acquiring a dual citizenship,” she said.
Establishing a federal system of government is also on top of Lewis’s agenda for good governance in the country so the regions will get equal representation.
“Let’s face it. Bicolanos will vote a Bicolano for senator and Ilocanos will vote of one of their own in the Senate. The Philippines should adopt a federal system just like the US . This will allow us to vote the best of the best in the region because we know who’s not deserving to be voted,” she said.
“It’s also high time we stop voting for actors in the national level,” she said.
Lewis is also active in advocating for granting a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Filipinos in the US. TPS would allow Filipinos without permanent resident status to continue to stay in the US and provide working authorization temporarily until the person’s TPS status ends.
Lewis is also an active supporter of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Asian Pacific American Film, Asian American Arts Alliance, Asian American Federation of New York, Asian American Foundation, Diversity Theater and Ma-Yi Theater.
Just like her, Lewis’s daughters also excelled in their studies, both graduating cum laude in their AB studies in Harvard University. Leslie is an actor and Christina is a freelance writer after working for five years as a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. She has three grandchildren, Christian, Savilla, Calvin and two sons-in-law, Gavin Sword and Dan Halpern.
An avowed supporter of the Democrats, Lewis is gung ho on the prospect of former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s running for presidency in 2016.
“I am all out for the candidacy of Mrs. Clinton,” she said. “It’s time for the US to make history again by electing a woman as president. Mrs. Clinton is very capable,” she said.
She is also passionate on the Philippines versus the China issue. She said China is a rogue state and does not follow the rule of law.
“Every time we talk to them, they never answer us,” she said.
Despite being named as one of the richest women in the US, Lewis remains grounded and says the label does not faze her.
“It is not important. We are all equal in the eyes of God. What is important is what we do as stewards and manage what we have to do. I think that’s the most important,” she said.
Image credits: Robert De La Cruz