When we think about great men and women who have passed on, we usually think of the lessons that we gain from studying their lives. On Friday, January 25, we remember the late President Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino on her birthday. We remember her for her courage, standing up to the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and leading the Filipino people toward the new path to democracy. We also remember her for her loving and total support for another great man, her husband Benigno Simeon “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. She was a picture of grace and stability even during the most trying times of Ninoy’s political career.
But all of her achievements notwithstanding, and the fact that people loved her and were charmed by her, I believe that one of Cory’s most special and significant qualities was her devotion to God, the prayerful leadership that she practiced. This is, unfortunately, missing in many administrations today—the intentional submission, trust and openness to the guidance of the Almighty. Cory encouraged the Filipino people to pray and to strengthen their faith. As a Catholic nation, this is an important aspect of our lives. And we respect, and love, a leader who leads with Godly wisdom.
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The news that shocked everyone on Saturday was the death of the man behind SM—the country’s richest person, Henry Sy Sr. According to his family, the 94 -year-old Chinese businessman who built his own SM empire in the Philippines died in his sleep on Saturday morning. Sy’s success story is an extraordinary rags-to-riches tale that is full of lessons in diligence, focus and strategy. Everybody knows that Sy started small, moving up from being the owner of small shoe stores in Quiapo to becoming the founder and head of a multibillion-dollar business conglomerate operating in retail, banking, hotels and property development.
Of course a lot of it is pure hard work, plus a lot of confidence and good business sense. After the war, for example, when his family lost their business due to looting and a fire, the young Henry Sy chose to put up a shoe store because he thought “everyone would need a pair of shoes.” He continued to expand his business, often in the midst of (and despite) difficult economic situations. He believed that his family, specifically his children, had to learn the value of hard work, thus, he encouraged all of them to help strengthen the family business.
The government recognizes his contributions to the Philippine economy, labeling him as one of its pillars. He is also seen as a generous philanthropist who contributed to making worthwhile projects happen for the benefit of the less fortunate. Sy, of course, had his share of critics pertaining to various issues, one of them being the practice of contractualization. It is wise to look at all lessons, both sides of the coin, so to speak. Learn from the life of this extraordinary man who conquered life’s adversities and thrived on great challenges.