Hans T. Sy recognized as adopted son, honorary mayor of Bacolod

Hans T. Sy recognized as adopted son, honorary mayor of Bacolod

/ 02:51 PM January 31, 2025

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1704837/hans-sy-recognized-for-resilience-and-sustainability-efforts-at-tofil-awards#ixzz8ytLsMfUK

Hans T. Sy recognized at The Outstanding Filipino Awards 2022
FILE / DECEMBER 13, 2022
In his award acceptance speech, Sy stressed the importance of sustainability and disaster resiliency as a means of uplifting the lives of the Filipino people. “Our role as private sector members is to supplement public sector assistance with our expert knowledge and available resources,” he said. “In doing so, we can lift the majority away from hazards of disasters and enable a sustainable society we all aspire for.”
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BACOLOD CITY – Business tycoon Hans T. Sy was officially conferred the titles of adopted son and honorary mayor of this city.

He was given the recognition by the Bacolod City council led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran at its session hall on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 30.

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Sy was also welcomed by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to his office where he assumed his post as honorary mayor for the 2025 Chinese New Year celebration as part of the Bacolaodiat Festival, one of the country’s biggest Chinese New Year celebrations.

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Sy was accompanied by his children Harvey and Hanna Carinna.

The business tycoon, in his speech before the council members, said “by making me part of your family, you inspire me to continue building projects that will form a legacy of innovation through collaboration.”

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He has worked to support Bacolod’s growth, not just through business but also by contributing to programs that uplift the lives of its people through education, tourism, job generation and sustainability and disaster prevention programs.

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“I am deeply humbled to be conferred the titles of adopted son of Bacolod and honorary mayor of this beautiful city during the celebration of the 20th Bacolaodiat Festival,” he said.

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Sy also reflected on the legacy of his late father, Henry Sy Sr., who was also named adopted son of Bacolod in 2017.

For 18 years since 2007, he said SM has invested in Bacolod.

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Sy, chairman of the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings Inc., said SM’s biggest development in the city will be its township at the city’s old airport along Araneta Avenue.

The 20-hectare mixed use development will become an urban oasis.

“It will have a new upscale shopping and lifestyle center, BPOs and other commercial projects that the business sector and the city will surely benefit from,” he said.

Sy also said one of the key initiatives SM is proud to support is the redevelopment of Manokan Country, known for its local and cultural significance.

“A revitalized Manokan Country will ensure that it remains a beacon for tourism and a source of economic progress for its community of tenants who have made it a cherished part of Bacolod’s heritage,” he said.

Another pledge of SM’s commitment to Bacolod is the establishment of the National University, its first Visayas-Mindanao campus which opened in August 2024.

“NU’s vision and mission is to provide accessible and high-quality education without the burden of prohibitive tuition fees,” he said.

Sy said with the opening of NU in Bacolod, “we foresee a future workforce that contributes positively to the city’s prosperity and growth.”

He also cited SM’s development of its North Block building, which serves as both the campus for NU Bacolod as well as providing modern facilities for BPOs.

READ: Hans Sy recognized for resilience and sustainability efforts at TOFIL Awards

SM Bacolod’s South Wing expansion will also have additional spaces for new experiences, such as a gamepark, new cinemas and national prestige brands.

Benitez, who briefed Sy on Bacolod’s growth, said he is grateful for the expertise and insights the business tycoon can share to the city as its honorary mayor.

The Bacolod City council, in its unanimous resolution passed on Dec. 4, 2024, declared Sy Bacolod’s adopted son as he “made exceptional contributions to economic development, business leadership, and philanthropy, serving as an enduring role model for community progress and innovation.”

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“His leadership has not only driven growth in business and investment in Bacolod City, but has also reflected a profound commitment to social responsibility, family values, and civic engagement that resonate deeply with the ideals of our Chinese brethren,” the resolution read by Bacolod Councilor Em Ang at the conferment rites on Thursday said./###

TAGS: adopted son, Bacolod, Hans Sy, Honor

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