Washington Sycip extolled as ‘champion’ of education, ‘keeper of national ledger’

Washington SyCip (File photo from INQUIRER.net)

Members of the academe have nothing but more acclaims for business luminary and philanthropist Washington SyCip, describing him as the “champion” of education in the country.

Premiere business school Asian Institute of Management (AIM) said they mourn the demise of SyCip, who passed away on Saturday night on his way to New York City.

Sycip was one of the founders of AIM. He also established the SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co.), a leading accounting firm in the country.

“His passing is a great loss to the institution and the country’s business community, but his legacy will live on in the AIM alumni who strive to be ethical and responsible business leaders, and live up to Mr. SyCip’s call to LEAD, INSPIRE and TRANSFORM,” AIM said in a statement issued on Monday.

AIM’s President and Dean Dr. Jikyeong Kang said that more than being a top name in the business community, SyCip was a “true advocate of education.”

“Fifty years ago, Mr. SyCip rallied the country’s leaders in academe and business to establish a management school that was relevant to the Asian region and internationally recognized. Mr. SyCip was one of the forward-thinking individuals who called for a more Asia-focused management education – and he is one of the reasons why there is an Asian Institute of Management today,” Kang said.

Peter Garrucho, chairman of the AIM board of trustees said SyCip had been “selfless” in pushing the institution to greater heights.

“Not only has he given a significant amount of his resources to AIM, he has also been selfless with his time to provide guidance, and ensure that graduates learned not just sound business acumen, but also professional and personal integrity,” Garrucho said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto remembered SyCip as not just “one true business titan and accountant,” but also a “keeper of the national ledger.”

“He was the keeper of the national ledger, always telling us that our assets outweigh our liabilities, our strengths greater than our handicap, that we are blessed with a healthy bottomline,” Recto said in a statement.

The senator said that despite SyCip’s passing, the country will continue to remember him as someone “who had enriched the lives of Filipinos.”

“He was never on the Forbes’ list of billionaires. But long after he is gone, he will always be in the list of those who had enriched the lives of the Filipinos,” he said.   /kga