Grand Reunion of SM Scholars Graced by Sy Family
One thousand alumni of the SM Foundation scholarship program flocked
to the SMX Convention Center Sunday (January 6) to reunite with SM patriarch
Henry Sy, Sr, Matriarch Felicidad T. Sy , eldest daughter Tessie Sy-Coson,
youngest son Harley and granddaughter
Mara Sy-Coson. Also present at the gathering were Executive Director Debbie P.
Sy and Executive Director for Education Linda Atayde, AVP for scholarship
Eleanor Lansang, members of the Board of Trustees, Lydia Echauz and Chito Macapagal
and SM Executives led by Paul Arcenas and Ronald Tumao.
Harley Sy, extended the family’s heartfelt
congratulations to the alumni and mentioned the lessons he learned from his
father, such as, “You have to have a dream, whether big or small. Then plan
well, work hard, and be very determined to achieve your goals. Hard work is
always part of success”. Harley described his father as more than a dreamer. He
was a doer and stayed focus on his goals. The other lessons were about maintaining
a simple life despite success and the importance of helping others. His father continued
to work hard not for himself but for others. He created more projects, thus
generating better opportunities for employment and opening avenues to support
our communities.
The college scholarship program is now
25 years and he thinks that a
mentoring program by the alumni for the
current scholars is timely because the
latter can benefit from the
former’s life experiences and collated wisdom as SM scholars. “You all
know this. You have gone through these tough times yourselves so help the
current scholars in whatever means you can—tutor them where they are weak and
make them feel that they are not alone. SM Foundation after all is also your
home,” Harley said.
This statement generated a loud applause and
approval from the alumni.
He ended his remarks with an encouraging note, “Continue
making things happen. Your story goes on and we cannot wait to hear what else
you can do. The world needs more dreamers and doers like you."
All wearing the blue jackets given them by the foundation , the former
scholars rendered song and dance numbers and heartwarming testimonials from
Ericson Cabrera, 2010 graduate, now school principal, Junnair Manla 2014
graduate now network engineer based in Singapore, Novelyn Beboso, 2005 graduate
now Certified Public Accountant,& Ellyson Bala 1999 graduate, now aSAVP in the
IT Department of SM Prime. Their stories drew tears of joy in the eyes of
listeners. An alumna, schoolteacher Gemma Gutierrez, 1998 graduate sang an original thank you song which she
composed for Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sy Sr. Alumni
joined her in singing this song .
After the alumni’s musical
number five representatives from various
batches presented the alumni’s gift to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sy Sr. – a wall art depicting
“Scholars for Scholars” a project of
“Tatang’s graduates” (SM scholar-alumni)
to pay tribute to the founder of SM Foundation and to pledge to “pay
forward” the generosity of the Sys to other less-fortunate but bright students
(who were once like them). The five gift presenters - EmylouCadalzo, Loida De
Vera, Elly Bala, Novelyn Beboso, Jeffry Manhulad turned over to Debbie Sy, executive director of SM Foundation, the “seed fund” of over
P100,000 that they raised amongst themselves to sponsor one college scholar for
schoolyear 2019-2020 and pledged to
increase the number in the future. They
also distributed voluntary pledge forms during the program.
Further entertainment was provided by the Act Seven band and Tatang’s
graduates let their hair down so to speak and jammed with the band. The event
closed at five pm with takeaways for them – their inspiring stories began at SM
and will continue to be handed down from them to their next generations. For
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sy Sr and family
and SMFI - Tatang’s vision of educating the youth to
fight poverty was not made in vain; in fact it is a true and tested formula.
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