By Azer Parrocha / PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Sunday night visited the wake of SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr. who died in his sleep on Saturday morning.
In a statement sent to media on Monday, Malacañang said the President arrived at 10:50 p.m. at the Heritage Park, Taguig City to pay his last respects.
The President, who stayed for more than an hour before leaving, also expressed his condolences to Sy’s family.
On Saturday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo described Sy as a “visionary and a pillar of the Philippine economy” who believed in the potentials and opportunities of the country.
Panelo further cited Sy’s contributions to both the country’s economy and Filipino culture as well.
“The landscapes of major cities in the Philippines seem unadorned and incomplete minus the imposing architectural delight. He made “malling” a delightful experience as part of the urban living in the Philippines where Filipino families and the ordinary folks bond, promenade, and create wondrous and memorable moments,” he added.
Sy, a Chinese immigrant, was the Philippines’ richest person from 2005 to 2018 and 52nd richest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine.
He established a small shoe business in 1958 in downtown Manila known as Shoe Mart, which the SM chain of malls was named after and later expanded to other ventures like retail, banking, property, mining, and gaming. (PNA)
