THE PRIVATE SECTOR has a responsibility to create opportunities, uphold integrity, and support stability amid political and economic risks, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Executive Committee Chairman Hans T. Sy said.
Mr. Sy, 70, was named Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Management Person of the 12 months 2025, an award recognizing his leadership and contributions to national values and sustainable business practices.
“Like everyone here, I’m affected by what is occurring. It’s painful to see our country suffer due to the faults of a number of,” he said in the course of the MAP Annual General Membership Meeting.
He said values and ESG+R — environmental stewardship, social inclusion, good governance, and resilience — guide decisions, especially following the recent corruption scandal involving flood control projects.
“The events of the past few weeks remind us why values and ESG+R matter. Additionally they show how losing integrity — at a time after we are constructing climate resilience — can have serious consequences,” he said.
Mr. Sy added that the private sector must act decisively because the country faces external headwinds.
“We within the private sector have a responsibility to create value, opportunity, and stability. That duty doesn’t disappear when times are difficult. That is when it matters most,” he said.
Recalling the legacy of his father, SM Group founder Henry Sy, Sr., he noted that the elder Sy invested within the Philippines despite the political unrest of the Seventies, which prompted many investors to maneuver their capital abroad.
“We’re making the identical selection today. Despite the weak sentiment and perceived risks, the SM group continues to take a position and imagine within the Philippines,” he said.
He said the SM group’s values and sustainability framework have guided the corporate through political and economic challenges.
“The SM journey has not been linear. We’ve got been tested by political unrest, economic challenges, and natural disasters,” he said.
The framework has also driven SM Prime to adopt environment-friendly practices across its properties, including rainwater tanks for stormwater management, smart fixtures and waterless urinals, typhoon-resilient roofs, and solar fields.
The corporate has reached 100-megawatt peak capability in its solar rooftop projects.
Looking ahead, Mr. Sy said the SM group plans to take a position in smart cities, modern infrastructure, sustainable communities, and green spaces.
The group can also be targeting 16 National University (NU) campuses by 2027, covering 100,000 students.
“Originally, our capability was only 8,000 students. Right away, now we have to do 12,000 to twenty,000 students per school,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
NU currently serves 83,000 students across 14 campuses. The group is expanding campuses in Fairview, Quezon City; Clark, Pampanga; and Mall of Asia, Pasay City, and plans to construct recent schools in Davao, Iloilo, and Urdaneta.
Mr. Sy also commented on the unfinished Emerald Bay Resort Project in Cebu, noting that China Banking Corp. has yet to search out a buyer.
“The time isn’t good for selling anything immediately. So, we’re holding it. Even with that in our asset portfolio, our financials are still very strong,” he said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz