• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
A conferment ceremony of Filipino businessman Hans T. Sy as an adopted son and honorary mayor of Bacolod City will be held today at the Bacolod City Government Center, in line with the city’s celebration of the Chinese Lunar Year.
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed a unanimous resolution last month declaring Sy an Adopted Son of Bacolod City and conferring the title of Honorary Mayor of Bacolod, upon the request of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, based on Bacolaodiat Board Resolution No. 001, series of 2025.
The board resolution said that Sy, a distinguished member of the Filipino-Chinese Community, made exceptional contributions to economic development, business leadership, and philanthropy, serving as an enduring role model for community progress and innovation.
Sy’s 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, it added.
Sy is the chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime and has been a director of the company since 1994.
He previously held the position of president of SM Prime until September 2016. He also held key positions in several companies engaged in banking, real estate development, mall operations, as well as leisure and entertainment.
Sy is chairman of China Banking Corporation and National University. He is currently adviser to the Board of SM Investments Corporation, a holding company that owns China Bank and operates Banco de Oro (BDO).*