The Top 8 Philanthropists of the Philippines | The Beat Asia
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Making a Difference: Meet the Top 8 Philanthropists of the Philippines

The Philippines is known for its talented creatives in the arts and culture department. But did you know that it also has a long list of humanitarians devoting their time and energy to creating a better world?

A philanthropist, or a humanitarian, is someone who seeks to promote human welfare through special programs and charities aimed at helping underprivileged people. From CEOs to executives and celebrities, here are the top eight Filipino philanthropists who are putting their wealth to a good cause.


Teresita Sy-Coson

Teresita Sy-Coson
Photo by Website/SM Prime

Teresita Sy-Coson is the co-chairman of SM Supermalls, one of the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates launched by her late father, Henry Sy. Through the SM Foundation, Teresita has donated more than P1.5 billion worth of COVID-19 vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the frontliners of the Philippines. Apart from taking charge of SM, Teresita also holds board positions in BDO Foundation and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC). She is listed in Fortune magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women in the World and Forbes Asia’s 50 Power Business Women.

Elvira Lopez-Bautista

Elvira Lopez-Bautista
Photo by Website/Knowledge Channel

Elvira Lopez-Bautista is the co-founder and chairman of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc., a Philippine television channel under ABS-CBN. During the height of the pandemic, Elvira launched the “School at Home” program, which aims to provide high-quality educational videos for distance learning of students across the Philippines. Forbes Asia named her one of Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy (2021).

Dr. Lucio Tan

Dr. Lucio Tan
Photo by Website/Forbes

A banking and property development magnate, Dr. Lucio Tan is the chairman of LT Group, a company with business interests in sports, airline, real estate, education, finance, and beverages. Since 2005, the 88-year-old philanthropist has been providing freshwater basins for the improvement of water quality in North Luzon. He also donated 700,000 bottles of water to the victims of tsunami in Japan in 2011. Dr. Lucio ranked 11th in Forbes Philippines’ Richest (2022) list.

Enrique Razon Jr.

Enrique Razon Jr.
Photo by Website/Forbes

Billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. is the chairman of Manila-listed company International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), the Philippines’ leading ports exporter. With a goal of training aspiring Filipino athletes, Enrique donated P50 million for the construction of the 10-storey Enrique M. Razon Sports Center in Manila. Forbes named him the third richest Filipino with a net worth of US$6.4 billion.

Ricardo Po Sr.

Ricardo Po Sr.
Photo by Website/Century Pacific

The late Ricardo Po Sr. was the founder and chairman of Century Pacific Food, one of the biggest branded food companies in the Philippines. A pioneer in the food industry, Ricardo was a self-made entrepreneur who launched the popular Century Tuna product that has fed millions of Filipinos worldwide. He ranked 16th on Forbes’ list of 50 wealthiest Filipinos, with a net worth of US$1.45 billion. He passed away in October 2021 at the age of 90.

Alice Galang Eduardo

Alice Galang Eduardo
Photo by Website/Alice Eduardo

Alice Galang Eduardo is more than just the sister of superstar YouTube vlogger Small Laude, she’s also the founder and CEO of Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation. The 57-year-old businesswoman has funded a pediatric ward in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and helped construct houses for homeless people through the Habitat for Humanity foundation. She is one of the philanthropists who made it to PeopleAsia’s People of the Year (2017) and Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy (2018).

Jose Mari Albert

Jose Mari Albert, also known as Butch, is the chairman of iSport Life Inc., the corporation behind sports brand Fila Philippines. A 68-year-old businessman and a spiritual leader, Butch is known for his most notable humanitarian work, “Operation Compassion,” an emergency relief initiative with livelihood training and trauma therapies catered to support underprivileged Filipinos. He is one of Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy (2018).

Susana Abad Santos Madrigal

The granddaughter of former senator Vicente Madrigal, Susana Abad Santos Madrigal is currently the president of Consuel Chito Madrigal Group of Companies. In 2014, Susana donated P1 million to the Cancer Samurai Scholar Fund to help cover the medical costs of a cancer patient. She also gave P5 million to the Catholic Ministry for the Deaf after her daughter lost hearing in one ear. Susana is one of the Filipinos who made it on Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy (2018) list.

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