MAP pays tribute to co-founder Washington SyCip

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Tuesday paid tribute to its co-founder, accountant Washington SyCip, who passed away earlier this month.

"The award that was given to him by MAP in 1967 has really set the standard for what is good management," RCBC corporate vice chairman Cesar E.A. Virata said in his tribute speech during the MAP's general membership meeting in Makati City.

SyCip was the first awardee of MAP's Management Man of the Year award.

The Management Association of the Philippines paid tribute to its late co-founder Washington SyCip on October 24, 2017. Photo: Ted Cordero

"I'm very sure that we'll always follow his advice to us so that we can follow the straight and narrow path to our desired future," Virata added.

Phinma Group president and CEO Ramon del Rosario Jr., for his part, took note that the late SyCip's advice was sought and appreciated by business leaders, politicians, diplomats, academics, churchmen, and even families.

"We best pay tribute to Wash not through full-page advertisements or supplements or even programs like these... We best pay tribute by declaring today, we are all Washington SyCip," del Rosario said.

SGV & Co. senior adviser Delia Albert said SyCip linked the Philippines to the world, across the Pacific, and the Atlantic.

She recalled how he accompanied then-President Cory Aquino during a trip to Germany.

"Germans were so impressed by the delegation that Aquino and company were lent the German presidential plane escorted by two military jets to Paris," Albert said.

"He [SyCip] was a frequent guest of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They 'respected his views and appreciated his candidness," she added.

SyCip passed away on October 7 while he was on flight bound to New York. He was 96.

SyCip was born on June 30, 1921 and passed the examination for Certified Public Accountants at the age of 18.

Since he was too young to receive a professional license, he decided to study for a doctorate degree in Philosophy at Columbia University.

After World War II, SyCip returned to Manila and set up his accounting firm W. SyCip & Co. in Binondo. He later partnered with Alfredo M. Velayo and renamed the firm SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV).

SyCip also served as the first chairman of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) when it was founded in 1968 by a consortium of prominent business leaders, Philippine academic institutions, and the Harvard Business School. — BM, GMA News