UP’s Henry Sy Sr. Hall an insult to Filipino workers —KMU

Naming a building of the University of the Philippines after business tycoon Henry Sr. is an insult to Filipino workers, the militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno has said.

In a statement, KMU said the P400-million building marked "a new low in UP’s increasing abandonment of its erstwhile self-image as 'conscience of the nation' and 'bastion of academic freedom'."

"It is a well-known fact that Henry Sy Sr., the wealthiest Filipino, kept many of his workers as contractuals. Filipino workers have been condemning him for this and have labeled him 'Contractualization King'," the group said.

"So why was a new building of the University of the Philippines named after him? This is no less than an insult to Filipino workers from the UP administration, the government of Pres. Noynoy Aquino and, through his SM Prime Holdings, Sy himself," it added.

KMU said naming a building after Sy, meant holding up Sy as "a model of entrepreneurship and citizenship, which he is not."

"He amassed great wealth through whole-scale violation of the most basic rights of workers – the right to a living wage, job security and the free exercise of trade-union rights. He severely exploited his employees – mostly salesladies, construction workers, and service-sector workers," KMU said.

"His malls promote crass consumerism, aggravate the chaos in urban centers all over the country, and contribute to the environment’s destruction," it added.

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) on Tuesday turned over the nine-level building in Bonfacio Global City in Taguig to the University of the Philippines (UP) Professional Schools.

The building, dubbed as the Henry Sy Sr. Hall, was formally turned over by SM Prime Holdings Inc. President Hans T. Sy to UP President Alfredo E. Pascual on March 1.

“The UP BGC will bring UP’s brand of quality education to those working and living in the southern Metro Manila areas, including those living in the nearby cities and provinces, desiring to partake in the knowledge generated by the country’s leading educators, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals," Pascual said in a statement on the university website. -NB, GMA News