Washington Sycip: The man who should be president

Google "Washington Sycip" and you could go on for days reading about this extraordinary man. If his life were a canvas, it would be bursting with every color and texture imaginable. Wash Sycip is, quite simply, interested. In everything. In people, in ideas, in philosophies, in business, in politics and, as is undeniably apparent in his home, in the arts.

We are greeted by a beaming, benevolent Wash. His eyes light up as we show him his new wardrobe. He loves it; it is unconventional, and there is a story to every shirt. For today’s photo shoot, we asked each of his favorite artists to design a shirt for him: his niece, painter Emily Cheng, sculptor Impy Pilapil, and painter Mark Higgins, both of whom are personal friends. Their works of art have distinctive places in Wash’s home, where every corner and every wall holds elements of his private collection of art and memorabilia. His latest acquisition is Gabriel Barredo’s "Tree of Life," his contribution to Ballet Philippines’ fundraising efforts.

Wash Sycip has an air of wisdom that commands attention and respect. He moves with a sense of urgency. His memory is staggering; he is sharp, focused, curious. He speaks softly and he is thoughtful as he listens. His advice is sought on all matters — be it about politics, economics, governance, management, education or philanthropy. He speaks the truth, flying around the globe with his trademark energy and punctuality. In a given day, he may attend a meeting of one of the many boards or foundations he sits on, and head out for an evening on the town at Club Mwah’s cabaret show with friends in tow.

Here is a real gentleman with a twinkle in his eye, whose charm, intelligence, wit and grace can disarm any person, young or old, male or female.



Your idea of perfect happiness? When you have no worries.

Your greatest fear? If some national problems get out of hand.

Your idea of misery? Failure of our country to move ahead.

Your pet aversion? Upper-class snobs!

Which living person do you most admire? Lee Kuan Yew.

Your chief characteristic? Integrity.

Your biggest flaw? Impatience.

Your greatest extravagance? The first luxury in my life was to get a manicurista to cut my toenails because it was hard to bend over!

Your greatest regret? Paeng Salas was not properly recognized by the country — he could have been like a Lee Kuan Yew.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? My wife Anna!

What do you consider your greatest achievement? That I may have contributed to the development of Filipino professionals and helped make them part of the worldwide team.

What is your present state of mind? Impatience with Philippine economic development.

What characters in history do you most dislike? Hitler.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? A turtle. It has the longest life. It’s slow but sure.

Where would you like to live? The Philippines.

Your favorite food and drink? Chinese food. Napa Valley wines.

Your favorite name? Vicky.

Your most treasured possession? My happy family.

What do you most value in your friends? Sincerity.

Your favorite writers? The editorial staff of The Economist magazine.

Your favorite motto? The Golden Rule. — Based on The Marcel Proust Questionnaire

The wisdom of Wash

The success stories of China’s fight against poverty, without lectures from Westerners on democracy, may usher in new ideas for our politicians and our NGOs.

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On the surface, the Philippines is openly democratic, but culturally, it’s still very feudal, with a few families still controlling the wealth of the country. The people at the very bottom have no avenue to grow and develop except to go overseas and work as foreign workers.

* * *

What are the roots of our problem? Is it an overdose of democracy, Western-style? When poor citizens sell their votes, do we not have a democracy of the upper class who have the money to buy the votes?

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I want to make it clear that I am for democracy but food, education, housing and health care for the poor should have first priority.

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As you know, the success and failure of your organization depends on your human resource policies — how you hire your people, how you motivate them, how you train them and how you choose leadership. Isn’t this also true of a nation?

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Should we not encourage churches to be used as school houses in towns where many public schools have no chairs and even no books? Should law schools not be replaced by engineering schools?

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Can we solve our education problem, which affects your future and your children’s future, without checking population growth? And isn’t this also tied up with the problem of improving health among the poor?

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The wealthy with more assets divide these among fewer children while the poor with less assets divide this among more children. Clearly, this is increasing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Marcos had a brilliant mind. The first two years (1973 and 1974) of what was described as "smiling martial law" saw the highest growth rates that the Philippines had ever experienced. Except for Singapore, corruption was also present in all our neighbors. Why did Marcos fail when other less gifted authoritarian leaders in East Asia were successful?

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Can our per capita income surge? My answer is yes — if we have national unity and a common program to reduce poverty and develop a larger middle class.

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— Excerpts from Washington Sycip’s speech before the Management Association of the Philippines, January 23, 2007

Why ladies worship Wash

Wash has many admirers — most noticeably leagues of women! We asked some ladies what it is they admire about him:

Impy Pilapil: "You are the most charming intellectual that I have ever met" was the declaration I made when I met Washington Sycip for the first time.

Having known Washington Sycip for a good number of years now, I would run out of adjectives to describe his brilliant mind and his kind heart. As an artist, what I have distinctly observed is how art permeates his daily life and I can only describe this to be the spiritual component in all his human activity.

To write about Washington Sycip within a few days is simply not possible. By sheer divine intervention, I received an email from a friend in Germany containing the speech of "someone who should be your President" he said. I decided this speech of Washington Sycip (see excerpts on this page) that is going around the globe says a lot about the man and his undying concern and dedication to our country. This is what he should be known for.

Emily Cheng: Among the qualities I admire most in my Uncle Wash are: his ability to adapt to and understand change, his curiosity, and in turn, his wonderment. His ability to be a true global citizen and thinker, long before "global" became a household word. And his tireless effort to create opportunity in the lives of others.

Ambassador Isabel Caro Wilson: Wash has achieved so much! Beyond that, he’s involved in so many things that make a difference. He doesn’t just sit back. He is a true Filipino. He works hard to promote the Philippines and serves the country in his own way.

Menchu Katigbak: Time with Wash is always a learning experience. It’s like a one-on-one with a guru. Every single minute is a beautiful learning experience. Intelligent men are rare today.

Honorary Consul Fortune Ledesma: His wit and deadpan humor are some of the most endearing qualities of Wash. He does not like to mince words but he says things that are both constructive and insightful. And don’t let his age fool you! Wash can be like "one of the boys," with his sly charm and easygoing demeanor.

Therese Coronel Santos: We have a group and call ourselves Wash’s "harem-is," composed of Amalie Azanza, Josephine Knox, Maan Hontiveros, Menchu Katigbak, Lorivi Villanueva and myself. He jokes that he offers his intimate friends time-sharing with his "harem-is"! I admire Wash’s longevity and intellectual sharpness, and what an incredible memory!

Ambassador Menchu Salas: He is highly intelligent (it was no surprise to see his résumé begin with his graduating from University of Santo Tomas, summa cum laude), is a gentle soul, smart, has a great sense of humor, the list goes on… but what has really impressed me is his concern for and his commitment to the development of this country that he calls home.