SM, monument to
Sammy Palanca

SM Mega Mall, owned by SM Prime Holdings opens in Bacolod Friday. It is the 28th super mall in the country. With billions of pesos worth of investment coming to Bacolod, this is a cause for celebration. You can just imagine the number of people it will employ. And also the downstream businesses it will create.

You can just figure also the multiplier effect of this investment in the economy. And therefore, it is a big cause for rejoicing.

We thank SM Prime Holdings and its top man, Henry Sy whose role in developing the country's economy is very impressive. I visited last December the Mall of Asia in Manila and saw what a big investment can do to the economy.

But we give the biggest credit to Bredco President Sammy Palanca who envisioned all these, including a port for Bacolod which changed the economic picture of Bacolod and Negros Occidental.

Sammy's foresight is capable of seeing at a very far distance. I recall he had this vision many years ago, probably while he was still younger when he began work in reclaiming the foreshore areas.

On Friday when SM will be inaugurated, we hope all people of Bacolod and Negros Occidental stand at attention to pay respect to a visionary who has done many things to change the life of the Negrenses.

I recommend to the city council to make Sammy Palanca another honorary mayor of Bacolod. What he has done has been more than what many Mayors did.

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A mega mall was one of those in his vision. Of course, after the port. I recall many years ago, he had the vision of transforming the squatter areas along the shore areas from Banago to Sum-ag into a boulevard where business establishments could be established.

He has already realized the port and the mega mall. Given the years and the strength to do it, we hope this other dream can still be realized. Many have not realized how people love Sammy Palanca. He probably may have not realized it too. But recall when he was being criticized many went into his defense.

I have long been in media and know all the trials he underwent in his plans to develop Bacolod. I am impressed by his indomitable will to pursue what has been in his mind. And he never got discouraged.

We have been good friends for many years. And one time I told him I was supporting him because he was always right. His answer was just short, "I believe you are sincere."

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And because of this friendship, I never held back what I wanted to tell him. And he was very receptive. One of these was his poking his finger into local partisan politics which only got him enemies. You get enemies only when your candidate loses.

But now I realize if he poked his nose into politics, it was because he wanted his vision realized soonest and one cannot do it without political support.

Standing at the Negros Press Club building and looking at the feverish preparations at SM through the NPC window, I told myself Sammy Palanca deserves a monument.

This should not come from him but from the people. I am willing to lead in working out that Sammy Palanca is given the honor. Properly presented, many I know will not hesitate to do something to honor a visionary businessman, hoping this will encourage many others who have the money to think of how they can help develop the community. Media must be relevant. It is not only to criticize but also to help build. And how best to do it than to encourage and honor the builders.

I will drop by his office today after many months, I think nearly a year, that I haven't seen him. It is to congratulate him for this achievement and not to ask for his approval but just to be sure he will not violently object to our working to have him honored.

I have the consent of some officers of the Negros Press Club to work this out.

Salute, my dear friend.

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I hope many of our businessmen who have the means and the know-how to improve our community follow the example of Sammy Palanca. I want that Sammy's legacy lives forever because in the years to come our future generations should know, at one time in our history one man stood up to improve Bacolod.

The best thing to always remember on the need for exercise is, "Do bending as often as you can to uplift other people." It's good for your health. It's good for them also.

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Yesterday morning I motored to Valladolid with Ric Yanson, Pompey Querubin, Celoy Sarcepuedes, and Monet Rojas together with Japanese guests from Japan, Mr. Makoto Mukaora, Mr. Chiai Nozaki, and Mrs. Etsoko Nozaki who donated two classroom buildings to Valladolid high school through the intercession of Ric Yanson.

The Yanson siblings also are contributing to help the Valladolid high school. Ric's sisters Majella (Mrs. Calud) and Hester (Mrs. Lui) are also helping providing training for nursing help, caregiving, and other jobs. They are nurses, stayed long in the U.S. and now retired.

Another sister Madelene (Mrs. Javellana) was there too. It was worth remembering Hester (Mrs. Lui) who asked for my late wife Fe she worked with at Riverside in the early 60s. My wife was the dentist and she was head of the nurses. Like Sammy Palanca, the Yansons are also community-oriented.*

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