The Order of the Friars Minor (OFM) Province of San Pedro Bautista awarded a religious image of San Pedro Bautista to Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. (TYKFI) in grateful recognition of the foundation’s generous support to the province thru the Parish of “Our Mother of Perpetual Help” in Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. The award was given last February 5 at the OFM Benefactors’ Night. Out of the 100 nominees, TYKFI was one of the chosen 8 recipients of the award. The other awardees were from Forbes Park (6 awardees), Santiago City (1 awardee), and Makati (TYKFI). 

TYKFI’s support to the Parish includes: employment for the Dr. Lucio C. Tan Legacy Forest Project, renovation of the multi-purpose hall of the Parish, and donation of religious images. In addition, the Philippine National Bank (PNB) joined Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. (TYKFI), in the “Pagtutulungan ng Bayan” project last holiday season. “Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family to create memories that will last forever,” as said by Joel Osteen. And yet, some of our fellow countrymen have less to celebrate during Christmas. Thus, TYKFI ensured that Christmas gift packages were distributed. The gift giving ceremony was held at the TYKFI office last December 19, 2014. PNB employees donated food packages and appliances to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, to be later on distributed to the less fortunate members of the community. Fr. Jerome Ponce, Parish Priest and Mr. Teodorico DP. Padilla, Jr. were present to receive the gifts from TYKFI’s Ms. Fe Chen-Urdaneta and Valerie Tan, as well as other officers from PNB and TYKFI. 

“A kind gesture can heal a wound, that only compassion can heal,” a quote by Steve Maraboli. The province of Leyte recognized the continuing support of Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. (TYKFI) and requested Pope Francis to give his blessing to the foundation. TYKFI received a plaque from Pope Francis last January 15-19, indicating his Apostolic Blessing and “invoking abundant divine graces on the occasion of the Apostolic Journey to the Philippines.” The foundation was one of the pillar institutions which immensely reached out to the province after typhoon Yolanda. TYKFI held activities such as relief operation, food distribution project, school supplies distribution project, distribution of vegetable seeds to public schools, and construction of the following: 54 permanent housing project, 1 unit 5-classroom and 4-classroom school building, Barangay Hall with day care center and clinic, after typhoon Yolanda.  

In addition, TYKFI reached out to a Parish in Alangalang, Leyte. The gift giving ceremony coincided with the holidays last December 19, 2014 at the foundation office located in Makati. Most Holy Trinity Parish from Alangalang, Leyte, suffered damage in its ceiling and electrical connection during the typhoon, and little restoration has been done up until then. The Parish received financial assistance from the foundation in order to restore the church building. The ceremony was headed by Fe Chen-Urdaneta for TYKFI and co-pastor Rev. Fr. Manuel Isabelo C. Ocaña from Most Holy Trinity Parish. In turn, the foundation received a book entitled “Typhoon Haiyan: The Untold Story” from the Parish. 

Dr. Lucio C. Tan led the inauguration of a new edifice of the University of the East: the Dr. Lucio C. Tan Building, UE Manila Annex. The building’s inauguration and blessing was held in the morning of December 8, 2014.