Forbes  Asia named tycoon Dr. Lucio Tan as one of four top philanthropists in the Philippines and among 48 in Asia. 

The magazine cited Dr. Tan for the Tan Yan Kee Foundation.  It noted that  he is a “longstanding supporter of teacher training, medical missions, the country’s first Chinese library and housing for the poor”, and since 2005 has been providing freshwater basins in North Luzon to improve water quality. It also noted that he sent 700,000 bottles of water to tsunami-hit Japan.

Now on its fourth year, the Magazine’s Heroes of Philanthropy chooses four per country annually.  To quote from Forbes Asia,

“We pick 48 givers, 4 from each of 12 countries. Some are big tycoons, even billionaires, who have a large vision of how best to help society and have donated millions of dollars to back up that vision. Others are little-known citizens who are extremely generous with their limited funds. Our goal is not to rank the biggest givers by dollar amounts or percentage of assets--those figures would be impossible to collect. Instead, the aim is to call attention to a mix of notable people and causes throughout the region—and to encourage more giving…”.

Aside from Dr. Tan, other philanthropists named by the financial magazine were RFM President and Chief Executive Jose Concepcion, Planters Development Bank Chairman and Chief Executive Jesus Tambunting, and Zuellig Group of Companies founder Stephen Zuellig. 

Lufthansa Technik, Phils (LTP). And MacroAsia Properties Development Corporation(MAPDC) inaugurated last January the Reclaimed Water System.

An initiative of MAPDC and supported by LTP, the system reclaims some 100 to 180 cubic meters of wastewater from aircraft wastewater and the compound’s sewage, after which water can be used in cleaning the facility, washing aircrafts, as well as for toilets and watering needs for plants.

Foremost Farms closed yearend 2010 by greening the environment to complement its long-standing business practice of organic hog raising and water recycling.  

In a two-day corporate social responsibility project last November 26 and 27, the company planted close to 2000 trees.  The first leg was done in the vicinity of the farm’s plant in Pantay, Teresa, Rizal with some 200 trees.  The second part was the planting of more trees along the streets leading to its head office in Pasig. About 1,500 were planted at the Marikina Watershed located in Kaysakat, Antipolo.

The CSR activity was made possible by the combined commitment and effort of the employees ofForemost Farms, Inc., Care Foundation, and the local government units of Pasig City, and Teresa and Antipolo both in Rizal.

DR. LUCIO C. TAN was conferred the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by the Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), one of the largest private universities in New Jersey, USA.

During the recent graduation rites held at the Izod Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, Tan was cited for keeping a high degree of professionalism in business, remaining committed to education, providing jobs to the unemployed and having a soft heart for the needy. 

Seven public hospitals in the Province of Palawan are now better equipped to address the needs of indigent patients. The Tan Yan Kee Foundation-Lufthansa Technik, Philippines partnership donated Ambulance Bag, Aneroid Blood Pressure Apparatus, Stethoscope,  Hanging Scale,  Physician Weight Scale, 1 unit Wheel Chair, Suturing Set, and Disposable Needles.

Tan Yan Kee foundation Chairman and president Dr. Lucio C. Tan provided support to the International Peace Foundation’s Bridges--a program of dialogues towards a culture of peace.

In a letter of appreciation to Dr. Tan, International Peace Foundation Chairman Uwe Morawetz expressed his gratitude for Dr. Tan’s “ important participation in the program and for helping … to make the visit of President Jose Ramos-Horta to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand a major success”.

Business tycoon and Tan Yan Kee chairman Dr. Lucio C. Tan was recently honored as one of the most creative entrepreneurial leaders in Asia Pacific during the 2008 Asia Pacific Entrepreneurial Leaders Forum hosted by the Republic of Indonesia.

BUSINESS tycoon Lucio C. Tan (center) receives a plaque of appreciation from Lyceum Northwestern University (L-NU) President Dr. Gonzalo Duque (left) as the guest of honor and commencement speaker in Dagupan City. Recognizing his business skills and social contributions to the country, Tan, 73, was also conferred the honorary title Doctor of Humanities in Business and Entrepreneurship from L-NU and as an adopted son of the City of Dagupan. With them in photo is Dr. Tan’s wife Carmen (left).