President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday conferred the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Cross (Bayani) on Luen Thai Philippines Chairman Willie Tan at the Music Room of Malacañang Palace.Tan received the award for “connecting the Philippines to global manufacturing and expanding the role of the garments and apparel industry through the clothing and accessories company Luen Thai Philippines and for steering the growth of Luen Thai and providing jobs to thousands in just two decades, from barely a thousand employees in a small factory in Tarlac, to around 18,000 Filipinos employed in Clark, Tarlac, Cebu, Bataan, and San Fernando”.
Tan was also honored for providing employment to Filipino seafarers through the Luen Thai fishing venture business and for “his commitment to service, in partnership with the Filipino people through community development, livelihood creation, and disaster relief in the aftermath of Super Typhoons Ketsana (Ondoy) and Parma (Pepeng)”.
The entrepreneur was also cited for pump-priming the Philippine tourism industry by establishing a travel and leisure business in 2014, chartering direct flights from China to the Philippines, thus building economic and cultural bridges between the two nations and for championing the Philippine manufacturing and exports industries by leading delegations for trade policy and investment mission.
He was likewise recognized for participating in the Philippine government’s first major investment roadshow in Beijing and Shanghai, China in 2011, and serving as one of the “most ardent ambassadors of the Philippines to the private sector, thus helping build trust and confidence in the Philippines and our people”.
The Order of Lakandula, which was established in 2003, is an Order of political and civic merit awarded in memory of Lakandula’s dedication to the responsibilities of leadership, prudence, fortitude, courage and resolve in the service of one’s people.
The award is given by the President of the Philippines to Filipino or foreign citizens who have demonstrated by their lives and deeds a dedication to the welfare of the society, or whose lives are worthy of emulation by the Filipino people. PND (jm)
