Alfonso Yuchengco (; February 6, 1923 – April 15, 2017) was a

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

accountant, industrialist, businessman, educator, and diplomat. He headed the Yuchengco Group of Companies, one of the largest family-owned business conglomerates in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. He also served as chairman of business and educational institutions including the

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation The Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) () is one of the largest universal banks in the Philippines with total consolidated resources of Php 959 billion. It was established in 1960 as a development bank and is licensed by the Bangko ...

one of the country's largest commercial banks,

Mapúa University Mapúa University ( fil, Pamantasang Mapúa), also known simply as Mapúa or MU, is a private research-oriented non-sectarian university located in Metro Manila, Philippines. The university was founded in 1925 by the first registered Filipino ar ...

, and the Malayan School and Colleges located in Makati, Paco, Davao and Laguna.

Business interests

Yuchengco was the Chairman of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, and concurrently the Chairman of the Board of MICO Equities, Inc. (holding company of the Malayan Group of Insurance Companies); Pan Malayan Management and Investment Corporation; Mapúa Institute of Technology; Nippon Life Insurance Company; and the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation.Chairman's profile, Yuchengco Group of Companies. 2006. He had been the Chairman of the Board of Directors of GPL Holdings; House of Investments, Inc.; BA Savings Bank; Dole Philippines;

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

; Benguet Corporation; and the Philippine Fuji Xerox Corporation.

Education

Yuchengco held a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

Commerce Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...

, major in

Accountancy Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "langua ...

, from the Far Eastern University. He took and passed the licensure examinations for certified public accountants.

Academe

Yuchengco was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the

, a top-performing

engineering school Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

in the country. He was also the Chairman of the

Malayan Colleges Laguna Malayan Colleges Laguna, A Mapúa School (MCL) opened its doors to the youth of Southern Luzon on June 18, 2007. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mapúa University Mapúa University ( fil, Pamantasang Mapúa), also known simply as Mapúa or MU ...

, and

Malayan High School of Science The Malayan High School of Science (MHSS) is a private secondary educational institution established in 2005. It is managed and operated by the Mapúa University (MU). It is on a one-hectare property along P. Guazon Street (formerly Otis St.) in ...

, an innovative science high school. He had been a member of the Board of Advisors of the Columbia Business School, one of the leading business schools in the world.

Diplomacy

Yuchengco had been the Philippine Permanent Representative to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (A.E.P.). He had also served as Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs in 2004; Presidential Assistant on

APEC The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC ) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Matters in 1998; Philippine Ambassador to Japan in 1995; Philippine Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 1986 to 1988; and Presidential Special Envoy to Greater China, Japan and Korea. In 2005,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...

appointed Yuchengco to the Consultative Commission for Charter Change, a special body tasked to review and recommend changes to the

1987 Constitution The Constitution of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas'' or ''Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas'', Spanish: ''Constitución de la República de Filipinas'') is the constitution or the supreme law of the Republic of the Philippin ...

Other interests

Yuchengco was the Chairman of the Board of ''Bantayog ng mga Bayani'' Foundation. He was also the Chair Emeritus and Member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine Ambassadors Foundation; and Chair Emeritus and Past President of the Philippine Ambassadors Association. He was a member of the Board of Judges and a Principal Sponsor in the Mother Teresa Awards. He established a generous grant at the

University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. The university's main campus is located on a setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is nicknamed "The Hil ...

to create the Maria Elena G. Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program.

Awards

Yuchengco has received the following awards and citations: *Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star, from the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...

, 2003. *Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, from the

*Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu, from then President

Fidel Valdez Ramos Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...

*Knight Grand Officer of Rizal, Knights of Rizal. *Order of Lakandula, Rank of Bayani (Grand Cross). *Most Distinguished Alumnus and Hall of Fame Awardee, Far Eastern University, 1955 and 2003.

References

External links

Yuchengco Group of CompaniesRizal Commercial Banking CorporationMapúa UniversityFar Eastern University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yuchengco, Alfonso 1923 births 2017 deaths Mapúa University Burials at the Manila Memorial Park – Sucat Far Eastern University alumni Filipino bankers Filipino billionaires 20th-century Filipino businesspeople Filipino diplomats Filipino educators Filipino politicians of Chinese descent Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun Grand Crosses of the Order of Lakandula Individuals honored at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Nippon Life Permanent Representatives of the Philippines to the United Nations Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines) 21st-century Filipino businesspeople