AN Indonesian billionaire and businessman donated one million Singaporean dollars (estimated P41.6 million) and pledged to provide more to support the Marcos administration’s efforts to improve the lives of the Filipino people through more social welfare services and the provision of low-cost housing.
Indonesian businessman Dato’ Sri Tahir, who had met the Marcos family while they were in exile in Hawaii, handed the donation during a courtesy call at President Marcos Jr. in Malacanang.
Tahir, a member of Indonesia’s Presidential Advisory Council, made the commitment during the call, adding that he had been eager to meet and personally congratulate the President for winning the elections last year.
“So maybe I use this opportunity. I like to see, explore, we can work together in social work… We have been working in the region. So, I hope that, with your permission, with your support, let me arrange to explore,” he said in a media release issued by Malacanang yesterday.
He also said that since his group has been running the largest private hospital in Indonesia, “So maybe if we can invest also in hospital(s) here.”
Tahir founded the Mayapada Group, an Indonesian conglomerate with interests in the financial, healthcare, hotel and real estate, specialty retail, media, and mining industries.
He said that he has also been active in providing healthcare support to countries in crisis situations, has donated about $40 million to the United States government, assisted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and recently provided support to Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
Marcos, in welcoming the Indonesian tycoon, said he will ask the concerned government agencies to help put together proposals in time for the return visit of Tahir to the country sometime in July or August.
The President also mentioned the ongoing social welfare programs of the government for the children, such as providing homes for the elderly, social pension and medical assistance, as well as the ongoing initiatives for housing.
He also said that as part of its social work, the government is striving to teach the people to become more independent.
“So, this is how we view social work in the Philippines. As much as possible, we would like people not to become dependent on the government. And Filipinos, I think, have that attitude. So, that’s a good situation. So, that’s more or less how we are approaching a new way of doing social work,” he said.
In terms of housing, the President said his administration is trying to address a 6.5 million housing gap by establishing at least one million units per year for the next six years.
“Anything regarding humanitarian, I’m interested in that,” he added.
