Sy siblings
{{use mdy|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sy siblings
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Teresita, Elizabeth, Henry Jr., Hans, Herbert, and Harley
| birth_date = October 1950–1959 {{nowrap|(ages {{age|1959|1|1}}–{{age|1950|10|1}})}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Businesspeople
| years_active = 1970s–present
| known_for = Richest people in the Philippines (2019–2024) as per Forbes by net worth; executives of the SM Group
|father= Henry Sy
|mother= Felicidad Tan
| notable_works =
| education = Assumption College (Teresita)
Maryknoll College (Elizabeth)
De La Salle University {{nowrap|(Sy brothers)}}
}}
The Sy siblings are a group of six Chinese Filipino businesspeople who are children of Henry Sy Sr. and Felicidad Tan. Recognized as belonging to the richest family in the Philippines, they as collective have often been noted by Forbes to be the richest in terms of net worth since Henry Sy Sr's death in 2019 until 2024. Each six siblings are U.S. dollar billionaires in their own right as of 2025, also according to Forbes.
Early lives
The Sy siblings are children of Henry Sy Sr. and Felicidad Tan. Henry Sr., a migrant from Fukien, China (now Fujian, P.R. China) is known for his role in developing the SM Supermalls brand from a shoe store which opened in Carriedo, Manila in 1958.{{cite news |last1=Gutierrez |first1=Jason |title=Henry Sy, 94, Dies; Philippines' Richest Man and a Shopping Mall Tycoon |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/world/asia/henry-sy-dead.html |access-date=25 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121232746/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/world/asia/henry-sy-dead.html|archive-date=21 January 2019|work=New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=20 January 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Mia |title=Fast Facts: Remembering Henry Sy Sr |url=https://www.rappler.com/business/221326-remembering-henry-sy/ |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Rappler |date=19 January 2019}} The siblings were born within the first nine years of marriage of Herny Sy and Felicia Tan – Teresita (1950), Elizabeth (1952), Henry Jr. (1953), Hans (1955), Herbert (1956), and Harley (1959).{{cite news |last1=Bautista |first1=Charles Aames |title=In Memoriam, The Legacy of Henry Sy, Sr |url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/the-scene/people-parties/in-memoriam-the-legacy-of-henry-sy-sr |access-date=4 June 2025 |work=Tatler Asia |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Henry Sy Sr.: A Saga of Stunning Succes |url=https://biznewsasia.com/henry-sy-sr-a-saga-of-stunning-success/ |website=Biz News Asia |access-date=4 June 2025}}
Henry Sr. starts training the Sy siblings in the family business when they reach 13-years old. They are often given tours in SM stores during the weekends and are given menial tasks.{{cite news |last1=Gonzales |first1=Iris |title=How the taipans trained their second generation successors |url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/12/03/1973694/how-taipans-trained-their-second-generation-successors |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=The Philippine Star |date=3 December 2019}} Hans Sy recalled working as a trash can cleaner, cash clerk and sales clerk within the family business.{{cite news |last1=Pascual |first1=Jekki |title='Stay humble, stay hungry': Sy family shares lessons from SM founder Henry Sy |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/8/30/-stay-humble-stay-hungry-sy-family-shares-lessons-from-sm-founder-henry-sy-1727 |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=ABS-CBN News |date=1 September 2024}}
Teresita attended the Assumption College.{{cite web |title=Teresita Sy-Coson |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/teresita-sy-coson/ |website=Forbes |language=en}} while her younger sister Elizabeth graduated from Maryknoll College (now Miriam College).{{cite web |title=Elizabeth Sy |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/elizabeth-sy/ |website=Forbes |access-date=4 June 2025 |language=en}} All four brothers attended the De La Salle University.{{cite web |title=Hans Sy |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/hans-sy/ |website=Forbes |access-date=4 June 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Henry Sy, Jr. |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/henry-sy-jr/ |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Herbert Sy |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/herbert-sy/ |access-date=4 June 2025 |work=Forbes |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Harley Tan Sy - SM.PH {{!}} SM Investments Corp |url=https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/PH/XPHS/SM/company-people/executive-profile/121875 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=4 June 2025}}
Members
All six siblings grew up to be businesspeople who have executive roles within their family's SM Group.
= Teresita Sy=
{{main|Teresita Sy-Coson}}
Teresita Sy-Coson (born October 1950) is the eldest among six siblings. At 22-years old, she was entrusted to by his father to help open the first branch of SM Department Store two months into the Martial law era under president Ferdinand Marcos. Sy-Coson is the chairperson on Banco de Oro (BDO) and oversaw the the bank's merger with Equitable PCI Bank which was initiated in 2004. She was married to lumber businessman Louis Coson who died in 2003{{cite news |last1=Fuentes |first1=Arthur |title=From sari-sari to SM: Sy-blings recall father’s values that built business empire |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/3/23/from-sari-sari-to-sm-sy-blings-recall-father-s-values-that-built-business-empire-1734 |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=ABS-CBN News |date=24 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=Teresita Sy-Coson: Wealth, Business Empire, and Life Outside Work |url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/the-good-life/the-directory/teresita-sy-coson-wealth-business-empire-and-life-outside-work-a00203-20230928-lfrm?s=cgvvprghss43sfub4rh0t87nmg |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=Esquire Philippines |date=28 September 2023}}
= Elizabeth Sy=
Elizabeth Sy (born 1952) is the president of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) the arm of the SM Group which manages hotels and convention centers established in 2008.{{cite news |last1=Dumlao |first1=Tina Arceo |title=Meet the sterling chief of the SM Group |url=https://business.inquirer.net/450297/meet-the-sterling-chief-of-the-sm-group |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=16 March 2024 |language=en}}
= Henry Sy Jr.=
Henry Sy Jr. (born 1953) became the director of SM Prime in 1994 and later its board chairman in 2014.
He was president and CEO of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for seven years serving until 2018.{{cite news |last1=Rivera |first1=Danessa |title=Sy Jr. steps down from NGCP |url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/03/08/1794487/sy-jr-steps-down-ngcp |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=The Philippine Star |date=28 March 2018}}
He is also the founder of the Big Boss Cement which he set up in 2017.{{cite web |title=Henry Sy Jnr |url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/people/henry-sy-jnr |website=Tatler Asia |access-date=29 May 2025 |language=en}} Big Boss' products are based on pozzolanic sand rather than limestone-derived clinker.{{cite news |last1=Dumlao-Abadilla |first1=Doris |title=Henry Sy Jr.’s Big Boss suspends cement business |url=https://business.inquirer.net/332681/henry-sy-jr-s-big-boss-suspends-cement-business |access-date=29 May 2025 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=18 October 2021 |language=en}}
= Hans Sy=
Hans Sy (born 1955) is the fourth eldest. He is the chairman of SM Prime. He has been director of the company since 1994. Hans was also president of SM Prime until 2016.
He was enstrusted by Henry Sr. to oversaw the construction of The SM Center North EDSA (now SM North EDSA) which opened in 1985.{{cite news|last1=Flores|first1=Wilson Lee|title=The mall that started it all: Celebrating 25 years of SM City North EDSA|url=http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/602978/mall-started-it-all-celebrating-25-years-sm-city-north-edsa|access-date=December 18, 2015|work=Bull Market, Bull Sheet|publisher=The Philippine Star Global|date=August 15, 2010|quote=Ever since it [SM City North EDSA] opened on Nov. 8, 1985...}}
Sy is also chairman of China Bank and the National University.
= Herbert Sy=
Harley Sy (born 1956) is the second youngest son among the siblings. He is the director of SM Prime.
= Harley Sy=
Wealth
The Sy siblings are grouped as one entry by Forbes in wealth rankings. In 2024, they collectively are the top entry in Forbes Asia's 'Philippines' 50 Richest' list with the net worth of $11.1 billion as of 2024.{{cite news |last1=Cabuenas |first1=Jon Viktor |title=Sy siblings continue to top Forbes Asia's 'Philippines' 50 Richest' list; Razon now 2nd |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/916349/sy-siblings-forbes-asia-razon/story/ |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=GMA News |date=8 August 2024 |language=en}} They were first recognized as the richest in the Philippines in 2019 following their father's death with a collective net worth of $17.2 billion.{{cite news |last1=Dumlao-Abadilla |first1=Doris |title=Sy siblings on top of Forbes PH richest list |url=https://business.inquirer.net/279782/sy-siblings-on-top-of-forbes-ph-richest-list |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=26 September 2019 |language=en}}
In the 2025 Forbes’ Billionaires however, the Sy siblings were listed separately – Henry Sy Jr. ($2.3-billion),, Hans Sy ($2.2-billion), Herbert Sy ($2.1-billion), Harley Sy ($1.9-billion), Teresita Sy-Coson ($1.9-billion) and Elizabeth Sy ($1.7-billion). They ranked sixth to eleventh richest in the Philippines. Manny Villar is the top Filipino entry at $17.2-billion.{{cite news |title=Manny Villar is Philippines’ richest, according to Forbes 2025 Billionaires List |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/941312/manny-villar-is-philippines-richest-according-to-forbes-2025-billionaires-list/story/ |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=GMA News |date=2 April 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Loyola |first1=James A. |title=Forbes Magazine: Villar is back as richest Filipino, Sy family has most billionaires |url=http://mb.com.ph/2/4/2025/forbes-magazine-villar-is-back-as-richest-filipino-sy-family-has-most-billionaires |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=2 April 2025 |language=en}}