Page 44 - Priorities 65

“I know that ALS means Alternative Learning System, but for me, ALS means “Always Love Schooling.” One should always desire to continue learning to better themselves. Education is the great equalizer.”
seven years of active and consistent efforts to strength- en the bilateral relationship between San Marino and the Philippines. The knighthood is usually given only to for- eign nationals who have positively contributed charita- ble and other services for the benefit of San Marino for at least 10 years.
Lhuillier officially joined his family’s company in 1992 and became the Executive Vice President and Gen- 44 eral Manager in 1994. Four years after, he assumed the position of President and CEO of the company. From then on, he spearheaded it’s development into a one-stop mi- crofinancial solutions provider, expanding the network of branches and offering more products and services. Today
there are more than 1,800 branches all over the country. As he builds Cebuana Lhuillier into a mega brand, Lhuillier has also simultaneously pushed for its education advocacy through his Nationwide Scholarship Program, supporting deserving but economically handicapped youth throughout the country. Through the Cebuana Lhuillier Alternative Learning System Program, a ladder- ized, modular, non-formal education program, he aims to help out-of-school youth receive free education through Community Learning Centers located nationwide. Intend- ed for Filipinos located in far-flung communities with no or limited access to formal schools and in need of basic literacy skills, Cebuana Lhuillier Alternative Learning Program aims to give hope and opportunity to the less fortunate by giving them the chance to gain and devel- op knowledge and skills that are vital in creating better futures for themselves. At present, there are now 65 ALS
centers in the Philippines with over 1,700 learners.
“I know that ALS means Alternative Learning Sys- tem, but for me, ALS means “Always Love Schooling.” One should always desire to continue learning to better themselves. Education is the great equalizer. Whether you’re rich or poor, you can use it to improve your life and
achieve success.”
Lhuillier also has a very strong passion for sports, es-
pecially tennis and softball. Through this passion, he has been able to make a positive impact on the lives of many Filipinos. He explained how he began the process. “As ear- ly as 1994, I already started to organize, support and spon-
sor various tennis tournaments in the country through our company’s corporate social responsibility program.” From there his involvement increased. “In 2004,” he says, “I started sponsoring the Philippine Davis Cup team and have been serving as their team manager since then. In the same year, I started bankrolling development programs for tennis players who showed great potential to make it to the professional league.” In 2005, Lhuillier was appoint- ed the country’s team manager of the men’s and women’s tennis teams for the Southeast Asian Games.
The following year, Lhuillier launched the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis, a year-round grassroots ten- nis competition for young Filipino tennis players. It is now in its 10th year and continues to discover and produce in- ternational junior standouts.
Together with other tennis patrons in the Philippines, he formed the Philippine Tennis Academy in 2011 with not only the aim of identifying and training talents but also providing the opportunity to underprivileged boys and girls in the countryside to use their tennis skills and rise out of poverty. Through the company’s sports advoca- cy, he was able to sponsor a number of tennis tournaments in the Philippines. In 2014 and 2015, he helped bring to the Philippines the International Premiere Tennis League. Lhuillier is also the co-owner of the Philippine Mavericks and also serves as the team manager. At present, Lhuilli- er is the current Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Tennis Association, and the Director of the Philippine Tennis Academy.
Through Lhuillier’s efforts, Philippine tennis has reached new heights. It has produced standouts such as Treat Huey, world number 18 doubles player and semi-fi- nalist at the 2016 Wimbledon Open; Francis Casey Alcan- tara, 2009 Australian Open Juniors doubles champion; and Jeson Patrombon, former world number 9 doubles play- er. The Philippine tennis men’s and women’s teams have also won numerous gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games. He has also organized world-class tennis tourna- ments such as the ITF Men’s Future’s in 2015 and the ATP Challenger in 2016.
As if that weren’t enough, Lhuillier serves as the Pres- ident of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philip-
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