SM | The Adobo Chronicles

SM Mega Mall in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – This month, the Philippines’ Civil Service Commission (CSC) celebrates its 115th anniversary by asking the close to 1.5 Million Filipino government employees to give money to the country’s richest man, Henry Sy.

Let us explain.

From September 25 to 27, 2015, government workers can avail themselves of 10% discount at all SM Department Stores nationwide, valid on regular-priced items for a minimum purchase of PHP500. SM Appliance Centers will offer 5% discount nationwide, as well as financing promos for select branches in Metro Manila and nearby Luzon. Shoppers at SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket will get a free item with a minimum purchase of PHP500.

To be eligible for the said promos, civil servants should present their official government office ID or Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) ID card, including an SM Advantage Card, SM Prestige Card, MOM Card, or BDO Rewards Card, according to CSC Announcement No. 53, s.2015.

The common denominator of the promo? Henry Sy, owner of SM.

What all this mean is that government employees must spend, spend, spend, even if they weren’t planning to, and spend their hard-earned money at SM, so that Sy can build more shopping malls.

How about just giving all government employees a food basket consisting of a bag of rice, assorted canned goods and other kitchen essentials? Or give them a voucher towards free rides on buses or the light railway (MRT).

What happened to ‘Matuwid na daan?’ (straight path). Or ‘Matuwid na pag-iisip.” (common sense thinking).

Henry Sy Photo credit: www.garfsblog.uso99.com — Henry Sy
Photo credit: http://www.garfsblog.uso99.com

SILICON VALLEY, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Starting April 1, 2015, the close to 15 Million followers of The Adobo Chronicles will see a blank screen when they log on to this Internet news site. The site, headquartered in the Silicon Valley in California, will cease publication as of March 31.

The reason? The site was bought out by the Philippines’ richest man, Henry Sy.

Henry Sy remains the Philippines’ top billionnaire, according to Forbes. His net worth has increased by ten digits plus, thanks to the continued growth of his SM Investments Corp, the largest retailer in the Philippines with over 200 individual outlets around the country. The firm is one of the country’s largest conglomerates with interests in real estate development, shopping malls and banking. One of his more recent ventures: the City of Dreams Manila resort and casino, which opened in December 2014. The resort cost $1.3 billion to develop and consists of 950 rooms, 365 tables and 1,700 slot machines.

Sy is purchasing the Chronicles for an undisclosed amount.

In announcing the purchase, Sy said he can no longer stand the gullibility of his fellow Filipinos who, time and again, fail to recognize that all the stories in the Chronicles are true. “It is best to close the site down, so I decided to buy them out,” the billionnaire added.

Sy also hinted that he is in negotiations to also buy out five other Filipino news sites, namely, The Professional Heckler, So, What’s News, Eritas Times, Mosquito News, and The Philippine Chronicle.