Page 65 - WashingtonSyCip_Bio_Excerpt_LastChapter_2nd_Edition

Postscript A Good Night’s Sleep

It was also where their mother Anna stayed until the end, even surviving Wash by a
couple of years. “Our mother suffered from Alzheimer’s for longer than most, perhaps
because she was well cared for, and she became bedridden during her last years. She
had good art skills, and Dad encouraged her to take up Chinese painting to combat
her Alzheimer’s. This seemed to help a little, but sadly her deterioration progressed.
She was an exceptionally devoted wife and sacrificed most of her outside interests to
be totally supportive of our father throughout her life.”

For Wash, who seemed mentally ageless, work was a reliable tonic. “Up until around
2010 or 2011, Dad still went to his office regularly and very early. He always wanted
to be the first to be there. But afterwards, just moving around the house, which had
a lot of steps, became harder for him to do, and he needed help. Fortunately Junjun
came along, and he was a blessing.”

Robert’s kids love Japanese food, so they’d meet up with Wash at the Dusit Hotel
where there was a Japanese restaurant. This was also where Robert spent his last time
out with his dad.

Often in their conversations, Wash would stress the importance of learning Mandarin
and was visibly happy when some of his grandchildren could stammer off at least a
phrase or two. He was impressed with China’s ascendance, how far it had progressed
over the years, and how it was becoming more dominant in the global economy.

Wash never lost the sharpness of his memory and the acuity of his perception, and
it seemed to Robert that the older Wash got, the stronger and clearer his advocacies
became, perhaps he because he felt the urgency building up.

“Dad was very disciplined and he certainly had a passion for what he did. He was
a great believer in education and he was also very concerned about the areas of the
Philippines that were not adequately developed, especially in Mindanao. In his heart,
he was convinced that Asia needed more of the Singaporean model where you had a
technocrat in charge who was not corrupt but was also a strong leader.”

Wash’s advice was practical as it came from his own experience. He stressed punctuality
and observing a strict work ethic to his children and grandchildren, and he set the
example throughout decades of being first at the office. Most importantly, he stressed

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