The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos is set to confer Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management (honoris causa) to Olivia Villaflores Yanson, the matriarch of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies, on Aug. 30, 2023 in Bacolod City.
The citation is given to Yanson, co-founder of the YGBC, in recognition of her contribution to the world of business. Yanson, or OVY, is known for being an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. She was a nurse by profession, having obtained her undergraduate degree from Siliman University in 1956, before she ventured into entrepreneurship.
Yanson has received numerous recognitions from various institutions for her accomplishments and socio civic works. She was a recipient of the 2001 First Hamiling Bayawanon Award in the field of business and entrepreneurship, 2006 Oriental Negrense Award for outstanding achievement in social entrepreneurship, 2007 Signum Lasallianum (Award of Excellence), 2007 Go Negosyo Outstanding Negrense in the field of Entrepreneurship, Most Outstanding Silimanian Award in the field of Entrepreneurship, the Order of Horace B. Silliman Award, the 2007 Banwahanon Award as Outstanding Entrepreneur (Bacolod City).
Yanson received the 2008 Making a Difference for Women Award (Soroptimist International of Bacolod), the 2008 La Gran Dama de Negros (The Negrense Heritage Society), The Outstanding Bayawanon award and the 2018 Outstanding Negrense Award for Humanitarian Work.