Yanson Group of Bus Companies matriarch Olivia Villaflores Yanson accepted an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Negros Occidental–Recoletos (UNO-R) on August 30, 2023, in Bacolod City.
A nurse by profession, Olivia and her late husband Ricardo Yanson Sr., established Vallacar Transit
Inc. (VTI) in 1968 which grew to become the largest public transport company in the country operating 4,800 buses nationwide manned by 18,000 employees.
“My husband, the late Ricardo Yanson and I started a transportation business in our own humble way and dreamed that someday the business will blossom into something more, not only more profits but serving more people who needed to be transported to their places of destination,” she said.
Yanson was conferred with Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management (Honoris Causa) in recognition of her contribution to the world of business. She received the award from UNO-R president Rev. Fr. Joel Alve in a ceremony attended by her children Ginnette, Leo Rey and their families as well as company executives and employees.
Fr. Alve said Yanson was awarded the honorary doctorate degree “in recognition of her invaluable contributions to the business sector and how she shared her blessings to the less fortunate people in our society as part of her corporate social responsibility”.
Yanson said her journey to entrepreneurship is calling to serve humanity. She said while being a business owner is a major role for her, the humanity aspect of it is even bigger as the company transports people and human life is precious.
“I speak for the past and the present because I feel and I know that I am needed here in this life to serve humanity. Being a nurse, a businesswoman, a mother, a grandmother, a good friend, a relative, all amount to loving and serving humanity with compassion and caring, touching people’s lives as I am there for them in God’s will,” said Yanson, a woman of strength, dignity and resilience who has a generous heart and who is committed to her life’s work.
Yanson also helped support education by providing buildings and educational resources to schools and colleges and funding the education of underprivileged children.
“I believe that through education, they will have a bright future and will be able to become better citizens of this country,” she said.