ECoP President Donald Dee passes away, 72

BUSINESS LEADER Donald G. Dee, president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) as well as honorary chairman and chief operating officer of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), died on Saturday at the age of 72, according to notices both chambers posted on their social media sites.

His wake will be held at the Capilla del Señor of the Santuario de San Antonio in Makati City starting Sunday, Dec. 2, with daily Mass at 7 p.m., until inurnment in the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 5.

He is survived by his wife, Ophelia M. Dee, his children and grandchildren.

“The business community lost a passionate champion and leader, a stalwart in the industry, and a staunch advocate of and for employers,” ECoP said in a Facebook post over the weekend, while PCCI separately described him in a separate FB notice as “[a] well respected leader, stalwart and champion of the business community.”

“The Federation of Free Workers extends its deepest condolences to his family and the members of the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines,” Sonny G. Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers, said in an e-mail to journalists.

“Donald was a passionate leader of the employers but at the same time with a kind heart for the worker,” he added.

“Donald was a colleague… at the Social Security Commission [where] I was representing the workers’ group and he was representing the employers.”

Mr. Dee served as Commissioner of the Social Security System in 2001-2010.

He was also founding trustee of the Philippine Business for Education and was also a former member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council-Philippines.

He served as Special Envoy for Trade Negotiations from 2004 to 2010 under the administration of former president and now House Speaker Gloria M. Arroyo.

Mr. Dee was the chairman and chief executive officer of PCCI affiliate think-tank Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade.

He was also president of Phoenix Resource and Management Corp. and of Pan Pacific Airways; director of the Manila Exposition Complex, Inc. and a Southeast Asia Beachhead advisor of the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.

He had also served as chairman of the Confederation of Garments Exporters of the Philippines, Inc.; vice-chairman of the Philippine Exporters Confederation; member of the Export Development Council executive committee; and as co-champion for Education and Human Resource at the National Competitiveness Council. —