We share this life story lovingly written by Juan “Dickoy” B.K. Magdaraog about his father Vic for the Golden Anniversary Yearbook of the Ateneo de Naga High School Class of 1967, originally published in December 2017. Sadly, Vic, our dear friend and Dateline Ibalon adviser (b. July 7, 1951 – December 18, 2022). We join family and friends as we mourn his untimely passing. A loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and a great friend, Vic will be missed by many.
Developing talent and helping people defines dad’s professional career for the past forty plus years. The passion for seeing potential in people and harnessing talent has been at the core of his being. This rings true both in his personal and professional life.
After high school, college life was as exciting as it would be for most students until he joined the student protest movement against the Marcos dictatorship. In 1971, when the writ of habeas corpus was suspended he was among a handful of student activists nationwide ordered arrested by Marcos. He had help though from the former Senator Raul Roco who successfully defended him in court.
Eventually his involvement in student activism led him to a job at an NGO, the Pasay Development Foundation. It was there that he continued to apply knowledge learned from his activist days about empowering people and its profound effect in their lives. He helped train and mentor out of school youth and juvenile delinquents in turn providing them direction in life. He saw potential in them.
The desire to help and develop people would follow him throughout his career. He spent time working at companies like Bancom and Anscor but it was at Development Dimensions International (DDI) that he’d spend the most number of years.
Dad helped establish DDI’s presence in the Philippines in the late seventies. It was then that he would meet DDI’s founder Dr. Bill Byham. They would later on develop a friendship stemmed from mutual respect. Dad learned greatly from Dr. Byham and in turn he also gained his respect.
Relationships matter to dad and it is because of his great relationship with Dr. Byham that he stayed with DDI for more than 30 years. In that time not only did he bring DDI to the Philippines but in time he was tasked to set up offices across Asia-Pacific.
Dr. Byham sent this message to dad a few years back, “Having you as my friend has been one of the real blessings of my life. You have been a great source of support and advice in addition to being DDI’s model country manager. In my new book I talk a lot about Global Acumen – the ability to come in to a situation in another country and figure out what’s really going on, how do people feel about things and know what to do about it. That’s what you’re extremely good at. For that reason, you’ve become DDI’s go-to person for Asia. Any time we have a problem your name comes up as somebody who could help us fix it. I truly don’t know what we’d do without you.”
When he retired August of 2016 he was affectionately called the father of DDI Asia-Pacific. As a testament to how much he is appreciated by people he’s helped and worked with, a lot of people from across the world sent well wishes and some even flew in specifically to attend his retirement party.
One of those who attended Dr. Rozan Anwar, founder of Daya Dimensi Indonesia. Dr. Anwar was one of the people dad has helped and mentor when he was starting in his career. He would eventually become one of his good friends. He said: “Vic has always been a pillar of my career and life, beyond just a mentor or a boss. He is the one I turn to for advice and sometime just a sigh if I were in doubt for many things I was facing in Life. Vic is my best friend.”
Nikki Dy-Liacco and VJ Posadas were also two people he saw great potential in. Dad believed in growing talent from within. He saw the potential in these two Ateneans and believed they could achieve great things. True enough Nikki and VJ are now spreading their wings across the globe. Nikki works at the DDI headquarters in Pittsburgh and VJ is making a mark in Singapore.
Nikki had this to say, “It is an awesome privilege and gift that Vic Magdaraog, fondly known as Sir Vic or VLM to many of us, was my first boss – and lifelong coach. His day-to-day coaching and guidance in my first seven years at DDI really shaped my professional growth and helped determine not just my career, but my personal life path as well. Vic is an authentic leader and talent advocate; he looked out for opportunities, prepared and empowered me, then allowed me to fly. I wouldn’t be where I am today – working in our global headquarters in Pittsburgh – without Vic as a role model and mentor.”
VJ who is now Director for Business Development for DDI Singapore wrote this in a message “Seeing DDI’s presence across Asia is already great testimony of your strong leadership and visionary spirit. But seeing the many people that you have developed to bring out their true potential is even more powerful.”
One career highlight came last 2008 when the Management Association of the Philippines asked him to lead the project to publish the book “Extraordinary – Stories for Aspiring Leaders”. A collection of stories about prominent business leaders to inspire leaders of future generations. Dad was senior editor of this book.
Dad retired from DDI as Vice President for ASEAN and Korea and concurrently President of DDI Philippines. A mark of a great leader is the ability to grow the people in his organization. He is happy and confident that he leaves behind great people to continue the work of DDI in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
Writing this article made me reflect on the impact dad has made on people. He has helped people professionally and personally. I know. I am one of those he’s helped a lot.
Growing up with a severe disability caused by a rare genetic disease called Pompe Disease, dad cultivated in me the proper mindset and the abilities I would use to overcome my challenges. He believed that everyone had something to offer. Including me. For that I am eternally grateful.
I remember one of the best advice dad gave me. When I was a teen and fully learned about my disease, I wanted to quit school. Doctors told us I might not live past thirty. I told dad I wanted to quit school and just enjoy life. What’s the point of wasting time in school if I’m not going to live long anyway? His reply “what if you live longer, what then?” With that he instilled in me the positive mindset I needed to overcome challenges in life.
Despite his busy career dad never neglected family. He devoted time to his relationship with my mom. Even at times he was travelling he’d make sure to call each night and talk with her.
He’s always been there for the important moments. He was there to support my brother and I but also gave us enough room to discover things for ourselves.
He begins a new chapter in his life. As retirement closes one chapter it also provides the opportunity to start new ones.
Dad is looking forward to spending more time with my mom Cynthia, his loving wife of 40 years. A bit of travel is in their future. He will also continue to support the work mom does for the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders, a non-profit organization that helps children with rare diseases.
I think though what dad is looking forward to the most in the coming years ahead is developing three of the most promising young talents, his grandkids from my brother Steve and wife Imee. Helping them grow up and maximize their full potential will be one of the most fulfilling achievement in his life. Lucas, Tristan and Julia will benefit from four decades of experience dad brings with him in growing leaders.
What was life for dad after leaving Ateneo? I’d say it was seeing the value of people and helping them achieve their potential whether it’s in his professional or personal life.
As I end this article and look back at the past decades of my dad’s life I am quite certain that a big part that shaped him was his time and experience at Ateneo de Naga. For that our family is grateful.
About the author
JUAN “Dickoy” B.K. MAGDARAOG is afflicted with Pompe disease, a rare hereditary disorder that causes progressive muscular and cardiovascular weakness. He is a member of the nongovernmental organization ThisAbility which advocates for those who suffer from rare diseases. Dickoy and his mom Cynthia are advocates of the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders (PSOD), a non-profit that supports medical professionals from the University of the Philippines, National Institute of Health, and Institute of Human Genetics in the continuing research regarding rare disorders that affect Filipino patients.
Despite the challenges of his physical disability which limits his mobility, he admirably tries to lead an active life. He is a web developer at A&E Consulting/ Global Fusion (Asian Development Bank is a client). He is is the self-taught genius behind Dickoy’s Homemade Favorites. His best sellers include pies and quiches which he refined with the guidance of his cousins who are overseas-based chefs. Much sought after is Vic’s Black Pepper Crabs, the specialty dish perfected by his father in Singapore. Prior to his passing in 2022, it was Vic Magdaraog himself who cooked the spicy crabs they sold.