MANILA, Philippines - Insurance trailblazer Robert Coyiuto will be honored with a concert Sept. 27, 4 p.m., at Meralco Theater on Ortigas Avenue to celebrate his 85th birth year.

Born on Sept. 30, 1923, Robert Coyiuto was the first Filipino member of the prestigious Lloyd?s of London. Before the term ?taipan? became in vogue to describe successful Chinese-Filipino entrepreneurs and industrialists, Coyiuto was already leading corporations that became among the giant companies in the industry.

In 1981, he founded Prudential Guarantee and Assurance Inc., which is now led by his five sons who continue to revere his legacy of excellence, propriety, filial piety and compassion.

He passed away May 5, 1982, at the age of 58.

Orchestral debut

Two generations of the Coyiuto family, pianist Cristine Coyiuto and her daughter, flutist Caitlin Alisa Coyiuto, are the featured soloists of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra with Helen Quach conducting.

Cristine is the featured soloist of Schumann?s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54.
Caitlin will perform Poulenc?s Flute Sonata as orchestrated by Sir Lennox Berkeley. Her performance marks her orchestral debut. It will also be the first Philippine performance of the piece.

Richard Wagner?s ?Die Meistersinger? Overture and Peter Tchaikovsky?s Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36, complete the program.

Cristine is one of the country?s leading concert pianists, and her concerts are critically acclaimed. She will play on an award-winning Bosendorfer grand piano that will be exclusively flown from Vienna to ensure the highest quality of performance. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche of the world-famous Porsche Design Company designed the Bosendorfer.

Caitlin has just returned from Academie Internationale d?Ete de Nice, where she was the youngest flute student in the master classes of Vincent Lucas (principal flute of Orchestre de Paris) and Davide Formisano (principal flute of Teatro Alla Scala).

Caitlin began studying flute at age 10 with Marie Poblete and later with Antonio Maigue. She also studies the cello with Tess Ibero and the piano with Virginia Laico Villanueva.

Homage

Helen Quach became the assistant of Leonard Bernstein of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra after winning the Dmitri Mitropoulos Competition. She has conducted orchestras in the US, Europe, Australia and Asia. She is slated to conduct the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the country?s premier orchestra, in the Philippine Opera Company?s production of ?La Boheme? this October. The Coyiuto Foundation made her engagement possible.

The concert event is a fitting homage to Robert Coyiuto?s inspiring leadership and visionary achievements, his pride in being a Filipino, and his passion for promoting Philippine arts and culture.

Long before ?corporate social responsibility? became a buzz phrase among companies, Robert Coyiuto was already promoting social concerns in education, culture, arts and sports.
In the ?70s, and under his leadership, his insurance company provided marine insurance coverage for the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ when it was shipped to Germany for repairs; sponsored the terra-cotta warriors from Xi?an, China, in the 1970s exhibition; and sponsored the ?Thrilla in Manila? fight of Ali versus Frazier.

Arts support

Prudential continues its founder?s dedicated support for the arts. In 1982, PGAI was a corporate sponsor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. The company also hosted picnic concerts featuring the Manila Symphony Orchestra for PGAI employees.

In 1984, PGAI sponsored internationally acclaimed pianist Fou Ts?ong?s recital at Metropolitan Theater Manila. PGAI is also one of the incorporators of the MCO Foundation Inc.

In 2000, PGAI sponsored National Artist Ang Kiukok?s retrospective exhibition at Met Museum and, in 2006, the company sponsored the Ultimate Piano Competition.
This year, PGAI sponsored the Romulo Galicano-Patis Tesoro exhibit at Met Museum. PGAI also endowed the Concertmaster?s Chair of the Metro Manila Community Orchestra.