Jessica “Jica” Sy expands her family’s legacy of creating warm spaces for Filipino families, while remaining rooted in a philosophy that has survived generations: leading with empathy.
We’re in the vast, green expanse of Susana Heights, a development in the works that whispers of futures waiting to be imagined. As Head of Design, Innovation, and Strategy for SM Development Corporation (SMDC) and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), Jessica “Jica” Sy is a curator of potential, transforming spaces into living ecosystems of human experience. As an example, for our shoot, she brings props that reflect her life outside the hustle of her corporate career, transforming the development through the power of imagination and belief.
For one layout, we have an easel and several canvases she has filled in her free time. Blank spaces transformed into colorful creations. For another layout, we spread a banig on the earth. Around it, Jica pours out over 30, 40, maybe even 50 books from her own library (she confesses that she couldn’t decide what not to bring). It’s a mix of classic literature, both foreign and Filipino, as well as non-fiction titles about urban planning, design thinking, and architecture.
“My downtime is usually spent reading, painting, sketching, or trying out new crafts—much to my husband’s amusement,” Jica shares. “I love walking, being in nature, and traveling when I can. I collect books from different countries because they let me experience life through other people’s stories.”
We pare down the selection to a few books for the photo, making sure to include her favorite: James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon.
The often-overlooked classic tells the story of lost travelers who are brought to a utopian paradise grounded in rest and respite. Its narrative, told within a frame story, is deliberately crafted with a sense of ambiguity that challenges whether the narrator—and through him, the reader—has the imagination to believe such a tale, to believe the beauty of possibility, expressed through this mysterious paradise.
For Jica? It’s easy to see why she’s drawn to the novel. Seeing her amidst the landscape in development, she embodies this particular kind of optimism. You could say this optimism is part of the family legacy, too.
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The Sy Family Legacy
The story of the Sy family begins with Jica’s grandfather, Henry Sy, who built the SM group on the simple dream of a pair of shoes for every Filipino. “I remember countless times my grandfather would take me and my cousins to our malls just to observe families enjoying their day,” Jica recalls. “He loved seeing people together and imagining how we could make their lives better.”
Under the next generation, Jica’s father, Henry “Big Boy” Sy Jr., expanded that dream into creating homes for every Filipino. “My father, uncles, and aunts are the same—they would stop to talk to people, ask about their experiences, and genuinely listen,” she adds.
Today, SM Prime is set to launch Signature Series by SM Residences, a luxury residential expansion starting with Susana Heights, Jica being one of its driving forces. This latest chapter in the SM group’s development is all about ecosystems: bringing together the various life stages that the group has become a part of into a seamless experience.
“We want the SM group to be the first choice for Filipinos, wherever they are in their journey,” Jica explains. “A brand that is not just trusted, but also fun, approachable, relatable, and deeply Filipino.”
This progressive vision goes beyond mere commercial expansion, led with an understanding, and in the service of the needs of the Filipino. It’s the foundation that started their business all those generations ago, and one which Jica and her generation continue to uphold.
“The best piece of advice that’s stayed with me from my grandfather and previous generations is to lead with empathy,” Jica says. “At the end of the day, we are creating spaces, products, and opportunities for people—so our work must always be peopleled. That simple act of empathy continues to guide how I work today.”
An Educational And Empathetic Foundation
Jica’s academic education laid the foundation for her current role. At the Queensland University of Technology, she pursued both her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Architecture, with an additional foundation degree in Design and Applied Arts from RMIT University. This was followed by professional experience at Plus Architecture in Australia, where she further honed her approach to design and problem-solving.
“Studying and practicing architecture in Australia opened my eyes to international design and standards,” she says, “and to a mindset that isn’t afraid to push boundaries while prioritizing life—human life, animal life, plant life—and the sustainability that holds it all together.”
Her return to the Philippines and formal entry into the family business, however, was marked by both profound loss and quiet grace. She officially joined shortly after the unexpected illness and then passing of her sister, Jan, who was then working at SMDC. It was a deeply personal time that brought with it an intense emotional landscape and unexpected strain.
“I felt an immense pressure to fill her shoes and meet every expectation perfectly,” Jica speaks openly about that period. Nevertheless, much to her nature, she finds in her reflections something learned: “But what truly shaped me were the people who showed me kindness and generosity when I needed it the most. Their grace—often quiet and unspoken—helped me find my footing and my voice.”
The generations that came before taught her to lead with empathy, and she experienced firsthand what this kind of environment can mean to a person.
“That experience taught me to lead with compassion,” she continues, “because you never know what someone is carrying, and sometimes a little kindness can be the light they need.”
Read the full story in our December 2025 e-magazine by subscribing to Lifestyle Asia’s digital access and purchasing your copy at Readly.
Photography by Jyllan Bitalac Assisted by Jacob Reyes
Colorist Sherie Bolo
Stylist Gee Jocson Assisted by Reese Tio and Kassandra Gandionco
Makeup Kathy Oran Assisted by Monaliza Gonzales
Hair KURT ROSALES Assisted by ASHANTI LOUISSE
Associate Producer MAE TALAID
Shot on location SM Signature’s Susana Heights
Special thanks to Kultura Filipino and SM Home
