The Wonderful Legacy and Meaningful Life of Sari Yap

On September 9, 2019, we bid farewell to the founder of the pioneer glossy magazine in the country, Sari Yap. The founder of One Mega Group has shown her courage and dedication to pursue her dream. Through MEGA Magazine, she hoped to “impact the lifestyle of society in a positive way and showcase the best of the Filipino to the world.” Today, we celebrate her legacy and be inspired by her meaningful life of guiding people to be their best.

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The Journey to Success

Sari’s passion for entrepreneurship was first highlighted in her drive to establish a glossy magazine. It would show readers, especially women, that they can be beautiful without solely focusing on their figures. However, it was a challenge to develop the magazine. There was a lack of publishing resources in the country at that time. There was also the pressure of managing MEGA Magazine when it was still new in the late ’90s. In the “#IAmLustrious: Hear Her Story” campaign last year, Sari opened up about having depression because of it. She said, “You need the help of your family. They have to support you.” Despite these challenges, Sari did not abandon her vision and remained strong. Eventually, One Mega Group grew into several titles like Lifestyle Asia and BluPrint that covered different lifestyle topics read by various audiences.

On Self-Love and Body Acceptance

With society’s pressure to change ourselves, it can be difficult to love our natural appearances. Last year, Sari opened up about taking a two and a half year-break from beauty-enhancing procedures. During this period, she allowed her mind and body to be at peace. She let wrinkles or weight gain to happen. Later on, she gained insight into true self-love. “It’s not what we do to our body, it’s what’s motivating us to do it that matters,” she says in an Instagram post.

Apart from body acceptance, Sari shared the value of having a simple lifestyle. Many may expect her to have a beautiful and extravagant wardrobe when in fact, she does not. She explained, “When I have something new in my closet, I take something out. If this item can do for that, then I don’t need both. Simplicity is important; too many things or wants complicate life.”

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Fulfilling aspirations

In a highly-competitive industry, Sari has shown her commitment to pursue her vision. Through her work in the publishing world, she showed that people can have beautiful and meaningful lives. Though we mourn the loss of an extraordinary woman, her wonderful legacy lives on. We look at her life and be inspired to reach our own dreams. As she had said, “Life becomes very simple when you have one goal; to live according to your values… You have to be ready to accept what you may not like; even making a leap of faith. But God will take care of you.”

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