On Monday this week, One Mega Group Founder Sari Yap has passed. Yet we will always remember her as the exceptional woman whose commitment to her vision is a true inspiration. From making an impact on the lifestyles of people to sharing insights on topics that matter, Sari is a true source of encouragement. Society figures like Linda Ley and Sheila Romero know this well, and on the day of her passing, they shared wonderful moments spent with their good friend Sari coupled with a heartwarming message. We have compiled some of the noteworthy insights of Sari together with society’s Instagram posts dedicated to her.
RELATED READS: The Wonderful Legacy And Meaningful Life Of Sari Yap
On starting the company
Starting the first glossy magazine in the country was a real challenge for Sari. Her passion for media began in college when she shifted from taking up Business Economics to Mass Communications. “Somebody told me, “You know, we need people who have a sense of responsibility in mass media. That really struck me,” she said. Eventually, on her entrepreneurship thesis for her Master’s degree, the idea to start MEGA Magazine sprang. Sari shared the title had to be “something very easy to say, which incidentally, one was MEGA and the other was Metro.” The intention of the magazine was “helping women dress up” and be confident in their own way. Among the first collection was a compilation of stories from Filipino fashion talents like Rajo Laurel, Furne One, Carla Sibal, and Aureo Alonzo. Sari focused on the big picture, “I see the achievement, not the process.”
The publishing industry is competitive, especially since MEGA Magazine was relatively new in the early 90s. Yet Sari knows how to move through the current. “What you do becomes top of mind of everyone,” she said. It is essential then to always be on top of your game, to show credibility and authenticity. “Dapat bukang bibig ka ng lahat… young designers really need strategic partners; apart from the talent, there is the business expertise…marrying the creative and the business.”
On the fashion industry
Though fashion is also a business with tough competition, Sari recognizes the value of being down to earth. “There’s so much superficiality in fashion, ang yayabang, [I believe] in a change of culture, change of behavior and media does that. It’s the legacy I’d like to have.” And with the culture of genuine and groundbreaking content that MEGA Magazine, along with other One Mega Group titles produced, it is an understatement to say Sari has left a remarkable footprint in the publishing and fashion landscape.
She said, “Ironically, I don’t (exactly) belong to fashion. I’m in media, I’ve always loved media, broadcasting.” She revealed, “I’m just a normal, imperfect girl who wants to dress up” and adds, “it comes down to authenticity, knowing who you really are.”
On matters of being single
The personal life of Sari Yap shows she may be single but in an interview, she revealed it was not because of a “purposed state.” “In fact, I was fighting it for three years. I was going out with the cutest guy who I was waiting for all my life,” she said. Yet she felt God is not calling for her marriage. She explained, “Singlehood is not giving up something, it is embracing something bigger… The reason why we remain single is simply so that, as Opus Dei numeraries, we can be available to serve the group members anytime we are needed.” Living a single life brought Sari happiness especially in the company of her friends. “I have made a choice; something that makes me very happy. No man could make me as happy.”
RELATED READS: What We All Aspire To Be: Sari Yap And Her Legacy
Society’s dedication to Sari Yap
