From captaining Ateneo's high school basketball team to helping establish major academic institutions decades later, Leong maintained a close association with his alma mater that extended well beyond his years as a student.
He was also a longtime director of listed Abacore Capital Holdings Inc., serving on its board since 1989, with other business interests spanning manufacturing, property and banking.
Abacore announced his passing on Monday, paying tribute to his judgment and contributions to the company's growth, while saying it would fill the board vacancy in accordance with corporate regulations.
From the basketball court to the classroom
A member of Ateneo High School's Class of 1953, Leong captained its basketball team before joining the Ateneo seniors squad, which dominated the NCAA basketball competition that year.
His playing career ended when he transferred to Fordham University in New York, where he earned a mathematics degree, but his connection to Ateneo continued through decades of philanthropy.
Together with his wife, Dr. Rosita G. Leong, he helped establish the Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, Ricardo and Dr. Rosita G. Leong Hall, Leong Initiative on Internationalization, Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies, and Rosita G. Leong Primary Care Hub at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health.
The family's support also extended to the annual Chinese Spring Film Festival, while the university renamed its School of Social Sciences the Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences in 2024.
Just two weeks before his death, Leong received the Ateneo Sports Hall of Fame Special Award on Sept. 27, recognizing his contributions to the university's sporting tradition.
Beyond Ateneo, Leong also served as a director of Flexo Manufacturing Corp. and Sinophil Corp. and was a member of the advisory board of Equitable PCI Bank.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
