As Singapore celebrates SG60, we at SPD also celebrate a remarkable milestone in our family – our long-serving staff Philip Ang turning 60 and marking 30 years of service with us as a finance professional. His journey is not just a story of individual perseverance, but also a reflection of what lasting impact truly means.
Philip’s story speaks directly to the question often asked of charities: What real difference and impact are you making? Too often, the debate on impact focuses on numbers and metrics.
At SPD, we track outputs – the numbers, such as how many people we serve and the services delivered. Beyond outputs are outcomes – the progress our clients make in areas like skills, confidence, and independence. True impact, however, goes even further: the lasting changes in a person’s life, family and community. Such impact is not easy to measure in the short or even medium term. It often takes years to emerge.
More importantly, we believe impact is reflected not only in data points, but also in how lives are lived – with independence, dignity, and the confidence to pursue one’s dreams. And impact is rarely the work of an organisation alone. It is made possible by individual grit, and the quiet, steadfast support of families, communities and charities who provide opportunities and encouragement along the way.
Philip’s journey with SPD is a powerful example of this.
Born with spinal muscular atrophy, Philip has been a wheelchair user since he was young. His family faced significant financial hardship caring for both Philip and his brother, who also has a disability. Yet, Philip’s determination to do well in school never wavered. With encouragement from a teacher, Philip applied for an SPD bursary. That support enabled him to complete his accountancy studies at the National Institute of Commerce. Grateful for the helping hand extended to him in his younger days, Philip decided to give back by joining SPD after graduation.
What began as a job soon turned into a lifelong vocation – three decades of service where he has grown, contributed and inspired.
Where work meets family and friendships
For Philip, SPD has been more than a workplace. It has been the foundation of friendships and even family. He met his wife while building his career, and in 2006, they got married. Today, they are proud parents to a teenage son and a young daughter.
His colleagues speak warmly of him – meticulous in his work, generous in spirit, always the one to remember a birthday or offer encouragement, even as health issues have kept him working from home in recent years.
True, lasting impact
Reflecting on his life, Philip said: “Despite my disability, I did not give up trying for the things a non-disabled person can do because I believe that if you try your best, you will succeed.”
From a young boy who once relied on a bursary to a seasoned finance professional who contributes to SPD’s mission every day, Philip’s journey shows that impact is not always measured in numbers. Sometimes, it is found in the quiet but profound ways that lives are changed – in milestones like completing an education, finding meaningful work, achieving financial independence, and building a family.
His story reminds us that when we lift each other up, we empower generations to strive, thrive and achieve their best. And that is the kind of lasting impact SPD is committed to creating.
Yours sincerely,
Abhimanyau Pal
Chief Executive Officer