To Larry Chan, his father Carlos has always been a doting figure, a successful businessman and a generous philanthropist that he and his five siblings have always tried to emulate.

Carlos introduced Liwayway, the family's snack business in the Philippines, to China in 1993, setting up two joint ventures in Shanghai and creating the brand Shanghaojia, a Chinese equivalent of its already successful Oishi back in the Philippines. Over the span of a decade, the brand grew to become one of the most popular in the market.

In 2005, Carlos was conferred the Honorable Citizen of Shanghai Award for his outstanding contributions to the city's development. The event was a major affair for the family. After all, Carlos was the first Filipino to receive the accolade.

Following the award ceremony, Chan's mother told him matter-of-factly that he should also attempt to bring home another award for family.

To Chan, that was simply too tall a task. "That's not possible," was his reply.

On Sept 30, Chan was made to eat those words as he became one of the two foreign residents in Shanghai to receive the award. Since its launch in 1989, the Honorable Citizen of Shanghai Award has only been given to 43 expatriates.