BONGBONG MARCOS DARES NEW GRADUATES:
BE DRIVERS OF THE ECONOMY

VICE presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. has exhorted this year's college graduates to aggressively search for their rightful place as productive citizens in the real world.

In a statement addressed to new college graduates, Marcos said while their graduation is a great achievement in itself, they should challenge themselves not only to be their family's breadwinners but become the engine and drivers of the economy.

"All you have to do is to level up your skills, and assiduously look for these golden opportunities available to you out there. Then, with hard work, and aided by good fortune, you shall all soon land your dream jobs and careers and become productive citizens in your communities," he said.

He said the graduates should also be prepared to face with strong confidence and conviction the other challenges like the national unemployment rate of 6 percent and 7 percent in Metro Manila. One-fifth of the unemployed are college graduates.

According to the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), 40 percent of our fresh college graduates- in the range of 500,000 to 600,000- find difficulty landing a job immediately after their graduation.

"I want you to prepare yourselves for these realities... You have to possess what the PMAP called as functional skills such critical thinking, initiative, and effective communication skills.

He said by becoming productive, professionally, the graduates will be able to serve the community in the form of taxes, which will then "pay forward" and support the education of future batches of students of the country.

He also congratulated the graduates for clearing the academic hurdles as well as their parents for investing in the education of their children.

"So this is not the end for you, dear graduates, but just the beginning of new challenges. This is not the time to get tired and stop. Definitely, not at this point," he said.