SPEECH OF SENATE PRESIDENT FRANKLIN M. DRILON
89th Commencement Exercises
Bicol College
4 April 2016

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE ASEAN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Bicol College President Dr. Maria Luz T. Macasinag, faculty members and staff, my dear graduates, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

It is a great honor and privilege to speak before you on this momentous occasion. I receive dozens of invitations to speak during graduation from different schools in many parts of the country. Despite long travels and preparation, I always look forward to these occasions as these are perfect opportunities for me to share my thoughts with young people like you. Hopefully, I can, in my own little way, inspire you to pursue your dreams while never forgetting to give back to your community and country.

First, let me commend the efforts of the school officials, led by Dr. Macasinag, for constantly upgrading this institution’s facilities, developing a more relevant curriculum and consistently improving the quality of education. Your remarkable efforts will rake in enormous dividends in the long term.

I share the pride and joy of the family and loved ones of our dear graduates. This day would not have been possible if not for their unconditional love, unwavering support and determination to see you through the fulfillment of your dreams. This day is theirs as much as it is yours. I hope that you will not forget to show them your appreciation and gratitude. Your teachers who have patiently mentored you and equipped you with skills and knowledge that you will need when you leave the academe are equally proud and happy for you. Years from now, you will appreciate the rigorous academic training and the discipline that they subjected you to. I hope you will not forget to thank them before the day ends.

Today, your degree is your sweet reward for the seemingly endless nights burning the midnight oil. As you embark on a new journey, I encourage you to hold on to your ideals despite the many temptations you will encounter along the way. Take the road less travelled and make a difference in the lives of as many people as possible.

I trust that your parents and mentors have already impressed on you the values of honor, truth, justice, honesty and courage. When you step out of the safe and protective walls of the academe and see the world for what it really is, I hope that you will continue to uphold these values.

I took note of the theme you have chosen for this occasion, “Competitive Graduates: Ready for ASEAN Economic Integration.”

You could not have chosen a better theme.

Today, we live in a world that is marked by information revolution and unprecedented advances in technology. Technology makes everything move faster. Information can be shared in seconds. The movement of goods and people has become much easier now.

With the integration of the ten economies of the ASEAN, there will be a free flow of capital, labor, goods, services and foreign investments within the Southeast Asian. While the integration offers many perks and opportunities, from trade facilitation to labor mobility to infrastructure connectivity, competition has become tougher. Hence, we need to rise to this challenge.

I am very proud of our human resources. For years, Filipino workers are globally acknowledged for their competence, industry and adaptability. Our fluency in the English language is one of our biggest assets. Moreover, our huge and fairly young population is our advantage over countries in the region with ageing population.

However, we must not sit on our laurels because foreign workers, especially from other countries in the Asian region, are constantly updating their knowledge and polishing their English language skills.

We have to make sure that our workers are highly educated, trained and equipped with knowledge and skills to make them more valuable and highly-prized in an increasingly tough labor arena, made even tougher by the AEC. There should be unremitting professional enhancement programs.

This is one area that academic institutions such as the Bicol College can come in. You can do so much in terms of helping the government develop our country’s greatest assets--our human resources.

My dear graduates, your diploma is a key that will open doors for you. But continue to learn new things. Never get tired of enhancing your knowledge and skills. As I have mentioned earlier, the world out there is tough and extremely competitive.

Let me share the words of Alvin Toffler, an American writer, futurist and like Bill Gates, an influential voice among business leaders.

Mr. Toffler said and I quote, “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

Education is a process, a life-long journey. Keep on learning and acquiring new knowledge and skills to remain competitive.

As you embark on a new journey, I encourage you to pursue excellence in a principled manner. Use your God-given talents and gifts for the betterment of humanity. Hold on to your ideals. Make a difference in the lives of as many people as possible.

Do not be intimidated by the challenges you will encounter. Your present circumstances may not be pleasant and rosy but do not be disheartened. In the race called life, it does not matter how you start but how you finish.

Whatever choice you make, do not just settle in the corner or at the sidelines. Leave an indelible mark.

Congratulations, Class of 2016. My prayers and best wishes on your success.

Mabuhay ang Bicol College!

Mabuhay tayong lahat!