On March 15, I was invited to share my thoughts to a group of Academic Scholars of my University. Again, I was speechless, as you can see in my speech below:
During the 100th year anniversary celebration of the University of the Philippines, my idol, Washington Z. SyCip, the founder of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. where I am currently employed, and a UST alumnus, was a keynote speaker. In front of the huge crowd of UP’ians, he mentioned about the claim of the University as written in a book published during its diamond anniversary, and it read …”a UP Degree holder is generally believed to be more capable than most college graduates, as well as imbued with a sense of purpose…with minds capable of new ideas and perceptions and passionate commitment to the social good”
Afterwards, he posed this very serious question: “If UP has accurately claimed that during the past 62 years, after we left the US umbrella, UP graduates have occupied the presidential chair for 46 years, then I may ask you “why are we in such a mess?”
When I was in Australia, I update myself of what is happening in the country by looking at the Inquirer website. One of the most shocking and humiliating revelations that transpired was the alleged pabaon of previous AFP chief of staffs, and the deep-rooted corrupt practices in the Armed Forces. It is very interesting to note that the high-ranking officials in the AFP, including most of the previous chief of staffs, are alumni of the Philippine Military Academy, the premiere and finest military academy in the country.
Ladies and gentlemen, I told you these because I know some UP alumni and they call themselves, and they are very proud of it, Iskolar ng Bayan. Like the UP students, PMA cadets are also scholars of the people. They are scholars, like you. It is not easy to be a scholar. You must have the intellect and the “diskarte” to remain as scholar. You must be one of the finest, like you are, to survive in such very competitive environment.
Scholars, you are not here for no reason. You are not here just because you are being recognized for obtaining an average grade of 90% or greater. You are not here just because you are not an average student. There is a heavier reason why you are here. Being here entails a lot of responsibilities. As Peter Parker once said, great power comes great responsibility.
What responsibilities, you may ask. I coined it in three simple words – UC – I. I chose the said words and the its acronym because what makes a person, scholars in more particular, and who that person in the future will be, can be attributed to his education and his total self. The scholar’s personality is equally important as the institution that trained him to make him what he is now.
U stands for University. You have the obligation to the University. As scholars, you are given this recognition to inspire other students to perform well too. This recognition is for you. But it does not end there. After this event, you must continue to prove you are worthy of the term that the university has entitled you, and the benefits attached to it. Be a role model to others. Inspire the others. Help the others achieve their potentials. Share your blessings, as they say.
The quest of the scholars does not end after this event, or after the graduation ceremonies once you graduate. The world outside is entirely different than the four corners of a classroom. Conquer it. Show them, let the people know and prove them, that you are a former scholar of this University.
I was a former scholar like you. And now, I am fortunate to be working in SGV, a Company so diverse and very competitive. I worked with people from different Universities, including those big ones in Manila – UP, De La Salle, UST, San Beda, FEU. To tell you the truth, when they had the knowledge that I was from Baguio, the first University in their minds is SLU. I took it as a challenge. I persevered. And my perseverance gained fruit when I was fast-tracked to Senior Associate in 2008 after less than two years. It’s not an extraordinary feat, as for magna-cum laude like me, it is just normal to be promoted to senior in less than two years. But here is the twist. Last year, after 2 years of being a senior associate, I was supposed to be promoted to Manager. But they deferred it due to my age. I’m too young to be an audit manager.
As a consolation to the deference of my promotion, I was offered an opportunity for secondment in Ernst & Young Australia. It’s a very rare opportunity to be seconded. And for a country like Australia, the requirements to be granted that secondment are very stiff. I again took the challenge, passed the interviews and worked there for 2 months. So from working with De La Salle and UP graduates, this time around, I am working with students from different world-recognized schools from Australia and nearby countries. I worked with Singaporeans, Malaysians, Aussies, Indians and other nationalities. And from that point in time, I can proudly conclude, that UC graduates are at par or even better with graduates of other schools in the WORLD, provided you oblige yourselves to satisfy your next two obligations – C and I.
C stands for Character and I for Integrity. These two were missed by the bright scholars from UP and PMA that amassed millions from the people’s money. Many are blaming the institutions, UP and PMA in particular, but the culprit really is the culture in the government sector, where corruption is not an exception, but as a norm. Corruption is present everywhere, even in private Companies. And your most effective shield are your character and your integrity. Such cannot be bought, it is built from a very long process, from elementary to college. I strongly believe that in this institution, you are mold to a person of character and integrity. I was a product of this institution. I was a product of the very able professors and instructors that helped me in shaping what I am now. Such training was further enhanced by my experience in the country’s leading firm.
Bear this with you always. Time will come that our alumni will occupy key government posts. Maybe one of you will be the next president of the country, or the next AFP Chief of Staff. If that time comes, I hope there will be no another Washington SyCip asking the question, “Why are we in such as mess?”, right on your face.
That ends the serious stuff.
I know you are interested to know my journey before I became an instant celebrity in the college of Accountancy. So I will tell you the story.
When I graduated from High School, I am not really sure what to take. So I did not take any entrance exam from any university. One more reason is that I am not even sure if I will continue to college.
And then a letter from my Aunt came offering her home for me to stay while studying here in Baguio. And then she sent me an newspaper clipping from Baguio Midland Courier. Such clipping is the advertisement of the then Baguio Colleges Foundation. I saw there that there is a 100% scholarship for entering freshmen who graduated valedictorian.
And so I took the shot. I looked at the course offerings and decided to take up accountancy. The reason – costs less but pays more. Just when preparing for going up here, my high school teacher asked me: “What is your course again?”
I said, “Accountancy”. She looked like in doubt, and made a quick calculation. With hesitation, she said “Maybe you can pass the board exam.”
That incident firmed up my dream to be a CPA. And so I went up here, and enrolled in the college of accountancy.
During the second trimester when I was first year, a BCF brochure landed on my hand. Such brochure contains the names of the topnothcers in various fields. I looked for a topnotcher under the college of accountancy and I found nothing. From then on I started to ask “tamang school ba tong pinasok ko?”
Because I was still childish then, I manually wrote the name of our college on that brochure. And I included there as first topnotcher for the college of Accountancy another scholar who is two years ahead of us. He was a popular scholar in the college of accountancy, having won several competitions in the national level. Then I put my name on it as the second topnotcher. I was so humble. From dreaming to become an ordinary passer, I dreamt of becoming a topnotcher.
When the person I wrote in the brochure took the CPA board a year later, I really anticipated for the result that a new COA topnotcher has emerged. But when the Manila Bulletin came out, his name was not in the list of Top 20. And the school’s passing rate was below 10%, way below the national average of about 18%, and very much way below UP Diliman’s passing rate of 97%.
I started to doubt myself and the probability of achieving my dream. If the person you look up to failed to deliver what is expected of him, you as well will be frustrated. I erased that dream in my mind.
I followed his footsteps. I joined several competitions, and took home the bacon a lot of times too. The history just repeats itself. When it comes to Region 1 competitions, we are on top. But the college never produced topnotchers so far. The same thing happens every year until I graduate. The dream of having a scholar becomes more illusive.
I ensured that I am at least a college scholar for me to continue my studies. At least, if you are a college scholar, the tuition will be out of my family’s worries. Such scholarship continued until I graduated.
Before our graduation date, Mr. Colorado and our JPIA adviser approached me and informed me that the college has allocated funds to support “bets” in reviewing in any review school in Manila. It was flattering to note that those funds came from the faculty’s own pockets. There were two of us who were bets. Mr. Colorado encouraged us to take the opportunity, and the challenge attached to it. And he even said that if ever I made it in top 20, I will be “immortal!” I took the literal meaning of it, and up to now I still believe that I am already immortal. But what he meant before was that the chance to make history and be remembered forever in the college was already there, I just need to pursue and grab it. With those statements, and with the full support of the faculty, the dream inside my mind came to life again.
The faculty said that they would provide financial support. But they will not be expecting us to deliver the output, they will just pin their hopes. But the fact that they sacrificed something from their personal earnings just to help out their students fueled our determination to pursue it.
The good thing if you are in Manila is that you can sense where you are. The “true” competition is there. For the first pre-board exam, I ended as top 20. There, I felt that the dream is really possible to achieve. Back then, the PRC recognizes up to Top 20. Come second pre-board exam, I ended as Top 5. A very big leap from top 20. And that made me sense some amount of success. My study habit turned to be effective.
Then, on the first day of exam, one of my subjects went unexpected. The questions are hilariously difficult, in a sense that as if the examiner is asking what page of the book you will find the lesson. The questions are senseless and are not essential in understanding the subject – which turns out to be Taxation. My pessimism has eaten me again, and my dream of being in the Top 20 is slowly fading. My goal now has changed to “at least” pass the board exam.
But the next subjects went well. My only worry left is the taxation. After a day, the results came out. One of the professor called me up informing me that I passed and I landed Top 9.
The only lesson I learned here is that I should have not given up my dream. I should have hold on to that dream. If only I did not give up, I may have landed in the top 5. I know God has already given me the slot, but when I started to doubt Him, He almost get it back from me. I hope this lesson will teach everyone of us.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.
