7:00 PM , FRIDAY, 10TH OCTOBER 2014 UP LOS BAÑOS

DISRUPTION AND RELEVANCE

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARIES ARE SPECIAL, BECAUSE THEY TELL US THAT YOU'VE BUILT SOMETHING THAT WILL OUTLIVE ALL OF US. AND THEY REMIND US TO REMAIN RELEVANT TO OUR FUTURE, A FUTURE THAT BELONGS TO THE YOUTH OF THIS COUNTRY.

STAYING RELEVANT FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION IS NOT EASY. WE KNOW THIS AT PLDT – KEEPING IN TOUCH AND SPEAKING THE YOUTH’S VOCABULARY AND LIFESTYLE BECOME MORE DIFFICULT BY THE DAY,  AS WE GROW OLDER AND THE YOUTH KEEPS CHANGING CONSTANTLY.

RECENTLY, PLDT UNVEILED ITS OFFER FOR FREE MOBILE INTERNET FOR SMART, TALK N TEXT, AND SUN SUBSCRIBERS – ALL 77 MILLION OF THEM. THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING OFFERING WE’VE MADE IN A LONG TIME.

IT IS ALSO THE MOST WORRISOME. BECAUSE WE KNOW FREE MOBILE INTERNET WILL DISRUPT, EVEN THREATEN, OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES – VOICE AND TEXTING – WHICH, FOR DECADES, HAVE BEEN OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.

BUT THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO GET AHEAD, AND STAY AHEAD, EXCEPT TO INNOVATE, AND BE A LEADER IN INNOVATION.  OUT OF THE TURBULENCE IN TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY, NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EMERGING, FORCING COMPANIES TO REDEFINE THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO ENDURE.  PLDT IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS PHENOMENON.  

WE KEEP IN MIND WHAT CHARLES DARWIN WROTE – “IT IS NOT THE STRONGEST OF THE SPECIES THAT SURVIVES, OR THE BIGGEST, OR EVEN THE MOST INTELLIGENT.  RATHER, IT IS THE ONE THAT IS MOST ADAPTABLE TO CHANGE WHICH LASTS.”  

IS PLDT READY?  AS READY AS WE CAN BE.  CHANGE DOES NOT WAIT FOR US. IT SIMPLY MOVES ON.  INERTIA IS THE MORTAL ENEMY OF THE INTERNET.  WE’VE LEARNED THIS LESSON FROM OUR INVESTMENT IN ROCKET INTERNET – WHERE THE TIME FRAME FROM PRODUCT CONCEPTION TO LAUNCH IS AS SHORT AS 100 DAYS.  AND AFTER LAUNCH, IF THE PRODUCT FAILS, IT WILL BE TERMINATED COLDLY AND QUICKLY.  

IN THE INTERNET WORLD, FAILURE IS NOT FROWNED UPON.  IF YOU MUST FAIL – FAIL FAST, AND MOVE ON.  ONE OF THE MORE COMMON QUOTES IN SILICON VALLEY GOES LIKE THIS – “EVER TRIED, EVER FAILED, NO MATTER. TRY AGAIN, FAIL AGAIN, BUT FAIL BETTER.”

TEKA, PARANG GILAS PILIPINAS YATA YAN AH.  FROM HERO IN SPAIN, TO ZERO IN KOREA.

THE LEGACY OF UPLB

EARLIER TODAY, I MET WITH UPLB OFFICIALS LED BY CHANCELLOR REX CRUZ. TOGETHER WITH MY BRODS, WE PLEDGED TO SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE U/P LOS BANOS STUDY CENTER. I HOPE  THIS STUDY CENTER CAN ENCOURAGE AND NOURISH OUR YOUNG AND IDEALISTIC FILIPINOS.

THERE CAN BE NO EXAGGERATING THE IMPACT UPLB HAS HAD, NOT ONLY ON PHILIPPINE, BUT ALSO ON GLOBAL, AGRICULTURE. MUCH OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION OF THE 70S TOOK ITS ROOTS RIGHT HERE IN LOS BAÑOS. THAILAND AND VIETNAM SENT THEIR SPECIALISTS TO THIS CAMPUS TO LEARN.  I GRIEVE OVER THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOW THE WORLD’S LEADING EXPORTERS OF RICE – WHILST WE, THEIR TEACHERS, ARE THE TOP IMPORTERS. SADLY, WE'VE SEEN A SIMILAR DECLINE IN OUR SUGAR AND COCONUTS.  

TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, AND POVERTY

OUR PRESENCE HERE ALSO RECOGNIZES WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE REPRESENT – A CHANCE TO BENEFIT FROM THE CONVERGENCE OF TECHNOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE. A FARMER WITH UNLIMITED ACCESS TO MOBILE TECHNOLOGY MAY WELL BE THE SYMBOL OF EVERYTHING THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN DO TO AWAKEN OUR AGRICULTURE FROM ITS STUPOR.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PREPONDERANT NATIONAL ISSUE WE FACE IS THE POVERTY OF OUR PEOPLE.

OUR GROUP OF COMPANIES HAS ALWAYS TAKEN THE VIEW THAT THE

BEST SOLUTION TO IT IS FOR BUSINESS TO CREATE JOBS.

MAJORITY OF OUR LABOR FORCE, DIRECT AND INDIRECT, ARE DEPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE, WHERE POVERTY IS ENDEMIC.  A STAGNANT AGRICULTURE EXACERBATES RURAL POVERTY.  A VIBRANT AGRICULTURE FEEDS OUR PEOPLE, PROVIDES JOBS TO FARMERS, AND CATALYZES DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING INDUSTRIES.

OUR GROUP HAS ALREADY STARTED TO INVEST IN AGRICULTURE – INITIALLY, IN SUGAR AND NOW IN COCONUTS.  WE HAVE FAITH THAT IF PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND MANAGED, PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE CAN AGAIN GROW, AND FLOURISH.

ONE APPROACH FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT – AND THE CONSEQUENT AMELIORATION OF POVERTY – MAY CONSIDER WHAT INDONESIA HAS DONE.  IT IS CALLED “INTI PLASMA.”  THIS INVOLVES COMMERCIAL FARMS ACTING AS CATALYSTS AND NUCLEI OF DEVELOPMENT (OR INTI). CLUSTERED AROUND INTI ARE SMALL HOLDERS (OR PLASMA), WHICH WILL EMERGE AND BENEFIT FROM THE RESOURCES IN TECHNOLOGY, CREDIT, INFRASTRUCTURE, PROCESSING FACILITIES AND MARKETS THAT LARGE COMMERCIAL FARMS CAN PROVIDE.

​​​​​​BASKETBALL AND VALUES

LET ME NOW TURN TO BASKETBALL.  

WE HAVE HAD A HEAVY SCHEDULE IN BASKETBALL, AND I’M GLAD IT’S OVER.  TIME TO COME UP FOR AIR.  WITH A DEEP BREATH, LET ME JUST RATTLE OFF WHAT TRANSPIRED, AND WHAT’S AHEAD.

LAST YEAR, WE CAME OFF AN EMOTIONAL BUT PROUD 2ND PLACE FINISH AT THE FIBA ASIA CUP HERE IN MANILA.  ANYTIME WE BEAT KOREA IN BASKETBALL, IT’S A GREAT MEASURE OF WHERE AND HOW FAR WE’VE COME.

THIS YEAR, WE HOSTED THE 3X3 FIBA ASIA PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP AT SM MEGAMALL – WHERE THE ATHLETICISM AND VERSATILITY OF FILIPINO PLAYERS WERE ON DISPLAY.    THIS WEEKEND, OUR TEAM WILL BE COMPETING AT THE 3X3 WORLD COMPETITION IN TOKYO.  THEN WE HAD THE BIG DANCE – THE FIBA WORLD CUP IN SPAIN.  EVEN IF WE HAD MORE MORAL VICTORIES THAN ACTUAL ONES, OUR SMART GILAS TEAM PRODUCED A PLEASANT SURPRISE TO FIBA, AND THE INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL COMMUNITY.  IT WAS A SUPREME MOMENT OF REDEMPTION FOR PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL.

BUT IF THERE WERE BRIGHT DAYS, THERE WERE ALSO DARK NIGHTS.  I WOULD BE REMISS IF MY REMARKS DID NOT REFERENCE THE ASIAN GAMES IN KOREA LAST MONTH.

IT WAS CLEAR TO US THAT PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS WERE RAISED AFTER OUR STINT IN SPAIN.  EQUALLY CLEAR, OUR PERFORMANCE DISAPPOINTED.   AS EXPECTED, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE IN BOTH LEGACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA.  FROM HERO TO ZERO.  BILOG ANG MUNDO – AT LALONG BILOG ANG BOLA.

I SAY LET’S ACCEPT THE PUBLIC CENSURE WITH HUMILITY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IN SOME RESPECT, THE CRITICISMS WERE EITHER UNFAIR OR UNINFORMED.  WE’VE COME A LONG WAY TO IMPROVING OUR WORLD RANKING – FROM # 65 IN 2007 TO # 31 AFTER SPAIN:   STAY THE COURSE, AND FOCUS ON THE QUALIFYING NEXT YEAR FOR THE 2016 BRAZIL OLYMPICS.

AS WITH THE GILAS DREAMS, WE MUST WORK HARD FOR THE PHILIPPINES – AND UPLD – REGAIN ITS STATURE AS AN AGRICULTURAL NATION.

YOU MAY ASK, WHY DOES OUR GROUP HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ATHLETIC AGENDA?  WHY MY PERSONAL INTEREST IN SPORTS?

FIRST, SPORTS IS AN EXCELLENT BONDING AGENT.  JUST WATCH MANNY PACQUIAO FIGHT OR GILAS PLAY, AND SEE HOW AN ENTIRE NATION CHEERS THEM ON.

SECOND, THE PURSUIT OF ATHLETIC SUCCESS IS ANALOGOUS THE PURSUIT OF BUSINESS EXCELLENCE.  LIKE BUSINESS, SPORTS IS A TEST – WHERE ATHLETES COMMIT THEMSELVES TO WINNING.  

COMPETITIVE SPORT THEREFORE IS, AT ITS CORE, A VALUE ACTIVITY.  CARRIED OUT PROPERLY, SPORTS INVOLVE FAIR PLAY, RESPECT FOR OPPONENTS, GOOD BEHAVIOR IN VICTORY OR DEFEAT, AND APPRECIATION OF THE TRADITION AND PRACTICES CENTRAL TO AN INSTITUTION.

CONCLUSION

IT IS TIME FOR ME TO CLOSE.

WHETHER IN AGRICULTURE OR IN TECHNOLOGY, KNOWLEDGE WITH PURPOSE OPENS THE DOOR TO AN HISTORIC CHANCE FOR CHANGE, FOR IMPROVEMENT. THIS MAGICAL OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED BY INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY WILL OPEN OUR MINDS, STIMULATE OUR PROPENSITY TO TAKE RISKS, AND BECOME TRULY ENTREPRENEURIAL. THIS IS WHAT ALPHA SIGMA STANDS FOR.  

RESULTS WILL NOT COME OVERNIGHT.  THE ROAD WILL BE LONG; THE CLIMB WILL BE STEEP.  DISAPPOINTMENTS MAY LITTER OUR PATH.  BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND ANOTHER FOUR DECADES TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT AGAIN IN FOOD PRODUCTION – AFTER LOSING THIS FOR THE PAST FOUR DECADES.

TULAD DIN NG MAROONS, KONTING TIYAGA AT SIPAG PA.  

HABULIN NATIN ANG VIETNAM AT THAILAND SA RICE PRODUCTION.

HABULIN NATIN ANG ATENEO AT LA SALLE.

HABULIN NATIN ANG N/U SA CHEERDANCE.  WAG NYO LANG KUNIN SI ERIC ESPAÑOL AS TEAM MANAGER – KURIPOT KASI YAN.

AT ITULOY DIN NATIN ANG LABAN NG GILAS.  AFTER 40 YEARS IN PURGATORY, NOT ANOTHER 40 YEARS OF MEDIOCRITY.

FINALLY, U/P HAS SOME QUALITIES DISTINCT ABOUT IT.  CONFIDENCE – THAT COMES FROM A STRONG SENSE OF PURPOSE.  DIVERSITY – WITH KIDS FROM ALL CORNERS OF OUR ARCHIPELAGO, EACH ONE REPRESENTING AN IMPROBABLE JOURNEY, EACH ONE POTENTIALLY CARRYING THE PROMISE OF A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. ATTITUDE – ARISING FROM THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL OF THIS INSTITUTION, AND KNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OF YOU EARNED YOUR PLACE HERE.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS INVITATION, MGA BRODS. THANK YOU FOR NAMING THE UPLB STUDY CENTER AFTER ME. I AM NOT SURE I DESERVE IT, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT IT WILL WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR PEOPLE.

MARAMING SALAMAT. MABUHAY ANG ALAY SA SAMBAYANAN!