How to be a success

(Commencement address delivered during the 85th Graduation Ceremonies, Institute of Accounts, Business, and Finance, Far Eastern University)

(Conclusion)

Being able to look at things differently is the strength of the optimist.  Many people become frustrated because they are unable to solve their problems. Yet often the problem lies not in the lack of a solution, but the lack of understanding of the problem. Some people, in their haste to fix things, oftentimes miss the point and sometimes end up making their problem worse.

Let me give you an example. In the Philippines, we are always looking for ways to increase revenues, and one way is through our income taxes. Now our tax collections have gone up in recent years, but we are still not where we want to be compared to some of our neighbors and trade partners. If the problem was defined simply as having a low tax effort, a blunt solution would be to raise tax rates. However that definition would be inaccurate – the proper definition of the problem lies in our tax compliance. We still have many individual taxpayers, including prosperous professionals and businesses, that pay very low taxes – I can think of cases of doctors and lawyers paying only a few hundred pesos in tax a year, when public school teachers pay many more times that. And so by approaching the right definition of the problem, we realize that a brute force solution wouldn’t work – it would just unduly harm many of our people. The right approach would need to be specific, targeted and with the clear goal of enforcing tax compliance from tax evaders.

Remember, Vice is a comedian. His sense of comedy stems from his ability to see things from different angles and perspectives, and thus making observations that other people fail to catch. Employers value a sense of humor because not only does it make you a more pleasant person, it means that you can see things differently and find what is laughable, and what is profound. Never lose your laughter.

The last important lesson comes from both of their stories.You will meet plenty of people that are diligent workers. There are also plenty of people that are pleasant and fun to be around. But these qualities will not take you far in life if you have no dreams to direct you. You have to set your sights high, and dream for yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do, or what your dreams should be.

I want you to look within yourselves now and find something that you want to reach for. Your dreams can be simple or elaborate, but they should drive you to improve yourself to attain them. If your dreams contain no difficulty, you will stay complacent.

Recently, we were upgraded to Investment Grade by a major ratings agency – something that we have always dreamed of achieving. Yet, this is no reason for our dream to end here. There is still so much we can do and become, as a people and a nation. If a country like Singapore can be AAA-rated, why not us? Our people are creative and talented, our population is diverse, and our country is blessed with natural resources and natural beauty. Serving in government, we have big dreams for the Philippines, and we do not let anyone else’s expectations define them for us.

Working hard and having fun are nothing if you do not dare to give your life meaning. It can sometimes be terrifying to face your dreams and how daunting and difficult they may be. But this should not stop you. The writer Neal Donald Walsch had a way to describe peoplewho are too filled with anxiety to do anything: “Too scared to die, too scared to live... what a way to exist.”

Go out of your way to make a difference. Don’t be one of those people who go to sleep wishing you were a different person - BE that different person. I’m sure many of you have thought of things you would change to make our country better. I tell you today, as a member of the civil service: why not? Hold on to those thoughts. Keep them in your mind and let them motivate you, especially if they fill you with the strong emotions of happiness, sadness, or rage. Our country was built on the anger of a people struggling to be free, because they wanted better lives for the people they loved and for the children they would have.

Hold revolutions in your hearts and make big changes. Make sure that people remember where you walk, where you work. To quote a popular hash tag on twitter: You Only Live Once.

I must warn you though, that as you try to fulfill your dreams, you will encounter those who wish to hinder them – and the bigger a difference you want to make, the more you will be attacked. If you are truly working to change the world, you must be prepared to come under fire not just from structured opposition, but by the vicious undercurrents of cynicism and lies that will be spread by those who will want to see you fail.

I say this not to discourage you, but to show you how to fight it. Your armor against these attacks must be your integrity – the resolute strength of your soul against the world. Rather than lash out at your tormentors, it is a greater virtue to show the world your resolve through your actions. An unwavering commitment to tangible progress will silence any of your foes. My mentor Washington Sycip told me, and I never forgot:

 â€œThe factor most critical to successful innovation is not the presence or absence of material resources, but the presence or absence of leaders with integrity who are free to dream, to imagine, to think, to act.

If there is one and only one message I would like you to remember for the rest of your life, it is this: be a person of integrity.”

And this is the amazing realization. If you commit to these three pieces of advice from the stories I have told you, you will achieve four important things, no matter who you are or what you do – you will be excellent workers, you will be satisfied, you will be true to yourself, and your actions will show the Love of Fatherland and God that impassioned Nicanor Reyes to found FEU. As Secretary of Finance and one of the country’s economic managers, looking at each and every one of you, I could not possibly ask you for more.

I have one more person to tell you about.  He is not an FEU alumnus, but he is a worker who embodies everything I have just talked about. Like many other workers, he shows up to work – sometimes loving his job, sometimes not loving it so much, especially when times are difficult. However, like a true professional, he does not let difficulties get in the way of his dedication to his work. He treats his work and his co-workers with respect, and commits to seeing things through. When he meets people, he establishes credibility and once he earns their trust, he holds it most sacred and does not break it for anything. He has a goal for where he wants to be, and he holds himself and the people who work for him to the highest standards.

His name is President Noynoy Aquino.

If I had to name the most important thing that President Aquino accomplished in his administration, it is that he has gotten everyone around him to believe in a bright future for the Philippines. The most visible manifestations of this are the upgrades to our credit rating – we are now an investment grade country, which signals that the world has faith in the strength of our economy.

But there are other effects of this trust that you do not always see in the news. I am inspired every day by the young people that I see joining government in greater numbers. Brilliant young minds like yourself now do innovative work in many agencies. I have met young staff who work to build peace in Bangsamoro, and aspiring scientists who are working to improve our agriculture through technology. In the Department of Finance, fresh graduates have joined us as analysts to help us root out smugglers and tax evaders.

Whether you work in government or not, you will all be a part of this future. All of you are now builders of a better Philippines.

A Philippines where our businesses, institutions, and professionals are recognized not just for their excellence, but for uprightness and stalwart ethics.

A Philippines where people choose to live in not out of obligation or desperation, but out of true choice, because of its infinite splendor and opportunity.

A Philippines where you will find vindication for the dreams you have today. This is the true embodiment of the Love of Fatherland and God, and the values of Fortitude, Excellence and Uprightness that FEU holds dear.

President Aquino did not grow up thinking he would become President. He was civil servant who wished to serve his country and constituents to the best of his ability. He practiced excellence in his work because it was in his nature, so when fate called upon him to play a greater role in our country’s history, he was ready.

And so this is the lesson I would like all of you to learn from our country’s elected leader. Be excellent, each and every day. Every one of you will one day be called to greatness. And that day may be as early as today.

Thank you very much for allowing me to speak before you today. I wish each and every one of you every success as you begin your journey to your future.