On behalf of my fellow awardees, I would like to thank Biz News Asia for the recognition you have conferred on us tonight. And to my friend, Mr. Tony Lopez, I wish you a happy, happy birthday.

            Early in my life I had to struggle to succeed. I was not born rich, as many of you may know.

            I can assure you that all the ads we released about my background – if you remember seeing them - were all true. I collected pig slop and took care of my uncle’s pigs, had to deal with our house burning down, and worst, lost my mother to disease because we did not have money to send her to the hospital.

            I found out about hardship at an early age.

            Why do I tell you this? It is because I value my experiences that have brought me to where I am now – to the seat of the vice presidency and to this stage. I do not feel sorry for myself for having lived through all those pain and disappointment. Instead, I am thankful for they made me strong.

            It is as former U.S. Representative John R. Miller said:

            “If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.”

            And, modesty aside, I have been able to translate my experiences to several successes when I was Mayor of Makati.

            On my first day as acting mayor of Makati, after I was appointed by President Corazon Aquino in 1986, my office was faced with big problems. The previous administration left an outstanding debt of P200 million to the national government. The city coffers were empty and the then municipality of Makati was fresh from People Power 1.

            I recruited staff who shared my principle so that the government I would lead would be one that was responsive to the needs of the people. After all, the people deserve good service. To achieve this, we needed to change the way government worked. We imposed fiscal discipline, streamlined revenue collection, refocused the priorities of government, and cancelled contracts that were clearly disadvantageous to the government.

            After just one year, Makati already had a surplus. We then proceeded to use the revenues to provide better services to the people. After 24 years, more students are staying in school, fewer residents worry about getting sick and an increasing number is now finding it easier to land jobs in the thousands of companies and business establishments.

            We did it.

            Makati is now the financial center of the Philippines. Makati leads in public services. Makati has the best healthcare services with its health card plus. Our public education is also a proud achievement.

            Makati’s public schools are, in some cases, even better than private schools. The city is able to provide free textbooks, bags and uniforms to our students. Makati’s teachers enjoy financial assistance, cash gifts, clothing allowances and year-end bonuses. The city even has its own University – the University of Makati - which is probably ahead of other universities in this area. It has long adopted a dualized education system that ensures a higher employability rate for graduates. It even created an Institute of Call Centers in response to the demand during the boom of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.

            Who would have thought that what Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi once dismissed as swampland would rise to become the premiere city that it is today?

            I often find it amusing, if not awesome, that I somehow share the similarity of rising from obscurity to prominence with the city I have had the privilege of leading for 24 years. Now, I am the Vice President of the Republic - another success achieved despite adversity.

            But such feats are not alien to many of you here, who have also surpassed obstacles. I believe it is this commitment to continuous improvement that helps us wake up and greet each morning with optimism and zeal.

            The present challenge is to enhance whatever we have now. I do not believe in complacency or resting on my laurels. If I did, then I would not be the Vice President.

            And I am inspired by the words of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”

            I have been refined by the hardships I have faced, and from them sprang within me a strong desire to genuinely serve the people. I wouldn’t want anyone else to suffer the way I did. And so now that I have the opportunity to help more Filipinos, I am making sure it is not wasted.

            I am committed more than ever to providing homes for all Filipinos as Chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. I wish to provide our people, particularly those who have less in life, the opportunity to live in dignity.

            As Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns, I hope to ensure the safety and welfare of all global Filipinos.

            I know I can do so, because I have been able to overcome greater challenges in the past.

            All of us here are wielders of great influence and power. I hope that our characters will reflect our desire to not only better ourselves or our organizations. I hope that the people will see that we really are deserving of these awards when they witness the actions we take from here on.

            Let us inspire others to be courageous in the midst of seemingly insurmountable odds and assure them that they too can succeed, if only they will persevere. A common story is often told that when coals undergo crystallization – that is, tremendous heat and pressure are applied to them – they turn into diamonds.

            I was able to help turn Makati into what it is today and succeeded in winning the Vice Presidency, despite many challenges, through hard work and strong political will. We are all successful because we faced adversity and we refused to give up.

            Let me leave you with the words of William Arthur Ward who said, “Adversity causes some to break, and others to break records.”

            My friends, we have achieved so much. Now is not the time to stop doing what we have been doing. Now is the time to choose to do more.

            Thank you.​