I believe I share a deep affinity with Procter and Gamble Philippines, not just because I had been the mayor of Makati—where P&G Philippines' main office is and has been located—for more than two decades but because I have the privilege of working with two outstanding individuals who had been members of the P&G family.

            I am proud to share that my chief of staff, Usec. Benjamin E. Martinez Jr. once worked in the Purchases and Planning Group of P&G from 1989 to 1992 before he became the mayor of Balayan, Batangas. And quite recently, another member of P&G, Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, former head of your Corporate Legal, was appointed President of the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG. As you are probably aware, both are now working with me at the Office of the Vice President and under the coordinative umbrella of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, or the HUDCC.

            I believe this gives credence to P&G’s commitment to “Touching and Improving More Filipino Lives, More Completely.” Your selflessness not only in your ongoing corporate social responsibility programs, but also in sharing with the country the expertise of some of your top employees will hopefully translate into the improvement of the service we are able to render to the Filipino people.

            It is precisely this commitment to serving your customers, as part of keeping true to your business interests, that has resulted in 75 years of what has been generally accepted as your excellent service.

            It is likewise an honor to be speaking before a company that does not measure its success simply by looking at sales figures and market dominance. Perhaps the proper word should be market leadership—for leadership does not speak only of sales but also of some of the intangibles that result in manufacturing and selling products of quality. In such intangibles may be included the quality of life, the comfort of customers, the value as well as the benefit of your products. No wonder then that you have in fact managed to stay on top, having top products across 10 categories.

            Still beyond such success and prosperity, I laud P&G for initiating countless activities that are greatly beneficial to the Filipino children. Through your “Live, Learn and Thrive” global program, you have not only found a way to give back to your consumers, you have found a way to give hope to the people. Indeed, you have touched and improved countless of lives not just through your products, but through your actions as an organization.

            Your decision to uphold not just your business interests, which is expected, but engage in your corporate environment, which goes beyond expectations, is a true hallmark of your vision. And through such engagement, people can understand what P&G stands for.

            And, as a consequence, you have become number one, perhaps because the people see your sincerity and your goodwill. I believe this trust and confidence in your company is reflected by the event we are celebrating tonight. After 75 years, P&G continues to be a leader and continues to gain strength—as a corporation and as corporate citizen. Both concepts are simply two parts of being a corporate entity. Nowadays they must complement each other, instead of working against each other. The two must become part of one essence. This, I think, is something you as a corporation know more than I do.

            I hope that P&G will capitalize on its achievements and partner with us in the government to reach even more, to help even more. After all, some of your best have opted to serve in the government. I am sure this desire to be of service has been nurtured in them by the company.

            More and more I can see P&G as always looking beyond sales figures. More and more I can see you more engaged and in touch with the realities of your corporate environment. You have done much by way of helping provide the most basic necessities to your CSR beneficiaries. I am glad that you have likewise seen the importance of helping educate* our less fortunate brethren and providing them the opportunity of making more of themselves.

            “Touching and improving more Filipino lives, more completely” is a good way of putting it. You have done so and more. And I hope you will not stop. I hope that you will continue to believe that every Filipino, every child—whose minds, according to Walt Disney, are our greatest natural resource—has the right to Live, Learn and Thrive.

            As I understand, P&G has worked extensively with Gawad Kalinga to build homes for poverty stricken youths. This empowering of our children will resonate long into the future as they grow to become upstanding men and women. Perhaps I might interest you to likewise participate in the government's housing program, hard put as it is in truly making each Filipino live in dignity.

            I likewise find your focus on education exemplary. I too have always championed the need to provide quality education to our less privileged youth.

            I am certain that you have won numerous awards and citations for the work you do. After all, as American entrepreneur and author Jim Rohn said "Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness—great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy." But I am likewise positive that the smiles you see on the faces of Filipino children are reward enough for your hard work.

            How many of you here have volunteered their time just to ensure that a child is given the chance to live a healthy and balanced life? Is it not that watching them grow and develop, as they make of themselves complete individuals, gratifying? To have a hand in creating their bright futures is an honor no one can take from you. Call it a fringe benefit of the work you do. It is a wonderful benefit.

            By the year 2012, Procter and Gamble aims to help and uplift the lives of 300 million children ages 13 below, 75 million of whom are from Asia. I look forward to your initiatives and hope that much of your programs will be conducted in partnership with us in public service. Lend us your strength that we may be able to achieve more.

            In the midst of conflict, recessions, and many other things happening in the world, here you are making a difference. I hope other companies such as yourself are of a similar vision.

            But let us look at these achievements as the road markers that they are, not the destination. For truly, here in my country as in the rest of the world, we just have plenty more to go.

            By all means touch more lives. Today is your 75th, let us go for a hundred more years. You and I, government and enlightened corporate citizens together, have a lot of touching lives to do.

            Mabuhay kayo!​