COMTECH Commencement Exercises 2007

Transforming Society Through Youth Empowerment and Productivity

First, let me congratulate the PROUD parents, relatives and guardians of the graduates. My dear graduates, please stand up as I call your courses and may I request the parents and guests to give them a big round of applause as they stand up...

BS Information Systems Management
Computer Secretarial Management
Computer Operations and Programming
Computer Engineering Technician
Hotel and Restaurant Management

Graduates, you may now be seated. (pause)

Ms. Carmelita Cajucom, CEO/President of COMTECH, Dr. Aquino, Thesis Adviser, Ms.
Haydeliza Magtupa, College Secretary/Director, TCEP, faculty and staff of COMTECH, graduating class of 2007, parents, relatives, guardians and friends of the graduates, a pleasant GOOD MORNING!!!

Our theme for this graduation ceremony is “Transforming Society Through Youth
Empowerment and Productivity”. My dear graduates, I know that your learning experiences here in COMTECH have prepared you, well not only to be employed by Call Centers or Multi-national companies but also to put up your own company. Maybe you will start with getting experience by having a job in a year or two, but putting up a business, I encourage you to do. Have you watched the Balitang K of Corina Sanchez in ABS-CBN last Sunday? One of the segments there featured a person who started a business with just 10 Pesos. I am sure you got more money in your wallet NOW than
that person. Of course you also need hard-work, perseverance and integrity to achieve the level of business that that person has now, 25 franchises of his business.

Now, graduating from this good institution does not mean you are done. You need to give back what you have learned by helping our community, Zamboanga City and our country, Philippines. We need to transform our nation for the better through the education we have received. Let us stop asking the government to give us jobs, do this for us, etcetera, etcetera... As the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country”. I also remember what my friend, who visited Japan, a couple of months ago said: Japanese put the love for their country first before their families. Maybe, that explains why the Japanese is so advanced. So, let me ask you, what will you do to help our society? Let us not stop on what we have learned from COMTECH, continue learning. “Make yourself obsolete everyday!” as the Professor Alejandrino J.
Ferreria said. He is by the way, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University's guest speaker this year's last Commencement Exercises. But how do you make yourself obsolete/outdated everyday? You make yourself obsolete everyday by constantly improving yourself: whether it be in the area of technology or management. Read books and magazines to update yourself on your chosen field. Surf the NET to learn new things aside from visiting friendster.com. We need to keep on learning.

But most of all, do remember to always ask God for guidance. Be good to your fellowmen and help your country.

You have already been empowered by getting a certificate or diploma, a good education, from this institution. You will be productive by getting a job or starting a business. My question is, “What are the ways in which you can transform our society?”

Again, Congratulations and God Bless!