Gordon to UPLB grads: Aim for the skies

When you’re feeling down and out, you should listen to Dick Gordon speak. His speeches always touch on aiming high, about there being nothing impossible under the sun, about being positive. You come out feeling good, and probably, raring to do something good.

Last Saturday, Dick told the 2,454 members of the 2017 Graduating Class of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos, that it might have seemed impossible for the Philippine Red Cross to acquire a gigantic ship that would navigate the seas to reach disaster sites in any part of the country.  But the impossible happened.

On May 9, less than two months ago, MV/Amazing Grace, PRC’s humanitarian ship, was launched and commissioned at the Philippine Navy headquarters along Roxas Boulevard.

Through Dick’s compelling skills, PRC was able to buy the vehicle for $1.5 million from the original price of $6 million from the US Navy in Alaska.  The purchase was realized with funding from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the British, German and Japanese Red Cross. The ship, with a 35-ton overall freight capacity, can carry  seven crew members, 127 passengers or victims, relief goods and  20 vehicles.

President Duterte, the launching guest of honor and speaker, underscored the culture of PRC’s “volunteerism and selflessness.”

MV/Amazing Grace is the latest feather in the cap for the PRC, through the leadership of Dick. The organization is held up worldwide for its humanitarian services, from bloodletting and as a blood source, the treatment and rehabilitation of victims of calamities, ambulance service, housing (so far a total of 144,262 houses have been built for people rendered homeless by typhoon Haiyan) , construction of school buildings, wash facilities and comfort rooms, and livelihood activities.

Aside from the volumes of Philippine Red Cross concerns, Dick chairs important Senate committees; tasks that he takes on vigorously, warning subjects of interrogation, “Beware the wrath of Senator Gordon.”

At the UPLB graduation program, he challenged the graduates, known as “Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa Bayan,” to be persons embodying the words “Kusang-loob. Malasakit. Kapwatao.” During these trying times, he said, “Many may see this as hard and impossible. However, you should see this as the greatest challenge you will face. Aim for the skies! If you aim for the skies, you will at least hit the treetop. Although it may seem hard and impossible at first, getting there will be the greatest pleasure you will have. Think of the word ‘impossible’ as ‘I’m possible.’”

Dick, a UP Law 1975 graduate, urged the UPLB graduates “to make a difference. You are all very lucky to have finished college. So, help our country achieve a better future.”

He spoke about Big Dreams, where they can make contributions.: Enabling Marawi city to rise back once the armed conflict ends and at the same time spur its development and the rest of Mindanao, and realizing the transformation of Lake Lanao and Laguna Lake.

He told his captive audience to “never settle for mediocrity.” When one gets into the UP, one boxes someone out because of the stiff competition among applicants for admission. “Remember that every time you fail, every time you settle for mediocrity, you have committed a sin against that person.”

As is well known, education at the University of the Philippines is subsidized. The 2017 GAA provided the university with P13.51 billion while other state universities and colleges (SUCs) received P58.71 billion. This is in line with the State’s mandate to ensure that optimized utilization of government resources in education is present and to effectively counter the high percentage rates of unemployment at 5.5 percent or 2.4 million persons and underemployment at 18.3 percent as of December, 2016.

“That is why, as legislators, we have pushed our limits for our countrymen to have a brighter future. I firmly believe that you will all soar high as graduates of a university which embodies honor and excellence. I believe a great strategy would be to harness our greatest asset: our people, their great potential, their creativity, and their industry, so they can find their future not only in foreign shores but in their own Philippines, and so, contribute to the betterment of our country. As leaders, you must have the will to rule and prosper.”

  There was only one thing lacking at the commencement exercise. An honorary doctorate degree from Sen. Richard Gordon.

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The Office of the Ombudsman and Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) have joined hands in advocating for a Corrupt-Free Philippines through the Ombudsman’s Integrity Caravan.

Since 2013, the Ombudsman’s Integrity Caravan has held different initiatives to create awareness and advocacy on anti-corruption and good governance. The target is to promote “integrity, efficiency, and high ethical standards.” One of these was sponsoring an essay-writing contest.

This year, the initiative is notches higher, ie., inviting college students enrolled in any public or private university or college to join a Corrupt-Free Philippines Video contest. Without a doubt, a video presentation has a more powerful impact than an essay.

Representing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera told Bulong Pulungan that the videos created will “show the crystallization of young people’s ideas on fighting corruption.”

He said corruption is not the monopoly of Filipinos, but exists as well in other countries. Educating the public on the evils of corruption can help reduce, though not eradicate corruption in one fell swoop. The students’ videos, when disseminated to the public, will be part of the process of educating the public about a corruption-free society.

On the other hand, representing Jollibee Corp., Pauline Lao said Jollibee shares with the Ombudsman the belief that integrity is crucial for progress and in nation-building. The company is convinced that awareness of corruption should start with the youth. No, Pauline said, the video will not mention Jollibee at all.

Director of the Project Management Bureau Dennis Russell Baldago presented the contest mechanics. A 3-to-5 minute video will be produced by three members – a scriptwriter, director, and production assistant. Material must be a short film documentary, an audio visual campaign, or an infomercial type. The material should be taken using mobile phones. The entries, including its musical scoring, must be original and unpublished. Entries will be accepted nationwide. A screening committee will evaluate the entries according to the following criteria: relevance to the theme, 35 percent; storyline, 35 percent, and creativity/execution, 30 percent.

All entries must be submitted together with the following documents: one duly accomplished entry form downloadable at http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph, and one copy of each group member’s birth certificate.

Deadline for submission of entries is September 30, 2017.

Prizes will be P100,000.00 and plaque for first place; P50,000 and plaque, second place, and P25,000 and plaque for third place. Announcement of top three winners will be on January 15-17.

At least ten (40) entries will be accepted nationwide; ten (10) from each island group (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) and ten (10) for the National Capital Region (NCR). The committee will select five (5) best video per island group and NCR to qualify as semi-finalist.

Submit all entries with complete documents at [email protected] using the following email subject format: (title of the entry) (island group where the entry is originating from: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao or NCR). For example: “Corrupt-Free Country” Luzon.

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Email: [email protected]