(This message was delivered by Engr. Ariodear Rico, PRC Commissioner for Agricultural Engineering, who was the 2010 SBC Commencement speaker.)

          President Alvin Lyn P. Bergante, Mr. Jesus Peremne Vice Chairman of the SBC Board of Trustees, members of the faculty and staff, Hon. Mayor Joselito F. Piñol and also the National President of SBC Alumni Association, Prof. Lerma T. Ursua, SBC Finance Officer, Distinguished Guests, Parents ,Graduating Class both in the high school and college, ladies and gentlemen, GOOD MORNING.

          It is my distinct honor and privilege, and very much happy to be here, now standing in front of you as Guest Speaker in this solemn and momentous graduation ceremony.

          I consider this a very significant occasion, as this is the first time in my life as commencement speaker of a graduation ceremony, and this happened in my alma mater where I graduated my high school and owe so much for my success. And it was time  at the peak of my career, when I just took my oath of office last Friday on my appointment issued by the President of the Philippines, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the new Chairman of the Board of Agricultural Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission, the only and first Chairman of that Board ever appointed that comes from Mindanao and specially from Mlang, North Cotabato, ANG INYO NGA TUOD- TUOD GID NGA KASIMANWA.

          Allow me to congratulate the awardees, Ms. May Joy L. Roja, Cum Laude, BSBA Management Accounting, Ms. Clear S. Cahilig, Cum Laude, BSBA, Management, Mr. John Mark R. Platon, Highest Fidelity Awardee, and Mr. Reinzon James Juanitez, high school valedictorian with many special awards and the salutatorian, Ms. Deme Faye Talite.

          For those honor high school students here, constrained with financial resources to proceed college degree, if you wish, you can apply and compete for scholarship slot under the AO Foundation through me, for BS Agricultural Engineering degree either in USM or Mindanao State University in General Santos City or Maguindanao.

          When I visited SBC last January to personally congratulate Professor Alvin Lynn Bergante on his installation as the new President of SBC, he requested me, without an option to decline, to address the 2010 batch of graduating class. And I was moved and touched over what he said to me that the SBC administration is giving preference to alumni over those popular and respected persons running for political office as commencement speaker. Not only that, it was followed up by his emails to me last February 2, 2010 to ensure my confirmation.

          Alvin as I call him before is my neighbor at SBC, since I stay in my grand father’s house, former SBC President Felipe Abad Saludez and he is our lower batch in high school. My classmate is her sister, Bella Jane Bergante- Solis, our first honorable mention, now the municipal Social Work Development Officer of Mlang, and also her husband, Pastor Ivan Roy Solis which I just learned is running for municipal councilor. I just would like to recognize them if they are here today.

          From thereon, I started to compose my speech how I can truly relate and be relevant to this year’s graduation theme, “ SBC: STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION AMID GLOBAL CRISES”, as well as to inspire and invigorate hope to the graduates, which I am at your place way back in 1977, about 33 years ago.            

          I would like to mention and recognize my former teachers who are here in this ceremony, led by Professor Alma F. Rivas, now the high school principal and who was our English teacher before, Professor Consolita Bustillo, our teacher in Chemistry, others ….Ma’am/Sirs.

          For if not because of them, I am not here today and have not reached my success.

          I can truly say, that my success to some degree and what I experienced today, in some way is a fulfillment of the SBC mission---that is Christian Education based on principles of truth, faith and service. This can easily be remembered through the acronym of SBC, that is, S for SERVICE through community extension; B for BIBLICAL truth and principles through Bible- based instruction; and C for COMPETENCE in curricular and co- curricular program, Information and Communication Technology, and Research.

          In appropriate time, I am sure, this mission will also be realized in you.

          But how can this mission of SBC relate and be steadfast amidst the Global Crises, in actual and real sense?

          Global Crises have struck the economy and specially on food, water and energy. This is felt in our country today as we are experiencing the EL Niño Phenomenon wherein greatly affects Mindanao, much seriously in Luzon. Occurrence of brown outs are there due to lack of water supply for power generating plants. Water is also lacking for irrigation that is why there is decrease of harvest in some farms.

          And this situation has something to do with the employment problems as it affects businesses coupled with the increasing number of graduates to compete the available jobs. This is a reality which you, and also the high school graduates in the choice of college degree or vocational course shall take.

          I would like to give you some statistics from the Professional Regulation Commission on the present number of professionals particularly on those that relates to curricular offering of SBC. There are now close to 3 million professionals and 43.5% of which or 1 million are professional teachers both in the elementary or secondary. Teachers is the biggest number of professionals, 4^th of which is Midwives, 160,171 and 6^th is accountants at 131,174.

          I am looking forward that the SBC graduates here on teacher education and midwifery, shall within this year or next year will have another round of ceremonies, and that is the Oath Taking Ceremonies as new professionals, not to be administered by me but my colleagues in the Boards of Professionals Teachers, and Midwifery.

          Amidst of this global crisis, how do SBC graduates fare well in the job market over with other equally or superior quality graduates in standard schools in North Cotabato, Mindanao, in the country and perhaps in the whole world?               

          I learned that there are many successful persons after earning their high school and college degree at SBC which I need not to mention, but rather the SBC faculty and college graduates of SBC are here can appropriately tell more.

          But nevertheless, I would like to relate and share my experiences in life as a high school graduate, as second honorable mention, and how my education in SBC help me a lot achieved my success in life.

          Unlike my other classmates in high school enrolled for college in Manila, Davao, Visayas, other parts of the country, or stay in SBC, I enrolled in a nearby school in North Cotabato, the University of Southern Mindanao to a degree of BS in Agriculture Engineering in 1977. USM is a popular school at that time and Agricultural courses are in demand and being encouraged by the government.

          Incidentally, I was in a batch of good and bright students of 10 sections in a first year, wherein many of my classmates graduated valedictorian or salutatorian in many schools in Mindanao, including that of Notre Dame of Mlang.

          And who could say, that an SBC high school graduate, like me, can be at par with them when I graduated my BS Agricultural Engineering degree, passed the licensure examination and land a job immediately.

          Added to it are my success in professional life, being elected as National President of the Philippines Society of Agricultural Engineers in 1991, President of the Young Engineers of the Philippines in 1997, Chairman of the Young Engineers of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organization in 1998, appointed by the President of the Philippines as Member of the Board of Agricultural Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission in 1999 and now as Chairman.

          Not only that, I have the opportunity to work for national concerns, among others with the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and as consultant of the Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Senate under the Office of Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and presently also helping the Office of Congressman Jun Piñol on agricultural concerns.

          For me, I can not comprehend and imagine, that with what I have experienced and reached, there is something in our high school education in our time. I can attest this, as what also happened to my classmate, our salutatorian, Engr. Bong Fonte who is now the National President of the Philippine Society of Sanitary Engineers whom I met last month at PRC.

          For me, competence in curricular offering is not the only factor success, as there are other school having higher standards as compared with SBC.

          More than everything else, it is because that there is GOD’S factor in all my undertakings.

          Psalm 23 says, “ THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT. HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES; HE LEADS ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS; HE RESTORES MY SOUL; HE LEADS ME IN THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE. YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES; YOU ANNOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP RUNS OVER; SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE; AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER. 

          And Zechariah 4:6 say’s “ NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAYS THE LORD.

          I am thankful that these Biblical truth and principles I started to learn and know at SBC. It is because that the study of the Bible is among our subjects in high school from first year to 4^th year.

          To all the graduates, the Biblical truth and principles you also learned and experienced at SBC, regardless of religious upbringing you have can serve as secret weapon for your success ahead.

          I hope I have inspired you in sharing my experiences in life. In summary, success is a factor of competence, good personality, dedication plus God’s help and blessings. Who knows, in  the future, there may be somebody from this batch who will rise, not only politicians like our Municipal Mayor, but as Secretary of Education, become a Member of Chairman of the Boards of Accountancy, Teacher Education and Midwifery of the Professional Regulation Commission. I am looking forward, that with the support of our alumni, through our National President, Hon. Mayor Joselito Piñol, SBC shall become a university to be called Southern Baptist University, a Center of Excellence on its curricular offerings and that will come when Mlang will become progressive City in Mindanao.

          To all the parents here, I congratulate you that you have now sons and daughters who are high school or college graduates. In due time, your investment to them shall pay off, not perhaps immediately in terms of economic returns but they can use their education at SBC to face the realities of life.

          Maraming salamat at MABUHAY ANG MGA GRADUATES AND SBC. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.