AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee urged graduates of the Sorsogon State University to spurn corruption in all its forms and instead earn an honest living and build what he called “wealth that lasts.”
“Para po sa akin, ang dapat na pakay ng ating buhay ay isang wealth that lasts. Hindi panandalian lamang na parang isang kislap. Hindi makasarili na personal lang ang iniisip at walang pakialam sa kapwa,” he said during his commencement speech.
Lee said that based on his experience, wealth that lasts is a product of the willingness to learn, willingness to love, and the willingness to lead.
“Huwag ninyong pangarapin na magkaroon ng yaman na hindi ninyo magagastos, itatago lang dahil nakuha sa maling paraan,” he added.
The lawmaker said the graduates should not dream of wealth they would not be able to spend in a lifetime or those stolen or earned through illegal means.
“Ang wealth that lasts ay isang angking yaman na masarap, masaya at masagana, pangmatagalan at pangkalahatan.
Lee said that based on his experience, wealth that lasts is a product of the willingness to learn, willingness to love, and the willingness to lead.
The lawmaker shared that he put up more than 50 businesses before he got the “right formula” to succeed.
“Nagbebenta ako noon ng five star na paputok sa aking eskwelahan. Alam nyo ng mga panahon na yun, bawal na bawal at hinuhuli ang mga paputok na katulad ng five star, ang pwede lang noon ay watusi at binggala, bawal noon na magbenta ng paputok at ito ay hinuhuli, lalo na kung sa eskwelahan ka magbebenta,” he recalled.
“Umabot sa punto na sobrang lakas ng kinikita ko, syempre pag sobrang lakas ng iyong kita, sisikat ka at malalaman ng iyong principal, kaya muntik na akong ma-kick out. Hindi nga ako na-kick out pero na-confiscate naman ang mga benta ko ng araw na yun. At hindi lang yun, pinagmulta pa ako ng ₱10,000. Lahat ng kinita ko, nawala na parang bula,” he continued.
The lesson Lee learned from that experience?
“Huwag kang papasok sa illegal o bawal, mawawala din yan,” he said.
The lawmaker said that the lessons he learned from all his other unsuccessful ventures, including a t-shirt printing and a buy-and-sell business, taught him how to persevere and eventually succeed.
“Dito nga po sa atin sa Sorsogon, ako ang unang nagtayo ng Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project sa likod ng Cathedral na noon ay tambakan ng basura. Ang sumunod kong project ay yung building sa tapat mismo ng ating public market, yung merong Southstar Drug. Ito ay nai-turnover ko na rin sa LGU ng Sorsogon at ang LGU na ang kumukolekta ng lahat ng rental,” he said.
“Tayo rin po ang unang nagdala ng Jollibee at Chowking sa ating probinsya, at nitong pinakahuli, dinala na rin natin dito ang Savemore at SM City,” he shared.
“Paano po natin narating ito? Sa bawat pagkabigo ko o pagkalugmok, hindi ako nawawalan ng pag-asa, bagkus ito ay nagiging isang hamon sa akin. Hamon na sa susunod, dapat mas maging matalino na ako,” he stressed.
The lawmaker also told the graduates to “learn as much as you can, as often as you can, from as many experts as you can.”
“Learning never stops. May forever. We never stop learning. Walang tigil ang pagkakataon na matuto, mahasa at gumaling,” he said.
The solon said that ultimately the goal of every graduate should be creating wealth that lasts.
“Yung yaman na resulta ng inyong tapat na pagsisikap, yung maipagmamalaki, at taas-noong maipapamana sa inyong mga anak at susunod na henerasyon,” he added.
“Kapag isinabuhay natin itong wealth that lasts, makakamit natin ang isang mapagbigay, may malasakit at may pusong lipunan.”
