Commencement Speech

Speech delivered by Salvador ‘Buddy’ Villasis

𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐈𝐄𝐅
𝟔𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬

It was an honor to get invited by former Cebu City Councilor/National Legislator, ACT IEF Chairman Bebot Abellanosa to share valuable experience, inputs and what lies ahead to the graduating class (1100+ prospective talents).

COMMENCEMENT SPEECH
“To the distinguished members of the Board, chaired by the dynamic former congressman and city councilor Bebot Abellanosa, the leadership and faculty of Asian College of Technology, proud parents and families, and most importantly—the graduates of Academic Year 2025–2026, good afternoon.

It is both an honor and a privilege to stand before you today as you mark one of the most important milestones of your lives.
Graduates, today is not just about receiving your diplomas. It is about crossing a threshold—from structured learning into a world that is dynamic, competitive, and full of possibility.
You leave this institution not only with degrees in Information Technology, Computer Science, and Information Systems, Arts among others, but with something far more valuable: the capacity to solve problems, to think critically, and to build what does not yet exist.

𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲.
Cebu today stands as one of the Philippines’ most strategic hubs for the IT and Business Process Management industry. The sector continues to evolve rapidly—from traditional voice services to high-value, knowledge-based work such as software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, healthcare information management, and global in-house centers.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
It means opportunity.
Opportunities to work with global companies without leaving your home region.
Opportunities to build careers that are not just stable, but scalable.
Opportunities to participate in industries that are shaping the future of how the world works.

But let me be equally clear: technical competence alone will not guarantee success.
Your degrees have equipped you with hard skills—coding, systems design, database management, analytics, and more. These are your entry tickets. But what will differentiate you—what will get you hired, promoted, and trusted—are your soft skills.

𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗜𝗧𝗕𝗣𝗠 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲

First, communication.
You may be the best programmer in the room, but if you cannot explain your ideas clearly—to a client, to a team, to a stakeholder—your value remains limited. The global nature of the ITBPM industry demands clarity, confidence, and the ability to translate complexity into understanding.

Second, adaptability.
Technology changes fast. What you learned in your first year may already be outdated. The most successful professionals are not those who know everything—but those who can learn anything. Be comfortable with uncertainty. Be willing to reskill, upskill, and reinvent yourself continuously.

Third, collaboration.
No major system, platform, or solution is built alone. You will work in cross-functional teams, across cultures and time zones. Your ability to listen, align, and contribute constructively will define your effectiveness.

Fourth, problem-solving mindset.
Employers are not just hiring coders—they are hiring thinkers. When faced with a challenge, do you wait for instructions, or do you take initiative? Do you identify root causes, or just address symptoms? Your mindset will shape your trajectory.
And finally, professionalism and integrity.
In an industry built on trust—handling data, systems, and global operations—your ethics matter. Your reputation will travel faster than your résumé. Guard it well.

Graduates, allow me to offer a perspective you may not often hear.

Your career is not a straight line.
You may start in technical support and end up in product management. You may begin as a developer and evolve into an entrepreneur. You may shift industries, roles, even countries. That is not failure—that is growth.
What matters is not that you follow a fixed path, but that you keep moving forward with intention.

As you step into Cebu’s ITBPM ecosystem, I encourage you to think beyond employment.
Think about contribution.
How can you help elevate the industry?
How can you bring innovation into your workplace?
How can you mentor others, build communities, and create opportunities not just for yourself, but for those who come after you?
Because ultimately, the strength of our industry—and our region—depends not just on companies, but on people like you.

To the parents and families: today is your victory as well. Your sacrifices, your support, your belief—these have brought these graduates to this moment.

To the faculty and leadership of Asian College of Technology: thank you for shaping not just competent graduates, but responsible professionals.

And to the graduates:
Be bold enough to try.
Be disciplined enough to persist.
Be humble enough to keep learning.

The future of Cebu’s digital economy is not something that will simply happen to you—it is something you will help build.
Welcome to the industry. Welcome to the future.

And most importantly—welcome to the responsibility of making a difference.

Now, I will culminate with this statement attributed to John D. Rockefeller, read between the lines and be challenged:
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲! 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁!

Thank you, and Congratulations, Class of 2026!