I wish I were one of you today, instead of a             77-year-old man, giving a speech you will probably            forget when you wake up from your hangover tomorrow.           You may be surprised I feel this way. Many of you are            feeling fearful and apprehensive about your future.            You are thinking that, perhaps, your Ateneo diploma            will not mean a whole lot in the future in a country            with too many problems. And you are probably right.             You are thinking that our country is slipping-no,                     sliding. Again, you may be right.              Twenty years ago, we were at par with countries            like Thailand,Malaysia, and Singapore. Today, we are                    left way behind. You know the facts.               Twenty years ago, the per capita income of the              Filipino was 1,000 US dollars. Today, it's 1,100           dollars. That's a growth of only ten percent in twenty            years. ...
 
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And I strongly agree.