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Saturday, June 30, 2012

My Unprepared speech at Maunlad/Active Bank reunion today

Ad Majorem.....

I was asked to deliver a speech at the Maunlad Savings/Active Bank reunion today, June 30, 2012.I should have delivered it this way

"Good afternoon everyone.

I want to thank the head of the steering committee Mr. Ramiro Modesto for inviting me here.. I met him at the wake of my late brother Sixto last May at the Holy Gardens chapel. I notice that there is lot of leadership and enthusiasm going on with the employees whom we recruited and trained some 24 years back ( I started in l977 in the Maunlad founding and left in l988, 11 years later;  that would be 24 years ago.  So excuse me if I do not remember your names anymore).  Congratulations to the steering committee for heading this successful event.

Let us give a big hand to them.

I attended this reunion vs another important reunion - the 40th year of college Ateneo l972.  This is also held today.  I am very much touched by the fact that former employees of an institution, which I thought has forgotten the efforts to organize it and make it strong, decided to get together and renew the days we were together.

I envied Harold Geneen's a revered manager and boss had a Harold Geneen's alumni association just very much like this.  I did not know that I too, we have built such a strong culture and organization that still persists today.  As the late Steve Jobs said, "Make a dent in the universe"  In a way, that is how we made a dent in the universe.

I noticed that the banner in front says, "Maunlad na, dahil active"  at the top of the credits, but at the bottom, it says Maunlad Active.  I think what is correct is  " Active, dahil may Maunlad."   There would be no great institution like Active Bank had we not started Maunlad.

Our desire to make a strong learning organization at Maunlad back then made sure the new Active Bank management had the leadership and the human resources it needed to keep going for the next decades.  With sound banking practices and top management direction, the Active Bank name would have persisted as evidenced by the enthusiastic gathering we have today.

Let us give ourselves a big hand for that.

And may I say that while we work, we have to SUCCESSFUL (Maunlad) and  PERSEVERING (active and hardworking)

On being successful:

l.  We started new ideas, progressive ideas while operating from a street corner which was a former bakery:

        l.  Monday to Sunday banking service (BDO has adopted this)

        2.  Banking hours up to 7 pm

        3.  One of the pioneers in housing loan.  At the start of NHMFC housing program, Maunlad Savings rose to prominence for having generated l00 million housings loans at once.

        4.  The first in NOW account operation.  Metrobank, the servicing bank referred other SLA and rural banks to us for pioneering (Maunlad ) work on NOW (Negotiable Order of Withdrawal)

         5.  We encouraged our people to be a success;  we bought expensive programs on self mastery

         6.  We made a dent in the progress of Angono;  its successful lending programs to entrepreneurs transformed Angono from an agricultural to residential commercial hub;  even surpassing much bigger municipalities (Taytay and Binangonan).  It was our way of making a dent in the universe.

We helped communities;  we helped build communities;  we helped communities become successful (Maunlad) in the true spirit of the word.  And I pray that the idea lives on and continues....

On being active:

The secret of being successful is hardwork, hardwork. hardwork.

And lastly, the  Maunlad/Active succession deserves a mention of an old but green joke.  Anyway, we came from a green themed bank, and we are all mature.

Three captured generals were to given by General Yamashita who gave a challenge to the generals that if the total measurement of their genitals reached l0 inches, they would be set free.  And so they were measured.  One came up with 5 inches, the next 4 inches, and then Gen. Romulo whose organ measured l inch.  The two 4 and 5 boasted that it was due to their organ length that they were freed.  But General Romulo commented:   "We were lucky;  (for the l inch) because it became erect."

Thus we have active because there was Maunlad.  The small Maunlad stood up;  "tumindig";  it stood erect. Maunlad savings stood tall and I am proud of that as you are now.  Hence this assembly...

Please think deeply on that.

Good afternoon.


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