Andres Bonifacio College

BSP Director Jay Edward D. Amatong is ABCollege’s 74th Commencement Exercises Speaker

Andres Bonifacio College celebrated and honored the accomplishment of its Batch 2020 graduates through a virtual graduation ceremony aired on September 19, 2020 on the College’s social media platform with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Corporate Affairs Office Director Mr. Jay Edward D. Amatong as its commencement speaker. The non-traditional approach of the 74^th commencement exercises was a first for the institution following the imposition of a COVID-19-related communitywide quarantine.

In his speech addressing the 223 graduates of the College, Juris Doctor, Graduate Studies and 15 Vocational Technical Institute (TESDA Course) completers, Amatong tackled the commencement exercises’ central theme, “Financial Independence After Graduation: Bonifacio’s Three I’s”– an advocacy aligned with his professional field of expertise being the Director for Corporate Affairs of the prestigious central monetary authority of the country, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and as an Economics major both in his undergraduate and post-graduate studies.

He elaborated on the importance of having a good grasp of basic financial literacy as an essential life skill for fresh graduates and working professionals, young and old alike, as they navigate in today’s, what he called, a “VUCA World”. VUCA stands for Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous World.

According to Amatong, preparedness through equipping oneself with relevant tools gives one the edge or the ‘fighting chance’ and the adaptability essential to thrive in an unpredictable world. He also reminded the graduates that their Alma Mater had prepared them adequately for the challenges of the world by inculcating in them the values of Industry, Intelligence, and Integrity.

“Having gone through the crucible of adversity and being included in the roster of graduates is proof enough that you are prepared… What I need you to do is to believe in your preparedness, believe in your abilities, believe in yourself,” he stressed.

Furthermore, as he shared his experience in promoting the financial literacy program of the BSP all over the country, he urged the graduates to become a master of their own destiny by educating themselves about properly managing their own finances early on which he underscored as the foundation for lifelong financial independence.

“Financial independence is all about empowerment. To be free from the fear of not being able to pay your debts. To be confident that you are able to provide for the needs of yourself and your family in normal and extraordinary times, that you have some money left over for some of the things that are not just necessary. Financial independence is that empowering feeling that you are on the driver’s seat on the road towards your life goals,” Amatong concluded as he reiterated the Bonifacian values, the 3 I’s, as guideposts for the graduates in doing great things for themselves and for the community.

Prior to his current stint as the BSP’s Corporate Affairs Office Director and the various positions he held in the legislative branch of the government, the House of Representatives particularly serving the Second District of Zamboanga del Norte, Amatong was once a faculty member of the institution’s School of Business Management Education in 2003, and the School of Education in 2004 before becoming the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2005 until 2006.

He finished his secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, his Bachelor of Science in Economics at the University of the Philippines-Diliman and obtained his Master of International Economics and Management degree from Scuola di Direzione Aziendale Bocconi in Milano, Italy. He is the son of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the institution, former Congressman of the Second District of Zamboanga del Norte, Atty. Ernesto S. Amatong and former Finance Secretary of the Philippines, Dr. Juanita D. Amatong.

This year, Andres Bonifacio College produced a total of 238 graduates with the following breakdown per school: Graduate Studies, 13; School of Law, 16; College of Arts and Sciences, 3; School of Education, 23; School of Business Management Education, 48; School of Engineering, 107; School of Criminology, 12; School of Nursing, 1; and the Vocational Technical Institute with 15 completers.

Awarded with Latin Honors were Clynt G. Bolusan (Cum Laude – BSME), Maria Loreen Rose B. Reganon (Cum Laude – BSEE) and Legine S. Ramayla (Cum Laude -JD) while the Leadership Award was given to Uly Boy Jabal (BSCE).

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