President’s Inaugural Speech

Center for Philippine Arts and Cultural Entertainment Assoc., Inc.

President's Inauguration

  June 9, 2012, Manila Film Center

Magandang Hapon po sa inyong lahat!

Good afternoon to everyone…

Today I am privileged to stand in front of you, my family, my friends, my workmates and my chairman… It has been more than a decade since a man with a vision, our very own and beloved Chairman Lee Jong Hyun brought forth the idea of putting up a theatre in this country that will cater to the growing tourist market.

Over the past decade we have so far offered employment and opportunities for our people, provided entertainment and valuable service to tourists and most importantly placed our company in the map.

We have gone far, we have gone wide… We have seen the skies, we have touched ground…

Like any other business, we have had our ups and downs and so far we have prevailed… or so we thought…

These days, we are plagued and haunted by the successes we have achieved because we are now on the verge of collapse as a company. Lately, I have had nightmares about our fate and the paths we will have to take to ensure that we remain afloat… not only afloat but seek the greatness we so deserve.

Yes, these are bad times to become President. I would have welcomed this presidency four years ago when there were resources under our disposal. I so desired this presidency when I was on top of my game and when I knew most that I was invincible and unbeatable.

These days, I am more scared than anything else looking at the prospects as to why I am President. But like anything else that life throws upon us, I welcome this challenge. I am proud that I am anointed President at this juncture of our company’s history because these are real bad times.

There was an instance when I was asked; would I rather go to heaven or hell? And without hesitation, I said, hell… simply because heaven would only bore me towards my 2nd death. Because what is life without challenge? What is life without pain and suffering? So much like anything deserved, this Presidency is sweeter for me.


Becoming president four years ago would have been too easy. Remember that great men are born from fire and greater men evolves from chaos.

Today, I will share with you why this company matters most to me and why like seemingly in a prophetic kind of way, I am here. In 1989, right in this very theater, audience right, I held the hand of a co-teacher from the science department of St. Scholastica’s College as we watched Denzel Washington in Cry Freedom. She would later be my wife and mother to my children and one of my best supporters in life and love.

September 1, 2001… My mother’s birthday, I was convinced by then Amazing Philippine Theatre Vice President, Park KiSuk to take my rightful place in this organization as we met for the first time at Aloha Hotel. As the day ended, I rode to my mother’s grave and offered the opportunity to her.

Today, I offer this new opportunity, this presidency to my 2nd mother on her 85nd birthday. Tita Menie, Happy Birthday and thank you for making me feel as if I was your own; I was never an orphan because you are always by my side.


And finally, I offer this presidency to the people who make up this family, past and present… Our Amazing Show Family! A decade of toil and perseverance, a decade of happiness and grief, most important is the decade of entertainment that we have given our public, the prominence that we have given this country… and our initiatives to keep ourselves “world class”… despite, despite, despite…

You have always made me feel as if I was already president long time back. I have always been happy here because despite our trials and tribulations, we have remained together and steadfast in keeping ourselves tightly knit as a family. We have proven time and again that we are strong yet flexible and that we have the ability to bounce back in times of crisis. In this presidency, now more than ever, I shall ask for your help like always and I know that you will offer the best that you have.

Allow me to summarize my immediate program of action… For the first six months, we will immediately start renovation of our organizational structure to allow us to better facilitate our actions as an entity. This will entail changes that would mean democratizing decision-making capabilities to smaller units to allow each employee to participate and be accountable to matters pertinent in rebuilding this company.

Because we as a business entity is now in the red, it is quite obvious that sacrifices will have to be made on all levels of this organization. For that matter, do not worry too much. As per my experience, no sacrifice is without reward and no hardship is without redemption.

The six month set up period will hopefully allow us to reap what we have sowed for us to be allowed to benefit more. Rhetorically, let us take care of the chicken so that we may harvest the eggs.

I am thanking all of you in advance for your diligent cooperation and your understanding. You know, unlike my predecessors, this is the first time in my institutional memory that such an event occurred… an inauguration for an incoming president. I am deeply flattered and at the same time worried since this is also the first time that the presidency of this company will carry with it a term of office. Therefore, I will only have a short period of time to accomplish what must be accomplished and perform long term miracles before I am crucified.

With the challenges ahead, I shall always seek guidance from you, our stakeholders, my loved ones and the man who has been father, brother and friend for a decade, our Chairman. Thank you, sir.

Thank you everyone for the trust, confidence and support… Amazing!



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