Nationalism that transforms communities

Editor’s note: These are excerpts from the speech delivered by the author at the commencement ceremony honoring the National Teachers College graduating class of 2024 at the PICC on Aug. 8.

National Teachers College (NTC) is an institution of great significance to us at the Ayala Group. We have always believed in the transformative power of inclusive and holistic education to improve lives and contribute to society. Our roots in education started in 1868 through the founding of Concordia College by Margarita Roxas de Ayala to provide free education to young women. It continued through the establishment of Centers of Excellence in Public School Education with Ayala Foundation, and it continues to live through our partnership with the iPeople Group. All of us here today are a part of that continued legacy in education, and I feel deeply honored to be with you.

Congratulations, Class of 2024! Today is the culmination of the hard work you put into your education, but more importantly, it is a celebration of the community that got you here.

As you leave the institution and head into the new adventure that awaits you after today, you will be faced with many choices you will have to make: the kind of career you want to build, the people you will choose to journey with in life, and the values that you will hold dear to guide you every step of the way.

Being a young person in today’s world can sometimes feel daunting and scary, as the future seems fraught with uncertainty. But I assure you that you still have so much time and so much life ahead of you.

I’d like to share a few stories and key lessons that I’ve learned throughout my journey, in hopes that it may help you as you navigate the future ahead of you.

1. Seek purpose, not passion.

You may have heard, as I have, the supposed importance of “loving what you do.” Many of you might be feeling immense pressure to get your first job “right” and to find a job that enables you to earn a living, while pursuing something you are passionate about.

I personally feel that the chances of finding both a job you love and a job that you are good at, can be quite rare. As you think about searching for jobs and building your careers, I’d like to offer what has worked for me in seeking purpose over passion.

Passion can be fleeting, whereas purpose will drive deeper meaning, and therefore possibly a more enduring drive.

Let’s take my case as an example—some might say it would be difficult to be passionate about leasing operations— especially when people come to you about building permits, noise complaints, leaky toilets.

But I’ve always encouraged my team to see working in real estate and leasing as a massive responsibility. Our ability to build spaces that people love means that we get to become the home for very important milestone moments—birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, celebrations. We can be the breath of fresh air, especially in busier, dense, city areas—and a break of green and outdoor space. The site of cultural and social outlets. We are where families create special memories, sometimes the site of a first kiss (!) or even a first argument. Being the stage for these memorable moments, for the downtime and “ahh” time is a huge responsibility—and something that we should take very seriously. Having this larger goal in mind can be helpful in keeping our north.

Embrace the fact that you may never love your job 100 percent, or 365 days of the year … but that is okay. Work towards a broader purpose —and you’ll find reasons to push forward even in the more difficult days.

2. Leave people and places better than you found them.

These days, transformation is a big part of my job. I look at processes, systems and ecosystems, and work with amazing colleagues to figure out how we can effect meaningful change where it is most needed.

Transformation is in part a response to how the world continues to evolve and change at an accelerating pace. There are challenges we face today that are more complex than ever before. Climate change, rising inequality and geopolitical tensions continue to affect how we navigate the future. These are things I’ve had to pay closer attention to in my day-to-day, navigating how to lead organizations in a transformation process as we adapt to changing times and chart the future ahead. On a personal level, I think about the change I want to see in my community and in the country, for the world that my son will grow up in in the future. I think about the changes that will continue to come, and how I can contribute meaningfully in being part of that transformation process.

I view the other part of transformation as something that is driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence. At Ayala, one of our core values is “inspiring excellence”—a reminder for us to constantly step forward with commitment and quality on all our endeavors, and to harness our unique strengths to enable everyone around us to take the lead.

The act of transformation doesn’t always have to be grand or life-changing. No matter how seemingly small a task is, transformation requires a sense of imagination, creativity and innovation to dare to ask: how can this be bigger, better, bolder in the future? It asks of us deep empathy, careful understanding and a relentless drive to see change through.

This is the second lesson I’d like to leave with you: everywhere you go, try to leave people and places better than you found them.

In the communities you belong to, how can you inspire excellence everyday in moments big and small? How can you cultivate a shared sense of imagination for what could be better and bolder at home, in the workplace, in the country, and in society at large? It asks of us how we can become better citizens and better Filipinos and lead transformation in our own little ways.

As leaders that NTC has molded you to be, everyday is an invitation for transformation—big and small—in working with people and communities. How can we continue to enable young, local talent to thrive? It is a reminder that in your own spheres of influence, you have the agency to create environments where people can bring their best selves, where they dream with you for the future they want to create, and make it a reality.

3. Be a student forever.

The last piece of advice I will share is probably going to sound disappointing given our celebration today—be a student forever.

While today marks the end of formal schooling in many ways (which is definitely a worthy cause for celebration!), it is far from the last day of learning you will get. Everyday is an opportunity to learn new things, work with new people and engage with new ideas.

Classrooms will look less like the ones you’ve spent most of your days in, but there is now an entire world that awaits you, with lessons waiting around every corner, often from unexpected teachers. Exams will no longer be scheduled, but every day, you will be faced with questions and challenges you might not always know how to solve. While you may no longer have to be graded on assignments with challenging or difficult group mates, it will not be the last time you will have to deal with people you might not get along with or agree with. Everyday is going to be a lesson in the school of life.

I guarantee that a commitment to lifelong learning is going to be one of your greatest assets. It has certainly helped me throughout my own journey, but it is also something I see in many people I look up to.

Being a student forever means constantly seeking feedback and improvement from life’s many teachers, in whatever shape or form that may take. It means being accountable and taking ownership for the things that you drive and are responsible for, in the same way that you were all accountable for your academic performance or your share in group work you’ve had to do.

NTC has given you all the tools to cultivate a deep sense of curiosity, learning, and action. I hope that you can continue to take

(Mariana Zobel de Ayala is senior vice president and head of leasing and hospitality business at Ayala Land Inc.)

Mariana Zobel de Ayala (left) with NTC vice president for academic affairs Edizon Fermin – —Photos courtesy of Ayala Corp.