In my work away from home, I have noted a very significant similarity among the countries that have moved forward. I have realized that many of the so-called developed countries become such only because of the problems they have faced and have solved.
The Philippines, as in many countries in the Far East, is blessed with bountiful natural resources. These, we Filipinos took for granted because in the past, when there was no pressure on the population, nobody got hungry. Therefore, we never went out of our way to improve our environment and consequently, ourselves.
Now, I think we have been hurt enough to know that we, too, should plan. We can still veer away from the undesirable trends that we may be falling into in shaping our future. There is no doubt that all the talents necessary for plan formulation and implementation are in our midst. They surely can help us go forward. I say this in the belief that although there are many of us Filipinos helping other countries move forward, there are still among our people who can form the vanguard for our national development.