Create own roadmap, Davide urges UP grads

Despite adversity, one must forge his or her own destiny,

This was the challenge posed by 2012 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dr. Romulo Davide to UP Cebu graduates in their commencement exercises yesterday.

Davide challenged the graduates to create their own “road map” to success.

As a UP Los Baños student, Davide said he worked as a dormitory janitor and earned P50 a month for extra money.

“We have to prove that there is no impossible dream… The degree is a key to better employment opportunities,’ he said.

Davide was chosen the lone Filipino in the 2012 Asia-based Magsaysay awards in recognition of his advocacy of teaching rural farmers how to be more productive using scientific methods.

Yesterday he said he’s dedicating the remaining days of his life to improve the country’s farming system and training g farmers.

“There is no such thing as barren soil, only a barren mind,” he said.

Davide said the Philippines should focus on increasing food production and helping farmers prosper. “No farmers, no food,” he said.

Davide also took time to endorse the candidacy of his nephew, Liberal Party-Cebu (LP-Cebu) gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide III.

“I am not campaigning, I am just letting you know,” Dr. Davide said in jest. He said the province needs a good and honest governor who will “open the Capitol to the farmers.”

Davide pioneered the Farmer Scientist Training Program (FSTP) in his hometown in Argao town in 1994 which became a national program.

For six years he served a as a P1-a-year consultant of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to lead the program in the province. This changed after the 2010 election, when his nephew ran for governor against Garcia and the program was suddenly replaced by another one.

Junjun Davide said he will “re-hire” his uncle and expand his FSTP with Capitol support if he is elected because “agriculture is the backbone of the economy.”