Official Statement of the President as the Newest Board Member of the Global Speakers Federation
I have been speaking in the last 12 years. I must say it was not an easy journey. And to say it was difficult is an understatement, too.
In those starting years in my professional speaking career, I have come to look for people who can guide me as an a neophyte speaker. I was willing to work for them in exchange of whatever I can learn from them. But no one came to help out.
Last year, we launched the Philippine Association of Professional Speakers at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City. In my speech I said, “For the longest time, I’ve come to look for a group of like-minded people who I can approach and ask for help. I didn’t find anything. Almost everyone are busy enriching themselves, working on their popularity, working to advance their own personal agenda.”
I added, “Today, the next generation of professional speakers need not look anywhere. They don’t have to go through the hellish process we all went through. They don’t have to be homeless anymore. PAPS is here.”
And so today, after months of being on probation status, the Global Speakers Federation in a unanimous vote accepted PAPS as its 15th country-member. As the newest board member of the Global Speakers Federation, I’m honoured and proud to represent the Philippines in every opportunity and conversation that will happen anywhere in the world.
As we move in full throttle toward professionalising the professional speaking industry in the Philippines in other parts of the world, may we all be reminded that in the end, we will go down in history not as peers who just make a living as professional speakers. We are selfless missionaries who built our industry for generations to come.