Ayala Corp. Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala addressed graduates of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) on Aug. 16, 2025, urging them to embrace challenges and make purpose-driven choices.
“Choose the difficult. Because character is formed through friction, through struggle, through fire,” Zobel de Ayala said during the university’s 30th commencement exercises at the Solaire Grand Ballroom.
Zobel de Ayala, also known as JAZA, told the 414 graduates that in a world that is “fast, but it lacks wisdom” and “hyperconnected, but deeply fragmented,” what will set future leaders apart is not efficiency, but choices guided by enduring values.
He framed life as a story and encouraged graduates to ask themselves key questions: “What do I stand for? Who or what do I hold dear? Who do I want to become? What am I building, not just for myself, but for others?”
Zobel de Ayala also shared the history of the Ayala Group, which he said has evolved for nearly 200 years by staying rooted in its core purpose of building businesses that enable people to thrive.
The university, now in its 58th year, conferred undergraduate and graduate degrees in various fields, including business, economics, humanities, early childhood education, information technology, marketing and law.
Outgoing UA&P president Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog led the conferral of degrees and awards. He will step down on Aug. 20, after 10 years of service.
The ceremony included a salutation from Vikka Angeline Arevalo, who received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in management with a specialization in business analytics, and a valedictory address by Francisco Pantaleon, who received a Master of Arts in Humanities.
Zobel de Ayala closed by challenging the Class of 2025 to make “worthy” and lasting choices.
“Serve something greater than yourselves. Let your values guide you, even when they set you apart. Take courage—act even when faced with fear. Endure. Persevere,” he said.
