9 February 2020

Dear Team GK,

Good morning and welcome to all. It’s so nice to see our GK family together here in our newly redone Global Headquarters. In many ways, this new co-working space is a symbol of what GK is all about - a place where like-minded individuals and organizations can connect and share a common purpose of Helping the Poor, the Marginalized and Disenfranchised in our society. GK is this - a place where we all intersect for the common good of Caring and Sharing. So it is today for all of us in this room. Thank you then for being here and for all the efforts that you do. Particularly for those who have travelled from far away, thank you for your commitment. For Gerry Choa and his family who donated this building, thank you for giving hope a home address. And for those new to GK, welcome to our GK family.

Allow me to share some thoughts about where I believe we are with GK, 17 years in. Our Mission and Vision have remained the same: “Building a nation empowered by people with Faith and Patriotism; a nation made up of Caring and Sharing Communities, dedicated to eradicate poverty and restore human dignity”. Our Vision remains: “Ending poverty for 5 million families by 2024”.

These are big goals, and it has always been the GK Way to think big because we know the problems and challenges are massive. Many of our brothers and sisters need our help and so we continue and persist. The core work that we began of providing land for the landless, home for the homeless and food for the hungry continues. But in the course of our work, we have realized that we must evolve and look for new ways of accomplishing our work.

In the last few years, GK has been busy innovating and evolving the different ways we can end poverty for the 5 million families. This persistence in driving our core work while constantly innovating must continue. We have, over the last couple of years, constantly reviewed our strategic directions and re-aligned where needed. We must keep looking forward and moving forward, always challenging ourselves as individuals and as an organization in all our efforts. This is true not only with the type of programs that we deliver and the new ways of working and partnerships we create but also with our GK organization itself. In the background and behind all this work is a wonderful team. A team that begins with Luis and extends all the way through the management team and the 4000 volunteers that we have around the world.

As we embark on new programs and areas of focus, we have had to carefully review the structure. Slowly but surely, Luis has re-aligned the organization into business units responsible for the specific pillars of GK and began raising the bar on modernizing our organization. This comes at an exciting and important time in GK. We look forward with optimism and with confidence in doing our mission. We look to continue to evolve.

It is in this spirit that I would like to share an important change and transition we are about to embark on as a GK family. Luis and I have been in constant dialogue on what is the best way forward on the management front for GK. This afternoon we will formalize a transition in the top two positions of Gawad Kalinga. I will be stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of GKCDFI after 2 years in the role. More importantly, Luis Oquinena will be our new Chairman and our long-time GK leader, Dan Bercasio, will be taking on the role of Executive Director.

This transition has been in the works for some time and started over 12 months ago with a change that I was expecting to happen for me personally from a career standpoint but more importantly with what I believed was the best for GK. As most of you know, I work for Coke based in Singapore and 12 months ago I was informed that I would most likely be given a new expanded role covering all of Southeast Asia. As expected, this role has materialized for me as of August last year. This obviously has had an implication on what was already a very busy schedule personally. More important however is the dialogue about what is best for GK.

Dan shared on Friday the importance of presence in the work we do. GK needs and deserves an ever-present Chairman. In Luis, we not only fulfill this criterion but I can think of no other individual (and nor can the Board) who has both the Spirit and Love for GK as well as the Vision to take it forward. One of the true joys in my life in being involved in GK is getting to know Luis these past 2 years. We have had many one-on-one conversations and texts and I know his commitment and passion for this work stems from his Deep Faith and his Commitment to Serve. Luis, it has been an honor to work hand-in hand with you and an honor to pass on the Chairmanship to you. I also believe we made a great choice in Dan as our new ED and together, I know the future is full of hope. Let's give a big hand to Luis our new Chairman, and to Dan our new Executive Director.

I of course am not going away nor is my wife Annette. GK and the work serving the poor is a lifelong commitment for me and Annette. I have asked that while I step down as Chairman, that I remain on the Board. Secondly, Luis has also asked that I chair the Excom which I have happily accepted. I want to thank the Board and the management of GK for the trust and opportunity to serve as your Chairman these past two years. I have had the privilege to work closely with Issa, Mark, Shanon, Dan, Fab, the whole Mancom and the management teams and volunteers around the world, in particular with GKUSA. If there is one reason why I know GK has been so impactful and will continue to thrive, it is because of Team GK. Your collective passion and commitment, selflessness and courage during the good and tough times is an inspiration and I just want to say a very big Thank You to all of you. No goodbye of course as I will be here and Annette too as she continues to serve on the SEED Board.

To close, GK is moving forward. Nothing can hold back the GK spirit and as Dan said, we simply need to "Let it flow." I look forward to continuing the work that has always been at the heart of GK. Organizing Communities on the ground, in the more than 3000 communities we already have but also here, everywhere we meet - organizing communities that want to give, teach, innovate and ultimately Share and Care for Poor and the 5 million families in need. Thank You!

Walang iwanan!

Sincerly,