Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — “The country needs you more than you know,” Vice President Leni Robredo told future doctors on Sunday.
Robredo delivered the commencement speech at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine’s 107th graduation rites.
Robredo said she was impressed by the number of graduates who have agreed to the Return of Service Agreement (RSA), which obligates students to work in the Philippines within five years after they graduate.
Saying that many UP graduates leave the country to work abroad, Robredo hopes they would stay here to work with the government and “give service that counts,” even beyond the time period required by their contracts.
Watch: What keeps VP Robredo busy
Robredo advised the graduates to use their RSA to “build a healthy nation” — and not just use it to build their personal careers.
“We have the models to maximize our resources so that for every unit of it—whether you are talking about money, equipment, clinics, or skills—there will be more Filipinos with better health,” Robredo said.
In her June 30 inauguration speech, Robredo named public healthcare as one of her priority concerns. The others are hunger and food security, universal health care, rural development, education, and people empowerment.
Her late husband, former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, also pushed for a universal healthcare program.
The vice president wrapped up her speech with a sobering message: “When we are given the chance to serve, let’s grab it. We never know when our planes will crash. Live our lives to the fullest each day.”
