Sen. Manny Villar enjoined about 1,300 graduates of the Negros Oriental State University to lead a "revolution" that is geared towards entrepreneurship.

Villar made the call at the 48th commencement exercises of NORSU Bajumpandan campus yesterday where he was guest of honor.

He said everybody wants to talk about EDSA 1, EDSA 2, the failed coup, but nobody wants to talk about a different kind of revolution, by starting a small business of their own. Villar admitted that it is hard to address graduation rites nowadays looking at the graduates to be among the long roster of unemployed individuals.

He said he wants a change in the mindset of the graduates this year from the desire to serve, to entrepreneurship.

Villar said it is time to create an army of entrepreneurs throughout the country, and lamented the fact that billions of pesos were spent in politics

and not for business. He called this a "tragedy of the country's economy."

In business, Villar said, the only requirement is for one to know simple arithmetic. A perfect entrepreneur is one that has no money, because he or she will have nothing to lose, aside from the satisfaction of being the master of one's self.

The graduation message of Sen. Villar sought to inspire the graduates coming from different state universities in Oriental Negros, and in consortium with state universities in Mindanao.

He cited the successes of business tycoons including John Gokongwei, who, at age 80, is still working and are enjoying the business world like artists. Villar said nobody can stop a painter from painting, as the saying goes.*JG

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