That progress has to be real. It has to be genuine. It can not be limited to the purely material. It has to include the spiritual and the social side of the life of individual Filipinos. It extends to the professional, cultural, physical and environmental aspects of their life as well.

It is in this light that we stress not only the quantity of economic and financial resources that individual Filipinos can have access to. More importantly, it is the overall quality of life of every Filipino – gifted and less gifted, blessed by circumstance or short of initial endowments and talents – that we should be concerned about.

Since the stress is on the overall quality of life, our strategic objective should be clear. It is nothing less than the comprehensive wellness open to all Filipinos. It is the promotion of a culture of excellence aimed at facilitating the struggle of every Filipino to become better in all aspects of life. In short, every Filipino should have an opportunity not only to have more in life, but above all also to become much better.

We all have to feel better, first by becoming physically fit. Exercise and having a proper diet should not be a fad, only for a few. These have to be embedded into the culture of life spread to all in our land.

We should also have enough opportunities to earn progressively more so we can set aside some savings and for making judicious investments that can form part of the material legacy we can pass on to succeeding generations.

The opportunities for continuing education, which lasts a lifetime, should include programs for cultural enrichment and spiritual development. For the Filipino, the mind, spirit and heart need to be fed, stuffed and uplifted as much as the stomach and our pockets.

Of greatest importance of all is the integrity of life such that no single facet of life is neglected or given less-than-its-due regard. Consistency needs to be secured between the loftier aspects of life and the mundane requirements of day-to-day struggles. Thus, principles are consistent with decisions, ideals with actions, words with deeds, and creed with ordinary life and work.

In other words, personal governance is given the crucial importance it deserves because it is a tool that individual Filipinos can use to enjoy overall wellness and all-around happiness. It is a tool for constantly moving up the ladder of excellence. And once excellence is made to extend to all facets of life, we can at last find basis for real progress accruing to every Filipino who struggles hard enough to get up that ladder.