DILIMAN, Quezon City — Addressing the University of the Philippines Engineering Class of 2025, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto gave a simple but commendable message: "Success must not come at the cost of conscience."

Speaking in the vernacular, Sotto challenged aspuring engineering students to rethink the true meaning of success in a country still marred by corruption and inequality.

"Sana hindi mag bago . . . Sana ganyan mga liders natin . . . Hindi sapat na magaling ka. Dapat mabuting tao ka,” he stressed.

The mayor likewise challenged to the engineering graduates to reject blind ambition and rethink what success really means in a system plagued by corruption and inequality.

“Mayaman ka nga—galing naman sa nakaw. Nakapwesto ka nga—ang dami mo namang tinapakan. Success must not come at the cost of conscience,” he reiterated.

He pulled no punches in revealing how easy it is for young professionals to lose their idealism: “Madaling makain ng sistema. Mabilis macha-challenge ang idealismo niyo. Pero sana hindi ito mawala.”

Describing today's worrisome times, Sotto lamented how corruption in the country has normalized in both public and private sectors, becoming prevalent and an accepted trend in daily transactions.

He warned warning that even well-intentioned people are often “consumed by the ambition they once questioned.”

“Bakit ba iyon ang pangarap natin? Pera? Posisyon? Kasikatan?” he asked. “Sabihin mo nang SOP, standard operating procedure—but it’s theft, plain and simple.”

However, Sotto also noted a silver lining as he pointed out that despite the bleak realities, he opined that there is still hope rooted in this generation's power to catalyze meaningful change.

“You will have the opportunity to be a catalyst for change—more drastic and faster than in any time in history,” he told the graduates.

In ending, Sotto gave a powerful advice: “Pray that you live with faith and integrity, and use your privilege to serve, protect, and help those who are not as fortunate in life.”

“Hindi ko man nabago ang lahat, naging mabuti akong tao sa kapwa ko. Nakatulong ako sa ikagaganda ng bayan natin,” he concluded.