Photo courtesy of Augusto Urbano II/The LANCE
Letranites gathered at the SC Auditorium on November 28 for “Speak Up,” a forum organized by Plus Media in partnership with the Alumni and Public Relations Department (APRD). The discussion confronted a long standing debate familiar to every learner in the country—what truly leads to success, practical street smarts or a formal academic degree?
The event fostered candid insights from industry leaders and allowed young students to participate actively in the conversation.
Hosts Ken Pangilinan and Daphne Cristobal steered the program engagingly, inviting Senior High School and college folks to reflect on the direction of their own professional journeys. The organizers emphasized that the purpose of the forum was not to pit one path against the other but to explore how both schooling and personal initiative shape future opportunities.
Personal Narratives to the Debate
The discussion featured two speakers whose experiences diverged yet complemented one another. Juan Banal, Founder and CEO of CROSS Education, advocates for alternative learning models grounded in inquiry based approaches. Edgar Allan Caper, CEO of the Caper Group, shared his rise from washing dishes to managing a major marketing and brand solutions firm and how he finished his degree at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Banal underscored the importance of relationships nurtured in school. He reminded students that connections are unpredictable assets since the peers beside them now may be future leaders across industries. Caper echoed the sentiment, stating that pakikisama can elevate anyone, regardless of background.
Diploma and Diskarte: Complementary Forces
The speakers challenged oversimplified narratives that elevate one path over the other. Caper refuted the common reliance on high profile “dropout successes” like Steve Jobs as proof that formal education is unnecessary. For him, pressure is privilege and individuals must choose their hard. He recalled the weight of wanting to lift his family out of poverty and how that pressure transformed into responsibility for the many employees who now rely on him.
Meanwhile, Banal framed hope as the difference between those who succeed and those who stall after failure. He explained that a diploma is valued in Philippine culture because it is seen as credibility. He described it as tangible evidence that a person can finish what they begin, which employers inevitably consider. While he acknowledged that the degree itself is not the sole determinant of potential, it represents character and resilience.
Both speakers agreed that formal education and personal drive are strongest when they coexist.
Questions from an Engaged Audience
Letranites were encouraged to speak up, and they responded actively. One question asked how to recover momentum after personal or academic setbacks. Banal advised surrounding oneself with the right people and mentors. He explained that mentorship provides accountability and guidance during difficult periods. Caper urged students to diversify their motivations. He asked them not to build their identity within a single world, noting that when one falls apart, there must be something else to hold on to.
Throughout the forum, the audience maintained energetic participation, signaling the relevance of the topic to their own aspirations.
Purpose and Direction
The conversation closed with a reminder that success is not measured solely by credentials or hustle. For Banal, the driving question must always be why a person pursues a particular path.
“When purpose is clear, both diploma and diskarte become tools to build a life with direction.”, according to him.
The Speak Up forum provided students a rare moment to weigh differing philosophies while recognizing the value in each. In a competitive world, the takeaway was neither a rejection of formal education nor a glamorization of pure grit. It was an invitation to strike balance, to cultivate relationships, to persevere through hardship, and to anchor success in intention.