Members of the Board, colleagues and friends:
On behalf of my wife and myself, I thank you all very sincerely for honoring us with your kind words, your generous gifts and, of course, this wonderful occasion. Although our time here in Manila is coming to a close, we will cherish the memories of the lasting friendships we have made at the Bank, in the Philippines and indeed across Asia and the Pacific.
I also thank the government and the people of the Philippines for embracing ADB and its many international staff and making us feel truly at home in this beautiful country.
Just over eight years ago, I stood before you and laid out my vision for ADB. I asked you to join me in making our institution more responsive to client needs, more focused on results, and more relevant in a rapidly growing and changing Asia and Pacific.
There is always more to do. But with your support, hard work and dedication, I believe we have come a long way.
Our long term Strategy 2020, two successful ADF replenishments, the general capital increase, our many internal reforms – none of these could have been accomplished without the dedication and hard work of each and every one of you.
Together, we have helped our developing member countries increase standards of living for their people, and overcome critical challenges. I well remember traveling to Banda Aceh in my first months as President to offer ADB’s assistance to communities torn apart by the 2004 earthquake and tsunami. To me, it was a stark reminder of how vulnerable our region is, and how hard we must work to increase its resilience.
There is no doubt that the region has been put through many challenges since I first arrived in Manila – from floods, earthquakes and tsunamis, to food and fuel price shocks, to the global financial crisis which fundamentally changed the global landscape. Yet Asia has remained strong and resilient in the face of these challenges.
New development challenges have emerged – rising inequality, climate change, tremendous infrastructure demands, and many others. How the region addresses these issues remains to be seen. But given the growing recognition of the importance of these issues, I have confidence that Asia will continue to prevail, to grow, and to contribute increasingly to global prosperity and well being.
As I leave this great institution, I am confident that the work we have undertaken together in the past eight years has set ADB on a stronger footing, to achieve even better development results in the future.
Our shareholders have been generous in providing ADB with increased resources to achieve our strategic goals – even during times of extreme difficulty in many of their own countries. I would like to convey once again my sincere thanks to our shareholders for their strong support of, and confidence in, our institution.
With increased financial resources, we have been able to expand our human resources to better meet the needs of the region. Moreover, we have undertaken the work internally, including through Our People strategy, to ensure that ADB can attract and retain the most talented, dedicated and fully engaged individuals from within the country and around the world to carry our its important mission.
ADB is, and will continue to be, a very important part of the region’s success. It is critical that ADB continues to support its member countries in taking advantage of opportunities for growth, and in responding to crises. I am honored to have been entrusted with the leadership of this great organization, and I am proud of all we have accomplished together. Of course, much remains to be done in a region still faced with many challenges. I have every confidence in ADB’s continued success in addressing them.
It has been an exciting and challenging few years. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Board members, past and present, with whom I have had the privilege to work – and through them, I thank our shareholders for their ongoing support.
I would also like to thank the Management team, upon whose thoughtful and wise counsel I have so often relied.
And I want to pay a special tribute to all our staff – at Headquarters and in the field offices – on whom we so heavily rely and confidently depend to deliver our vision of an Asia and Pacific free from poverty.
I leave with sadness to be separating from all of the great people here at ADB, but also with great pride in our accomplishments, and the knowledge that we will meet again. Thank you for your support, patience and accomplishments over the years. I wish you all the very best in the years to come.
“Maraming Salamat sa Inyong Lahat.”
Thank you.