At the recent 2026 Washington SyCip National Education Summit, Fr. Jett Villarin, Chairman of Synergeia Foundation, delivered a compelling reflection anchored on the theme Carpe Diem, a phrase often translated as “seize the day,” but one he thoughtfully reframed.
“Carpe,” he began, does not mean to grab, snatch, or hoard. It means to harvest, “pag-ani”. It is about picking the fruit when it is ripe. “Ang carpe sa carpe diem ay walang kinalaman sa seize o pagkamkam, pagsunggab, pag-agaw. Ang carpe ay pagpitas sa kahinugan ng panahon.” The call, therefore, is not reckless urgency but wise discernment, recognizing when the time is right and responding with responsibility.
Drawing from the Greek concepts of chronos and kairos, Fr. Villarin explained that time is not merely chronological (chronos) but also opportune (kairos). Farmers and fishermen understand this deeply. They know that harvest and voyage depend on timing. “Pana-panahon ang mga bagay-bagay,” he reminded the audience. Opportunities come in seasons, and they must not be wasted. “Huwag sayangin ang mga pagkakataon.”
One such opportunity, he stressed, is the Philippines’ demographic dividend. With a median age of 26, the country remains young. “Ito po ay isang oportunidad.” By 2040, he said, the Philippines could become one of the top economies, if it does not waste the present.
He explained: “By definition, a demographic dividend is the accelerated economic growth that occurs when a country’s population structure shifts, specifically when the working age population from 15 to 64 years old, when that cohort becomes larger than the non-working dependents, tulad ng mga bata at ng matatanda. Our labor supply will be more than the ones who are old and the ones who are still mga musmos.”
But such growth is not automatic. To tap into this dividend, four key investments are necessary: Education, health, livelihood, and governance. Among these, education stands at the forefront. “Simulan na ngayon pa lamang na ayusin ating edukasyon in time for 2040, our labor force should be good.” There are no shortcuts, he cautioned. “Good things take time.” The critical question is whether students are truly ready—“Hinog na ba sila?”—when they graduate and enter the workforce.
Yet beyond systems and statistics, Fr. Villarin turned to the deeper matter of leadership and hope. Governance, he emphasized, is not limited to elected office. It is leadership in whatever position or capacity one holds. “We can make things happen,” he declared.
Still, he acknowledged the emotional tides leaders experience. “Maraming umaasa sa atin, tayong mga namumuno ay nakararanas din ng pagkawalang-gana, may mga sandali na nawawalan tayo ng loob.” Leaders encounter waves of hope and discouragement. The task is to discern these waves: “Pitasin ang pag-asa. Huwag pitasin ang kawalan ng loob.” And above all, beware of self-fulfilling prophecies.
When people repeatedly say the Philippines is hopeless, they stop contributing to its future. “Beware the self-fulfilling prophecies that negate our hope.” He cautioned against self-pity and urged trust in the dignity of every person. “Mag ingat sa pagka-awa sa sarili. Magtiwala, panindigan ang dignidad ng tao.”
In one of the most vivid metaphors of his speech, Fr. Villarin likened governance to conducting an orchestra. “Mahalaga ang governance. Mahalaga ang pamumuno. Mahalaga ang pagkumpas. Kung walang nagkukumpas, pangit ang musika, nagbabanggaan ang mga tono.” Without leadership, tones clash, people collide, the powerful dominate, and the weak are left behind. Leadership ensures harmony, justice, and direction.
He challenged leaders to harvest power and wealth not for personal gain but for the common good. “Pitasin ang kapangyarihan para sa tama, para sa mga walang kapangyarihan. Pitasin ang yaman hindi para sa sariling kamag-anak o ka-tribo, kundi para sa kapakanan ng mga mahihina, para sa ating kabataan.” It is time, he said, to change destructive habits and choose what is right.
In closing, Fr. Villarin returned to the heart of his message: “Pitasin po natin ang mga pagkakataon na kaharap natin ngayon.” The season is here. Now is the time to fix education for the sake of the nation’s future. Now is the time to lead with truth, justice, and goodness.
Carpe diem, then, is not about grasping for oneself. It is about harvesting what is ripe, for the youth, for the vulnerable, and for the Philippines’ shared tomorrow.