Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the 30th-anniversary celebration of PRIMEX.
Allow me to share with you a deep secret that I know about PRIMEX President and CEO Elvira Ablaza. Of the 26 letters in the alphabet, Maam Elvira absolutely hates one letter, but on the other hand, completely loves another letter. Would you know what these two letters are?
Well, since tonight is the 30th anniversary of PRIMEX, I think I am allowed to divulge secrets. So here goes.
Maam Elvira hates the letter I. But she loves the letter P.
Why you may ask?
Let me elaborate.
She hates the letter I because of the following reasons.
Firstly, I means incompetence. Maam Elvira believes that every person has the capacity to accomplish things that are within their area of competence. She seems like a waste of people who squander their potential because they have not given importance to the things which allow them to perform correctly. This is the first reason she hates the letter I.
Secondly, I means irresponsible. One thing that can get Maam Elvira upset is irresponsibility. Even if a person is competent, however, the person does not perform because of a lackadaisical attitude, an angry Maam Elvira will surface. She places a high premium on the ability of her people to accomplish what has been assigned to them. For this second reason, she hates the letter I.
Thirdly, I means impossible. To Maam Elvira, this word does not exist in the dictionary. It is her firm belief that with hard work and determination, nothing is impossible. For this third reason, she hates the letter I.
Now let us move over to the letter she loves.
Ma’am Elvira loves the letter P. Why you may ask? Let me elaborate.
She loves the letter P because of the following reasons.
One, P means passionate. No, this has nothing to do with sir Jerry Sison, although perhaps occasionally it does. By passionate I am referring to her work mindset. There have been days when I would receive emails as late as 1:30 in the morning, or text messages as early as 5 in the morning. She is a quintessential workaholic. Maam Elvira will work, work, and work because she has that intense passion for what she is doing. For this first reason, she loves the letter P
Two, P means perfectionist. The quality of work that PRIMEX has produced over the years is credited to the perfectionist attitude of Maam Elvira. She will not settle for mediocrity. Instead, she will strive hard to produce work output that makes PRIMEX one of the unquestionable top consulting firm in the Philippines and in the Asia Pacific region. For this second reason, she loves the letter P.
Three, P stands for PRIMEX. PRIMEX is Maam Elvira’s baby. She has dedicated a lifetime of solid and quality work for this company. Indeed, it is something very very close to her heart. For this third reason, she loves the letter P.
So there is the secret divulged.
Speaking of PRIMEX…
PRIMEX is Elvira Ablaza and Elvira Ablaza is PRIMEX. You cannot unbundle one from the other. Maybe one can even say that one cannot exist without the other. From a small company in a small office 30 years ago, Maam Elvira nursed this baby, through its exciting infancy years, through its challenging adolescent years, through the ups and downs of its growth years, and now reaps the recognition and accolade of its mature and established years.
Thirty years from its establishment, PRIMEX has proven to be a solid performer in the business of consulting, reaping various awards and recognition both in the Philippines and abroad. Tonight, I think it is but appropriate that we celebrate not just PRIMEX, but more importantly, that we celebrate Elvira Ablaza.
Thank you for hating incompetence, irresponsibility, and impossibility. Thank you for loving passionate and perfect work. But most of all, thank you for loving PRIMEX.
It would not be what it is today without you.
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the 30th-anniversary celebration of PRIMEX.
Thank you and good evening.
— Atty. Jackie V. Cruz, Corporate Secretary, PRIMEX
EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, Manila, 7 August 2019