I am here today because Tito Ed Reyes is a childhood hero of mine.

I remember that while others of my age adored comic book heroes, mine were all real-life ones – Don Claro; his sons; Tito Ed; well, except, for Darna.

For how could I be enthralled with Superman, when in Tito Ed, I had the real Man of Steel?

For the record, I was able to conquer Darna but I am nowhere near surpassing the achievements of the idols of my youth.

How can I, when as a senator I can only write bills, but an industrialist like him builds mills?

Thus it is my distinct honor to be the guest of the real Man of Steel in the inauguration of his company’s mill here in Rosario.

Growing up, the Puyat Steel’s plants in the other Rosario, in Pasig, and in Guadalupe, were my playgrounds.

Thus, I can say with authority that when it comes to steel, name it, the Puyats have fabricated it – from pipes wide enough for a car to pass through, to the newest roofing technology.

Well, everything, except for pounding steel into pork barrels.

Our country is highly indebted to its founding father, Gonzalo Puyat – a visionary, and a trailblazer of Philippine industrialization.

His pioneering spirit lives in his descendants, who opted to go into manufacturing, an area where many businessmen today fear to tread.

Believe me, they could earn money the easy way, by importing, or by speculating in real estate, or by playing the stock market.

Instead, they opt to earn profit with honor the hard hat way, in a business like this that generates jobs, trains people and pays taxes.

If they are audacious, it is because there is no passive gene in the Puyat DNA.

Gonzalo Puyat parlayed one billiard table into a business empire.

But he did not just build companies, he nurtured a business ethic that puts the national interest ahead of the company’s bottom line.

So in 1956, he set up the country’s first galvanizing plant in the Philippines because it was what the country needed.

His grandsons have built this mill because this is what the country needs today.

Ang bansa daw ay parang bahay. Hindi ito matibay kung walang bakal. Ang plantang ito ay para sa bayang Pilipinas, at para sa mga bahay ng Pilipino.

Indeed, through the years, the Puyats have helped their countrymen realize the Filipino dream – which is to have a roof over their heads.

And they have given us sturdy ones and, in the process, achieved a reputation for excellence that we can now say that they have almost put the whole country under one roof, one made by Puyat Steel.

I would like to congratulate and thank the Gonzalo Puyat and Sons for choosing to invest in Batangas.

I can assure you that you certainly made the right choice. The best place to forge strong steel is in the land of a people hardened by a tradition of hard work.

Your capital, plus the Batangueño equity of hard work, is the formula for a good product.

May kasabihan na ang tanyag na produktong Batangueno ay nagsisimula sa letrang B:

Balisong, buko pie, bulalo, barakong kape, baka, baboy, burdang damit, bulkan, beaches, bakasyunan, pati bisyo, kasi may pagawaan ng  alak at yosi dito.

At dahil nandito na kayo, may dalawang B na naidagdag – bubong at bakal.

In closing, let me extend Darna’s warm greetings and congratulations to the Man of Steel.

Thank you, more power, and all the best.

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