Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel has no qualms admitting that he never graduated from college, saying that he quit school to raise his eldest child.
“Let me clear the air about my educational background given news reports that claim I am an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas, or any other institution of higher learning. That is not true,” Laurel said in a statement.
Although he would have wanted to earn a college degree, work and family obligations prevented him from doing so.
Instead, he helped build Frabelle, the family’s flagship company that started as a simple fishing operation and has grown into the conglomerate that it is now. Frabelle, from which he divested upon entering public office, is now involved in power generation, real estate development, meat and seafood processing, cold chain network, aquaculture, and shipbuilding and repair.
“I never finished my education because I became a father at 19. I needed to work to support my eldest child. My father impressed upon me that my responsibility as a father comes first,” Laurel added.
He said the sea became his university.
“Experiences in life taught me the value of perseverance, my children gave me the courage and inspiration to get to where I am now, and the good fortune I have today, I enjoy through God’s grace,” he said.