Madam President of the Board of Regents,
Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Board of Regents and the Academic Council, Authorities, teachers and collaborators of INTEC,
Dear guest speaker,
Graduates and graduates,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great honor to address you briefly in this momentous act. I assure you that I fully understand the feeling of accomplishment that each one feels, and that I fully share the emotion in each heart. Therefore, my first mission is to congratulate you on the achievement achieved, and extend my congratulations to the relatives and associates who for several years waited for this moment.

The path they are now beginning, graduates and graduates, will require that they put into use the knowledge acquired at INTEC, either at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. We are confident that each of you has the capabilities to do so successfully, and we hope that you will use them to develop a dignified professional life and a worthy career path.

It is useful to note, however, that although you are now completing this stage and some will take some time before entering a classroom again, INTEC continues its work incessantly, seeking to continue contributing to improving the living conditions of Dominicans. and the Dominicans, through the offer of the best university education in the Dominican Republic. To this end, the university recently concluded the preparation of a Strategic Plan that will govern its actions for the next five years. In said Plan, INTEC defined itself as a plural university community, committed to the formation of capable, upright and internationally competitive citizens, and that contributes to the sustainable development of society through science and technology. Likewise, INTEC's Strategic Plan established its institutional aspiration to be recognized, nationally and internationally, as a model of university, for its academic excellence, quality of its processes and contribution to the development of society.

This means that our graduates must not only be the academic cream of our country, but also exemplary citizens, in which scientific rigor and the capacity for technological innovation are combined with social responsibility, solidarity, integrity and respect for diversity. Who knows INTEC, knows that these are not simple words, but rather a firm commitment that we establish before you and before society.

In compliance with this commitment, we remain attentive to national problems, and we observe with interest the evolution of various public policy initiatives by the central government. For example, the literacy plan, called Quisqueya Aprende, which aims to eradicate illiteracy in the coming years, is an event of historical dimensions; the Quisqueya Inicia Contigo plan, aimed at the creation of an early childhood care system, is a decisive intervention for the physical and mental formation of the new generations of Dominicans; And, in the same way, efforts to develop the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises could have a social impact of enormous importance in the generation of jobs and social inclusion.

Each of these programs reveals a clear intention to address social needs that have traditionally been ignored. However, society must remain vigilant to ensure that these ideas do not remain in good intentions, because the important thing is not just to start, but to move forward steadily until the desired results are achieved. In this sense, INTEC is ready to contribute from a university perspective, and we are currently in the process of discussing a set of technological, economic and social projects that were presented to the President of the Republic during a recent visit to our institution. . During said visit, incidentally, Mr. President, who is also a graduate of INTEC, expressed his appreciation for the education received in our classrooms and announced a new scholarship program so that more low-income students have the opportunity to study at INTEC.

In closing, ladies and gentlemen, male and female graduates, I request your consent to introduce our guest speaker. Guarocuya Félix has a degree in Economics from INTEC and did his doctoral studies in Economic Sciences at the University of Barcelona. Since then, he has built a career in civil service renowned for its integrity and professionalism. In 2012, INTEC granted him the recognition of Outstanding Graduate and he currently works as General Director of Internal Taxes in the Ministry of Finance.

He has been Superintendent of Securities (SIV), Undersecretary of State for Planning of the Secretary of State for Economy, Planning and Development; National Director of the National Planning Office (ONAPLAN) of the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency; Minister Counselor, in charge of Economic, Commercial and Cooperation Affairs of the Embassy of the Dominican Republic to the Kingdom of Spain, and Advisor for Economic Affairs of the National Congress. From these positions, he played a leading role in the institutional and regulatory reforms of the public financial sector implemented in 2006-2008, especially with regard to the national budgeting and planning system.

In the academic field, he has been Coordinator of the Postgraduate Program in Government and Public Policies of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) and has been a teacher at various prestigious national universities, including INTEC. In addition, he has been Visiting Professor of the Master in Cooperation and Development at the University of Barcelona. Finally, I highlight that he is the author of recognized publications and research in the economic field and of various essays and opinion articles.

Ladies and gentlemen, with you, Dr. Guarocuya Félix, whom I ask to come to this podium and for whom I request a loud applause.