*My first ever speech as a Guest Speaker. Delivered last March 31, 2011 during APCAS Integrated School Balanga City
Special thanks to my creatives guru Ms Jen Carvajal and to a good friend of mine Justin Paolo Flores for helping me make this piece a good one. Just want to share this great experience to all of you :)
Special thanks to my creatives guru Ms Jen Carvajal and to a good friend of mine Justin Paolo Flores for helping me make this piece a good one. Just want to share this great experience to all of you :)
Seven years ago, I dreamt of standing here in this very same podium to speak in front of my batchmates as their class valedictorian. But I failed to fulfill that. But seven years later, I never expect something more special than that dream awaited me.
And here I am, standing and speaking in front of you, not as an awardee, but a proud alumna of this institution.
Madam Flor Ayangco our school president, guests, teachers, parents and our graduates, good afternoon!
Who would ever think that a college drop-out named Mark Zuckerberg could make the impossible- connect millions of people through his mighty creation called Facebook- the most popular social networking site to date which is making wonders in the lives of 550 million users around the globe?
Who would ever think that a Filipino named Manuel V. Pangilinan would rise from a simple life and now owns top companies like TV5, MERALCO, PLDT and SMART, and recently has bought major shares of SUN Cellular? Who would ever think that a man born poor will make communication, health services and electricity more convenient to the Filipinos?
Who would ever think that a mother of three, despite losing her husband and facing different hardships, succeeded in sending her children to good schools? She is no other than my mother. Who would ever think that her valiant example has transformed me to an individual who I am right now?
Three different people. Three different stories. But they have one in common: Lahat sila ay NANGARAP.
A college guy dreamt of making the world a more open place, a simple man dreamt of changing the lives of millions of Filipinos through the companies he built, a mother dreamt of better lives and a bright future for her children. And they put their hearts, dedication and love to fulfill those dreams.
Lahat sila ay NANIWALA at NAGTIWALA na matutupad ang kanilang mga pangarap. The fulfillment of their dreams has brought meaningful changes not only for their selves, but most importantly, to the lives they touched. Those changes did not only touch a number of individuals. Nonetheless, it eventually contributed to the TRANSFORMATION of a society.
Ikaw ano ang pangarap mo?
I have dreams. At 24, I am still dreaming. I also realized that there is a secret ingredient towards the realizations of my dreams - that is EDUCATION.
My education is a mix of all sorts. I studied in an elementary public school, a private non-sectarian highschool, and a private catholic university.
In elementary, I learned to be obedient. Dito ko rin natutunang makibagay sa mga batang nagmula sa simpleng buhay- ang iba sa kanila nakatsinelas lang at walang baon sa eskwela.
Highschool was different. Like any typical student, high school became a turning point of my life. It was the moment of many firsts - first barkada, first date, first heartbreak.
In college, adjustment was the name of the game. When I went to USTManila
In college, adjustment was the name of the game. When I went to UST
In college, there are no special treatments. It is all about self studying and catching up. No excuses, no exemptions.
College is where you get a taste of realities in life that will either make or break you. I had my fair share of failures and frustrations but amidst of these I realized that it is all about making choices.
I made a choice: A choice to remind myself that my parents spent sleepless nights thinking where to get money for my tuition; A choice to endure all the hardships in catching up with difficult lessons I need to understand; A choice to pursue my course in spite of disapprovals of other family members. And I never regret making those choices.
In a few hours, you are exiting this hall as HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. And maybe, some of you will start asking yourselves, what course should I take? Where am I heading?
Sa mga magtatapos, kung nagawa ni Zuckerberg, MVP at ng nanay ko ang matupad ang kanilang pangarap, mas naniniwala ako na kaya ninyo. Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang kahirapan, ang kakulangan sa pangtustos sa pag-aaral o ang pipiliing paaralan sa pagpasok niyo sa kolehiyo.
If you want to be a partner of transformation in our society, build up your dream first and start from it. To fulfill your dream, decide on which course to take in college. Ang pagpili ng kurso ay parang pagmamahal, sundin mo kung ano ang laman ng puso mo. At kapag namili ka, panindigan mo hanggang sa dulo.
But I must remind you, college is not a “trial and error” just like a Math formula. Hindi yan parang Facebook status na pwedeng palitan anumang oras mo gustuhin. Hindi yan relasyon na kapag ayaw mo na, bibitaw ka na.
Here’s a friendly reminder:
1. Value your EDUCATION. It is more than a privilege, it is a GIFT. It is POWERFUL. Dinaig pa ang powers ng mga paborito nating superhero sa TV. That is why find time to learn and take it seriously. ALWAYS PERSERVERE.
Sino ang maysabi na hindi mo kayang tulungan magbago ang lipunan kahit mag-aaral ka pa? Oo kayang kaya mo kid. It should start with you by avoiding the temptation of cheating and all other shortcuts just to pass all your subjects. And that is HONESTY, an important element of change.
2. VALUE yourself and don’t settle for less. College is the best time to explore your talents and discover what you can do. You are gifted, take care of yourself. These will help you achieve your dreams. Don’t forget the word PASSION and never stop believing that you can be the best among the rest.
3. VALUE your dreams. Hindi masama ang mangarap dahil libre ito, but when we DREAM we should complement it with CONCRETE ACTION. Kung ang bawat isa lang sa atin ay mangangarap at magsisikap na tuparin ito, matutulungan natin ang ating sarili at ang buong bayan na magbago para sa mabuti.
The formula is simple: EDUCATION fulfills a DREAM. DREAM leads to TRANSFORMATION.
Your role to transform the society will come in the right time, but when this time comes, grab every opportunity to make a difference.
To the men and women of this institution, seeing your students taking their final bow today is indeed a great achievement. It’s a mission accomplished because you’re able to translate all the knowledge they need in becoming an instrument of change in this society.
Alam ko po hindi biro ang maghubog ng mga kabataang may kanya kanyang pag-uugali, mga kabataang may pagkapasaway. Don’t stop teaching, never stop inspiring more young individuals like them, and like me na rin.
Let me take the honor to recognize the heroes of your lives and may I request them to stand up-beloved parents
Daddy, mommy, mama, papa, nanay or tatay. Whatever your children call you, you’ve done a great job. I salute you for the sacrifices, for exerting extra understanding as your children grow as teenagers.
As they turn to another milestone, please don’t get tired of supporting them, encouraging them to study hard. Never give up. Most importantly, be their no. 1 fan in everything that they do.
Hindi po matatawaran ang pagmamahal na ibinigay ninyo. Kaya rin po ako nakatayo sa harapan ninyo ngayon ay dahil rin sa walang pasubaling pagmamahal ng aking ina. Huwag po sana
To APCAS, thank you. I stand here not because I am one of the most popular or most achieved alumni of ASIA
To all of you who dream to become professionals of your choice- we hope to see you serving our country with HONESTY and INTEGRITY, we hope to see you as dedicated partners of this nation in TRANSFORMING many lives as we dream of a better society.
To all of you, dreamers, be the best person or professional you want to be, make your parents and this institution proud. Don’t forget to bring pride and honor to this nation. Don’t forget to give back to your roots. Most importantly, don’t forget to inspire more young people to dream and help them believe they can also achieve it.
To all of you, I wish to see you standing here in this podium years from now. I know you can do this far better than I do.
Sa inyong lahat na nangangarap at naniniwala na matutupad ang inyong mga pangarap, kita kits tayo sa “outside world.”
As long as there are young dreamers like you in this land, our NATION is still destined for greatness.
Maraming salamat po at Magandang Hapon sa inyong lahat. Mabuhay ang Batch 2011!
