There were times in my life that I was aspiring of becoming a guest speaker delivering commencement speech in a graduation ceremony in any of our schools in my hometown. I was dreaming then that my alma mater or my town will acknowledge me in the field I chose - creative writing. Though it did not happen but I have no regrets at all, believing that writing is meant to be my personal fulfillment that no needs to make it loud. Now.... I just want to live that dream even just today which is timely in graduation season, so let say if I were to speak to the graduates in commencement exercise in a university, here will be the transcription of my commencement address.
(Acknowledgement remarks) "A big applause to the graduates of batch 2025, you did it. This is the day, celebrate, you deserve it. After all those bloody days and nights of academic struggles like anxiety kapag may examination, grasping with complex lessons, social struggles like pakikibaka sa traffic, at personal struggles like problematic mong tuition fee at baon, pagtitiis sa gutom, puyat, at takot mo if makakatapos ka ba talaga, family issues, if any and time management if you are a working student or young parent. And you have surpassed them all. Now you can say you just have had a big success in your life. Well, meron na naman kayong maituturing na success before this milestone (graduation) but this one is different fulfillment because this is 20 or 21 years in the making, and it just adds feather on your cap".
"When I was in grade school, I always thought that only the valedictorians, salutatorians, yung mga may honor at yung nasa star section or pilot section lang ang nakakatapos ng pag-aaral kasi for me studying itself was difficult. Ang impression ko pa sa mga nasa higher section ay mga may-kaya sa buhay ang pamilya. And I have seen a lot of youth who did not able to complete studies and they were not in pilot section. I was not in section-A, "Ulirang Bata sa Kasipagan" lang ang nakuha kong award. But later, towards to my final two years in college, it dismissed my belief at napalitan iyun ng: what count most are the perseverance, sacrifices, and faith to finish your study. Good job to all of you who went through the real difficult times in memorization. This was my struggle during grade school. lyung hindi mo alam kung paano gumaling sa pagrereview para sa paparating na exam. But I persevered; I attended the class kahit walang naiintindihan dahil I held on to belief that attendance, no matter how it was difficult and so unmotivated to wake up in the morning, will save me. But things were changed a bit better in high school. First, I started appreciating journaling and learning creative writing. Then I had found out this method: take down notes, write them as how you understood it and you can easily memorize them. It was good to be not too late up to my college. You may have different and harder battles and congratulation to you for surpassing them".
"Now, where will you go after this graduation ceremony? Some of you will take a rest, maybe few will start own business or take care the family business, other are going to other countries as oversea workers, but as beginners, many of you will start to search local jobs. This is now the reality: in class rooms, you were taught about right and wrong by the books, but in outside world, tuturuan ka dito ng kalakalan sa totoong nangyayari. In a country where employment rate is not that impressive, sa pag-aapply mo pa lang ng trabaho you will realize the discrimination like dapat graduate ka from top universities and colleges, or mayroong recommendation by certain person kaya nauna sa interview, so how far can you go competing? There are job seekers who can really land to the job fairly, but many still undergo the hard way to getting into minimum wage. You need job but the classified ad says you need at least five years of relevant experience. You need job to have experience but how can you have experience kung ayaw kang bigyan ng chance to get job? This was my feeling during my one year of job hunt. In theory, it was kind of unfair but it was challenge. Then I had to be diligent, nagamit ko ang "Ulirang Bata sa Kasipagan" award ko to send more job applications, and highlighted it in my applications and later expound it in interview. And I think you really need to find your strength, your advantage para mapansin ka at maisip nila "wait, parang ok naman ito ah". I learned my lesson: I used my skill in writing by capitalizing it to create good impression to my interviewer. I tried to inject my interest in creative writing and when I able to do it, on the next questions I made to relate my answers in writing. It helped kasi it is easier when you talk from your heart and you will feel relax if you know what you are talking about. If it is your cup of tea, you can answer anything under the sun maybe with flying colors pa (smile)".
"Life in books and classrooms is different from life in real world. After this milestone (graduation) in your life, eventually you will learn new learning. You might leave your learning from the books and your experiences in corporate world and community will teach you the wisdom that will make the person you are. This is part of your growth, journey, and victory. Hindi na ito tulad ng school na may periodic examination to determine kung may natutunan ka but the real life will test you how far can you go and how strong can you uphold to your fundamentals you had learned when you were studying. They are the cores that keep your feet on the ground because you learned them when you were uncorrupted. At sa pagharap mo sa world outside classroom, you will finally meet the micromanagement boss, the task performer working class, expert credit grabbers colleague, the ambitious minimum wage earners, no signal #2 can stop the working immortals for the need of job and daily pay - all for the power and money. Shall you go with the flow or swim against the current? What are your cores? Maybe you need to look back and find that fundamentals you'd learned when you were still uncorrupted mind. This will pleasantly guide you stepping up on the corporate ladder. I am not successful in my gauge as I measure the successful people. I do not have high net-worth, no position in any company or community, no success under my belt, no recognition for my works... I have only "Ulirang Bata sa Kasipagan" award. Through the years, I persevered, Everything I have now which is not that substantial... I patiently, and diligently, and hardly, and fairly achieved them all by myself through blood and sweat and tears. We are not same, maaaring aggressive ka to follow your dreams and that is perfectly good. Your fate will be different from mine and I pray you achieve more. Just make sure to be kind and fair. When you landed a job, you are in melting pot of different person, different characters, and different points of view but you are all in one common goal to go up. At lalabas dito, ano ba ang nai-pundasyon mo sa buhay upang hindi ka matukso at makalaban ka".
"Hindi dahil nakapagtapos ka ng pag-aaral ay maranggal ka na, magaling ka na, tama ka. Dahil may mga tao na hindi umabot na pag-aralan ang pag-gawa ng trial balance o ang pagkalkula ng mga sukat ng pundasyon ng mga gusali, ibat-ibang chemical symbols, theory of relativity, bagkus ang natutunan nila ay ang inosenteng paraan ng pakikihalobilo since nuong high school sila - mas kalugod-lugod sila. May mga tao na ang inabot lang sa pag-aaral ay elementarya ngunit ang kanilang natutunang kagandahang-asal ang kanilang ginagamit na gabay sa buhay - mas kahanga-hanga sila. In the world full of power-driven people where disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation through fake news tend to confuse us amidst of the battle of good and evil... be right and wise. Accepting the bad in the guise of authenticity, disregarding accountability, responsibility, and transparency by normalizing the wrong and evil due to their popularity, sa mundo ng kaguluhan at kabalintunahang ito, huwag kang magpakain sa bulok na sistema. Graduates, always refer to your basic and you will be reminded. When you were young and new, you have that basic learning that kept you grounded, humble, and righteous - these are your core. These are your learning when you were pure, when your disposition was clear, when things were achieved out of good faith. In this fast-paced and modern age, if the circumstances make you complicated and confused, nalulunod ka sa dami ng mga nangyayari, then ask yourself what is your core. What is that lesson you have learned that keeps you right?"
"Graduates, namnamin ninyo ang tagumpay na ito, kahit panandalian lamang dahil sooner or later ay haharap na kayo sa totoong hamon ng malupit na mundo. Maybe some of you have already experienced life's difficult situations but these are just in preparation for bigger challenges. Life after college is even tougher. The world is changing, but wisdom never get old, good morals never get outdated, and kindness never go wrong. Kung saan man kayo makarating, be kind. Always look back to your beginning kung bakit kayo nagdecide na i-pursue at marating ito dahil you were kind during those times. Be kind amidst of this crazy world because it still really matters. Kindness is boomerang. Simplehan natin: are you team-kadiliman or team-kabutihan? The choice is yours. Be wise, Graduates!"
"Good luck to your new endeavors, and mabuhay kayong lahat. Congratulations parents, thank you academe and educators. God bless all of you, to God be the glory".
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