I finally delivered my 'inspirational talk' yesterday in front of the honor students of my high school alma mater. It was nerve-wrecking as it was my first time to address a young crowd, but the experience was great and really memorable. Seeing my former teachers was also refreshing and it brought back a lot of memories.
This is the speech I prepared but I delivered it differently. I wanted to catch the short attention span of the students so I modified some parts and even talked in the native 'lingo' so as to attract their interest. I would say I was successful in doing that because I elicited some applause midway during the speech. I really do hope I was successful in inspiring them to do greater things and be somebody someday.
Thank you Mr Nueva for that introduction. I would also like to thank our principal, Ms. Minerva Feria, my former physics teacher, Dr. Virginia P. Ganir, our former principal and my 4th year English and Literature professor, my other former teachers, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Ariem, Ms. Cruzat, Mr. Nueva, the rest of the faculty and staff, for the opportunity to stand before you today on our school’s Recognition rites of 2007.
Congratulations to you honor students for a job well done! I know you are extremely proud of your achievement but I am sure your parents feel more honored than you. You see, by being here today, you are giving them the best gift that they could ever receive--and that is the gift of knowing that all their hardships and sacrifices in sending and keeping you in school is not in vain because you deserve every bit of it. Believe me, "it’s a priceless gift” that only they would know and feel. Congratulations to all of you parents and guardians!
I believe I was asked to speak to you today because we have something in common. 20 years ago, March 29, 1987 to be exact, I was also seated on one of those chairs, just like you, waiting to receive awards and honors. It was a big day for me because despite being part of MLQU for only 2 years, as I was a transferee from a national high school in the province of Kalinga, I was able to get some awards and finished 2nd best in my class.
The ribbons and medals you receive today should not be thought of as a reward, but rather an opportunity, a commitment, an obligation to go forward and continue the life-long process of learning. The elements you have learned here at MLQU should be forged into that special compound we call "excellence." Excellence is the only antidote to all the bad things that’s happening to our country today. Someone once said, "The key to success is hard work with the correct attitude and a little luck." You will find out as I have, after all these years, that the harder you work, the luckier you become.
I came from a family of seven children--3 girls and 4 boys! My father was a dentist but died at an early age of 44, when I was just 8 years old. My mother was a government employee. When my father died, in order to support the 7 of us, she was forced to become a domestic helper in Hong Kong, consigned to cleaning other peoples’ houses, taking care of other’s children, cooking their meals, and washing their clothes. She worked hard for almost 15 years, away from us, so that her dream, as well as my father’s dream, for us to have a good future, will be realized.
Growing up without the guidance of parents was difficult but instead of sulking on this misfortune, I tried to make the best of what I had. Blessed with some degree of intelligence and leadership, I studied well and excelled in my academics and extra curricular activities. I worked doubly hard and was able to get scholarships along the way to lessen the financial burden of my mother in sending me to school. I am proud to say that I was a scholar from grade 6 to 2nd year high school, on my fourth year, and for the rest of my college years. My guiding line was "Let your reach exceed your grasp, Let your aims be high, even though fulfillment may seem impossible." "What you can conceive in your mind, believe in your heart that you can achieve it with your efforts! Nothing is impossible!"
After finishing dentistry, I became involved with a medical missions ministry. It was through this involvement that I realized that I needed to go further and be a physician so that I could be of more service to other people. It was a mountain to climb because that time, my mother has already retired and I had no one to finance my education. For 4 years, I was literally waiting for God’s provision for my school fee every semester. It came from people I never expected to help, from people whom I didn’t know, and from others whom I just worked with once before. Despite the uncertainty of it all, I strived and pushed myself and was able to graduate with a degree of Doctor of Medicine, even recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Students in Cordillera Administrative Region in 1999.
Each one of us is born with the seeds of success. Our parents, our environment, schools like MLQU, plant the seeds, till the soil, nurture and nourish each one of us until we develop into that special someone who can compete with anybody, anywhere, anytime, at any level. Never underestimate the power of a small school like ours but with dedicated faculty. Don’t be intimidated by graduates of popular schools like Ateneo, La Salle or UP. Remember, it’s not the school but what comes out of them that matter. So, if you haven’t been told this before, let me tell you now—especially the members of the graduating class of 2007; wherever you want to go in life, you can get there from right here! So, I offer you a personal challenge: a challenge to do something remarkable, something more than the ordinary with your life. If I, who didn’t have a father and had an OFW mother, can rise to levels of success against all odds, so can you. The recognition you will receive today is nothing if you don’t do something about it. It will not guarantee you success. If you have a goal and a dream, you must be consistent and persistent! Remain focused on what you want. Men of wisdom would always say, "If the front door is closed to you, go around to the back door and see if that is open. If that is closed, go around to the side of the house to see it they left a window open. If that is closed, jump up on the roof to see if you can get in. Just keep on trying! Never give up! The only person that can stop you from realizing all your dreams is—YOU!"
You are our now the new generation. I am on my way out of your league. You must reassess, re-examine and clarify your priorities and not just be satisfied with the status quo. Whether you go into nursing, information technology, business, law, medicine, politics or education, neither you nor the Philippines can survive or prosper by just accepting what is at hand or being passive about all that’s happening. Somebody has to come up with an outstanding attitude, meaningful new ideas, significant changes and important new discoveries. Why can’t that "somebody" be you? You just have to be ‘somebody’ to make it.
In closing, as I’ve said, the worth of any school is measured by the achievements and accomplishments of its graduates and by the loyalty of its alumni. Again, I want to congratulate you on your great accomplishment and offer you my best wishes. To the Manuel L. Quezon University, who has so graciously instilled the best education, and this strong character upon me to become who I am now—in behalf of my family, I thank you!
GOOD MORNING!!
This is the speech I prepared but I delivered it differently. I wanted to catch the short attention span of the students so I modified some parts and even talked in the native 'lingo' so as to attract their interest. I would say I was successful in doing that because I elicited some applause midway during the speech. I really do hope I was successful in inspiring them to do greater things and be somebody someday.
Thank you Mr Nueva for that introduction. I would also like to thank our principal, Ms. Minerva Feria, my former physics teacher, Dr. Virginia P. Ganir, our former principal and my 4th year English and Literature professor, my other former teachers, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Ariem, Ms. Cruzat, Mr. Nueva, the rest of the faculty and staff, for the opportunity to stand before you today on our school’s Recognition rites of 2007.
Congratulations to you honor students for a job well done! I know you are extremely proud of your achievement but I am sure your parents feel more honored than you. You see, by being here today, you are giving them the best gift that they could ever receive--and that is the gift of knowing that all their hardships and sacrifices in sending and keeping you in school is not in vain because you deserve every bit of it. Believe me, "it’s a priceless gift” that only they would know and feel. Congratulations to all of you parents and guardians!
I believe I was asked to speak to you today because we have something in common. 20 years ago, March 29, 1987 to be exact, I was also seated on one of those chairs, just like you, waiting to receive awards and honors. It was a big day for me because despite being part of MLQU for only 2 years, as I was a transferee from a national high school in the province of Kalinga, I was able to get some awards and finished 2nd best in my class.
The ribbons and medals you receive today should not be thought of as a reward, but rather an opportunity, a commitment, an obligation to go forward and continue the life-long process of learning. The elements you have learned here at MLQU should be forged into that special compound we call "excellence." Excellence is the only antidote to all the bad things that’s happening to our country today. Someone once said, "The key to success is hard work with the correct attitude and a little luck." You will find out as I have, after all these years, that the harder you work, the luckier you become.
I came from a family of seven children--3 girls and 4 boys! My father was a dentist but died at an early age of 44, when I was just 8 years old. My mother was a government employee. When my father died, in order to support the 7 of us, she was forced to become a domestic helper in Hong Kong, consigned to cleaning other peoples’ houses, taking care of other’s children, cooking their meals, and washing their clothes. She worked hard for almost 15 years, away from us, so that her dream, as well as my father’s dream, for us to have a good future, will be realized.
Growing up without the guidance of parents was difficult but instead of sulking on this misfortune, I tried to make the best of what I had. Blessed with some degree of intelligence and leadership, I studied well and excelled in my academics and extra curricular activities. I worked doubly hard and was able to get scholarships along the way to lessen the financial burden of my mother in sending me to school. I am proud to say that I was a scholar from grade 6 to 2nd year high school, on my fourth year, and for the rest of my college years. My guiding line was "Let your reach exceed your grasp, Let your aims be high, even though fulfillment may seem impossible." "What you can conceive in your mind, believe in your heart that you can achieve it with your efforts! Nothing is impossible!"
After finishing dentistry, I became involved with a medical missions ministry. It was through this involvement that I realized that I needed to go further and be a physician so that I could be of more service to other people. It was a mountain to climb because that time, my mother has already retired and I had no one to finance my education. For 4 years, I was literally waiting for God’s provision for my school fee every semester. It came from people I never expected to help, from people whom I didn’t know, and from others whom I just worked with once before. Despite the uncertainty of it all, I strived and pushed myself and was able to graduate with a degree of Doctor of Medicine, even recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Students in Cordillera Administrative Region in 1999.
Each one of us is born with the seeds of success. Our parents, our environment, schools like MLQU, plant the seeds, till the soil, nurture and nourish each one of us until we develop into that special someone who can compete with anybody, anywhere, anytime, at any level. Never underestimate the power of a small school like ours but with dedicated faculty. Don’t be intimidated by graduates of popular schools like Ateneo, La Salle or UP. Remember, it’s not the school but what comes out of them that matter. So, if you haven’t been told this before, let me tell you now—especially the members of the graduating class of 2007; wherever you want to go in life, you can get there from right here! So, I offer you a personal challenge: a challenge to do something remarkable, something more than the ordinary with your life. If I, who didn’t have a father and had an OFW mother, can rise to levels of success against all odds, so can you. The recognition you will receive today is nothing if you don’t do something about it. It will not guarantee you success. If you have a goal and a dream, you must be consistent and persistent! Remain focused on what you want. Men of wisdom would always say, "If the front door is closed to you, go around to the back door and see if that is open. If that is closed, go around to the side of the house to see it they left a window open. If that is closed, jump up on the roof to see if you can get in. Just keep on trying! Never give up! The only person that can stop you from realizing all your dreams is—YOU!"
You are our now the new generation. I am on my way out of your league. You must reassess, re-examine and clarify your priorities and not just be satisfied with the status quo. Whether you go into nursing, information technology, business, law, medicine, politics or education, neither you nor the Philippines can survive or prosper by just accepting what is at hand or being passive about all that’s happening. Somebody has to come up with an outstanding attitude, meaningful new ideas, significant changes and important new discoveries. Why can’t that "somebody" be you? You just have to be ‘somebody’ to make it.
In closing, as I’ve said, the worth of any school is measured by the achievements and accomplishments of its graduates and by the loyalty of its alumni. Again, I want to congratulate you on your great accomplishment and offer you my best wishes. To the Manuel L. Quezon University, who has so graciously instilled the best education, and this strong character upon me to become who I am now—in behalf of my family, I thank you!
GOOD MORNING!!
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