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ADDRESS TO THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETERS

10th Moving-up Ceremony Pacita Complex National High School 14 April 2025

Magandang araw po sa ating lahat! It is both an honor and a privilege to be here with you today on this significant occasion.

But before I begin my remarks, allow me to acknowledge the following:

First, to the officials of the Department of Education present in today’s ceremonies;

The school administration of the Pacita Complex National High School headed by Principal Janette B. Senarillos;

The esteemed faculty members of the PCNHS, some of whom I am very proud to have been their student during my high school days:

Thank you for shining the path that led me to who I am today, and for continuing to teach and inspire the present generation of our learners

To the proud parents and family members of our junior high completers — your unwavering love, guidance, and sacrifice have been the pillars of their success.

That’s why please join me in giving them a well-deserved round of applause!

And of course, to all our junior high completers — you know, if medyo babad kayo sa Tiktok o sa Facebook reels, you may have come across that viral video that is very much appropriate to describe you right now:

Nakikita na natin ngayon ang mga “sumakses!” Sakses kayo eh!

Pero hindi bigla ang inyong “sakses.” Anong sabi nga ulit doon sa viral Tiktok video? “Step by the step pala bago kayo sumakses.”

And that is why please give yourselves also a well-deserved round of applause for making it this far! Congratulations!

Fourteen years ago, on this bright and sunny month of April, here at the Pacita Astrodome, I received my high school diploma from our beloved alma mater. (And on this very same podium), I delivered my address as class salutatorian of the then Basic Education Curriculum.

Almost a decade and a half later, it never occurred to me that one day, I will be invited by my alma mater, as one of its alumni, to deliver an inspirational message on this momentous occasion.

It is, indeed, a full circle moment for me to stand before you today as your speaker.

As I was preparing my remarks for today, I would have wanted to look back at my salutatory address. But unfortunately, both the digital and hard copies of my speech are already unretrievable.

Although the speech I delivered fourteen years ago may have been consigned to history already, there is one thing I am absolutely certain of.

I remember sitting in these very seats, as most of you are now —

Full of joy and satisfaction for having surpassed the challenges of high school life;

Full of uncertainty as to what the future would hold, wondering if I was truly ready for the real world that lie beyond the walls of my school;

Yet full of hope and optimism, knowing that no matter how uncertain the future may be, as long as I kept believing and working hard, my dreams would eventually come true.

Looking back at my journey so far, I am reminded of a short but inspiring tale about the seed and the storm, which I would also like to share with you today.

The Tale of the Seed and the Storm

In a peaceful garden, there was once a small seed lay buried in the rich, dark soil. It was warm and safe, and for a time, it was content. The seed knew it had potential to grow into something wonderful, but it also knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy.

One day, a fierce storm rolled in. The wind howled, the rain pounded down, and the earth trembled. The seed felt the pressure of the storm above and began to panic.

“What if I’m not strong enough?” it thought. “What if I can’t survive this?” But despite the storm, the seed clung to the soil, holding on tightly.

As the days passed, the rain subsided and the winds calmed. The seed, though bruised and shaken, refused to give up. It took small steps, pushing through the dirt, slowly but surely.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the seed broke through the surface. The light from the sun was blinding at first, but it wasn’t afraid anymore. It had endured the storm and made it through.

As the seed transformed into a small plant, it realized something important: “The storm didn’t break me — it made me stronger. If I could survive that, I could grow through anything.”

My dear completers — Today, we gather not just to mark the completion of your academic journey but to look forward to the future that lies ahead.

Like the small seed in the short tale I mentioned, you’ve already weathered your personal storms — the pressures of academics, the doubts that sometimes crept into your mind, and even domestic challenges in your familial or personal relations.

But just as that seed clung to the soil, you clung to your dreams.

Even when the winds of doubt howled, you held on.

You kept going, even when the path was tough.

And now, you are here today, making it through.

Indeed, the future is yours to shape.

Life’s lessons for the future journey ahead

Dear completers, you are now facing an important crossroad, not only in your academic journey but also in your growth to become young adults and future builders of our nation.

As we celebrate this milestone, allow me to share some of the important lessons that I learned which may guide and help you in your own journey ahead: to dream and aspire, to work with determination, to make courageous choices, to embrace life’s redirections, and to hold on to faith.

Dreaming and aspiring

First is to dream and aspire.

Many of you were once little children, full of wonder, when someone asked, "Anong gusto mong maging paglaki mo?"

Perhaps some of you would want to be a scientist, a doctor, an artist, a public servant, a business leader — or even a lawyer like myself.

Back then, we dreamed without fear, without doubt. We believed we could be anything.

And that belief came from a heart untouched by limits.

Today, you received your certificates of completion. Some of you will be awarded medals in a short while for going the extra mile.

These objects ceremonially given to you today are a testament and recognition of your hard work and your sacrifices.

But this is not yet “finish line.” This is only the beginning.

Now, you must carry your dreams beyond these walls — not only for yourselves, but for others. For your families. For your community. For our nation.

As Pope Francis reminded us during his visit to our country in 2015, we must “not lose the capacity to dream.”

For our dreams are not just aspirations — they are the seeds of transformation.

That is why let us continue to dream of a society where every Filipino, regardless of background, has a fair chance in life.

Let us dream of a country where justice is not for the few, but for all.

Let us dream of a world that values compassion over conflict, and unity over division.

Pero tandaan natin: ang pangarap ay hindi sapat kung ito’y mananatiling pangarap lamang.

Kailangan natin itong paghirapan. Kailangan natin ng tiyaga, at ng disiplina.

Determination and Hard Work

And this leads me to the next pointer I would like to emphasize: the value of determination and hard work.

As the author Zig Ziglar once said, “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”

Walang tagumpay na hindi pinaghirapan.

Quoting another viral video, this time featuring a priest and a persistent commentator, sabi nga, habang may buhay, may…. habang may buhay, may…. pagsubok.

Your journey ahead will be filled with difficulties.

There will be setbacks, disappointments, and detours. When things get tough, ask yourself: "What can I learn from this? How can I do better next time?"

Each challenge is an opportunity to rise. It is in these moments of difficulty that we grow the most.

Think of those sleepless nights, the sacrifices, the moments when you doubted yourself but kept going anyway. Those were your training grounds.

The fact that you have already reached this far proves that you are capable, strong, and resilient.

Making courageous choices

But beyond perseverance, there is something else that life will demand from you: that is, courage.

The courage to take the road less traveled.

The courage to try, even when you are unsure.

The courage to start again, even after failure.

The courage to choose a path, even if it scares you.

As the diarist Anne Frank once wrote, “Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us.”

Indeed, every choice you make — from the big, life-changing ones to the small, everyday ones — will shape the kind of person you become.

I presume that months before this moving-up ceremony, you already made one such courageous choice — when you decided what track or strand you will pursue in Senior High School.

That decision is a defining moment because I do hope that it came from no one else but you.

It shows that you are beginning to take charge of your future.

And there will be more decisions like that ahead—some easy, some difficult. What matters most is that you face them with honesty, courage, and faith.

Embracing Redirections

But let me also say this, and perhaps, this is the most impactful lesson that I learned in my journey:

Not all paths will go as planned. Despite our best plans, life may unexpectedly take a different turn.

And until now, life still presents me with unexpected redirections.

You may be rejected from your first choice.

You may find yourself lost.

You may wonder if you are falling behind.

During my final year in PCNHS, I was a part of the student publication, The Dove, as an editorial writer. I really enjoyed doing campus journalism and representing PCNHS up to the regional schools press conference.

At that time, I’m already setting my sights into pursuing a degree in journalism. But admittedly, being a journalist in the Philippines can be life-threatening and dangerous. Hence, my family advised me to pursue something else.

I embraced this first redirection and decided to pursue the subject I am very passionate about – history and social sciences.

But back then, there were no nearby affordable schools in Laguna offering a stand-alone degree in history or social science.

The only choice I had then was to pursue a degree in education, with social science as my specialization.

And so I took it. There was no doubt that I excelled and performed well in my history, sociology, and geography courses in college.

But my bachelor’s degree is secondary education, so I had to undergo the experience of being a practice teacher.

It is during my on-the-job training when I realized the hardships of being a public school teacher, as well as the challenges and realities of our educational system.

And for that, I would really want to salute our teachers, who despite these challenges, continued to fulfill their noble duty with dedication and unwavering commitment to the profession.

That being said, I still managed to finish my education degree, class valedictorian at that.

I also managed to garner a decent score at the licensure exam for teachers, though few decimal points away from being in the Top 10.

But I wanted to do more than classroom instruction – by trying to influence and shape the policies of our government.

Thus, I took another redirection – from being an educator to a civil servant.

Pursuing a career in the government can be overwhelming. The bureaucracy is wide, there are several government agencies to choose from.

Being a social science major, economics, admittedly, is my least favorite field. Full of numbers, theories, and concepts.

Somehow, I ended up in the premier government agency managing the economic resources of our country, the Department of Finance.

Yet another redirection – as I would have wanted to serve the foreign affairs department, given my fondness for history, politics, culture, and geography.

The redirections did not stop there being in the DOF.

In dreaming big, I decided to pursue my law degree.

Those who have experienced law school would jokingly say, “Law school is like a walk in the park.” Except that the park in question is Jurassic Park.

Indeed, at one point, stress overwhelmed me which led me to quit law school for a year and a half for some soul searching – wondering whether being a lawyer is really my end game.

I took the courage to re-enroll in law school, fully aware that I have already missed my personal goal of being a lawyer by 2020. But this time around, it became more challenging, as we had to navigate the online Zoom classes during the pandemic.

But it was a blessing in disguise. As a law student who’s working full-time in government, the virtual classes presented an opportunity to pick up my pace to finish the degree and manage my schedule more effectively.

Against all odds and some personal losses along the way, I finished my law degree with an unexpected dean’s list award.

And in 2023, through God’s grace, I finally took my oath to become a full-fledged lawyer.

Yes, I may be delayed as per my personal timeline, but as the American philosopher Bronson Alcott said, “Success is sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats."

You see, I had so much redirections leading to where I am right now. And perhaps, there will be even more.

Sometimes, it is in getting lost that we truly find ourselves.

So when you encounter detours, don’t be afraid. Embrace them. Learn from them. Trust that every twist in the road has a purpose.

You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to start again.

What matters is that you keep moving forward — with courage in your heart and purpose in your steps.

For redirections are not failures. They are opportunities to grow, to rethink, to realign with who we truly are and what we’re truly meant for.

Keeping the faith

Minsan, kailangan lang talaga tayong ilihis ng landas—para mas mapalapit tayo sa kung saan tayo tunay na itinakda.

Kaya sa ganitong mga pagkakataon, importante nating taglayin ang isang bagay: ang pananampalataya.

Faith.

Faith in yourself — that you have the strength, the wisdom, and the resolve to overcome any challenge that comes your way.

Faith in the journey — that even the detours, the delays, and the difficulties are all part of a greater design, shaping you into who you are meant to be.

And above all, faith in something greater — whether you call it God, the universe, or destiny — that there is a plan far bigger than what we can see today.

As St. Augustine wrote, “If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. All of which is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.”

Generation of Unity, Partners for the New Philippines

Before I conclude, it is fitting that we are celebrating this occasion under the theme “Henerasyon ng Pagkakaisa: Kaagapay sa Bagong Pilipinas.”

This theme is not only timely — it is also a call to action.

It speaks of the strength we draw from unity, and the vital role that you — the youth of today, the leaders of tomorrow — will play in shaping the Philippines of the future.

In a country like ours, full of diversity — in terms of language, beliefs, and traditions — it is easy to become divided.

Yet, the Philippines has always been at its strongest when Filipinos come together, united for a common purpose.

In the words of the late, former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, “What brings us together as a nation is far more powerful than what pulls us apart.”

Our nation has weathered many storms — both literal and figurative.

From the historical struggles of our forebears, to the difficulties we face today, we have always found a way to move forward.

We rise, we rebuild, and we always find the strength to hope again.

And you, dear completers, are the stewards of this hope.

As the future of our nation, you have the power to influence not only your future but the future of those who will come after you.

You are not bound by the limitations of the past. You are free to dream big, to innovate, and to transform the Philippines into a nation of possibilities.

But let this be a reminder: Unity is not the absence of difference — it is the presence of respect.

It is the willingness to listen, to understand, and to work together despite those differences.

Thus, I am very hopeful that you will be a part of the generation that will build bridges of understanding instead of walls of division; that will offer solutions, and not excuses; and will choose action, over silence and indifference.

Parting Words

Dear completers:

Fourteen years since I last sung the hymn of our alma mater, its call to action inspired me to become the professional that I am now.

And in a short while, we will sing once more that hymn as we conclude today’s ceremonies.

Therefore, before you leave this institution, I call on each and every one of you to:

Live your lives in a righteous way;

Be a blessing to others in many ways;

Be the best that you can for the good of our nation;

And give glory to God.

May your future be filled not only with dreams and plans, but with the courage to make choices for yourselves, the courage to change course if necessary, and the faith to believe you’ll end up exactly where you’re meant to be.

Again, I extend my warmest congratulations to all of you!

Maraming salamat po, at magandang (umaga / hapon) sa ating lahat.

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iamearljohn · 4 months ago

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Dream, Dare, Love

Valedictory Address

20th Commencement Exercises

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa

14 April 2015

(Posted in commemoration of this address' 10th Year Anniversary)

Allow me to begin by sharing with you this inspiring parable which I came across on a web blog. It is entitled “The Parable of the Black Belt.” The parable goes this way:

A young martial artist is kneeling before his master sensei (a Japanese term for ‘teacher’) in a ceremony to receive a hard-earned black belt. After years of relentless training, the student had finally reached a pinnacle of achievement in the discipline. “Before granting the belt, you must pass one more test,” said the sensei. “I am ready,” responded the student expecting perhaps one finals round of questioning. “You must answer the essential question: What is the true meaning of the black belt?” “The end of my journey,” said the student. “A well-deserved reward for all my hard work.” The sensei waited for a more profound response. Clearly, he was not satisfied. Finally, the sensei spoke, “You are not yet ready for the black belt. Return in one year.”

A year later, the student knelt once again in front of the sensei. The sensei asked: “What is the true meaning of the black belt?” In response, the student said: “The black belt represent the beginning – the start of a never ending journey of discipline, work, and the pursuit of an ever-higher standard.” To this, the sensei replied: “Yes. You are now ready to receive the black belt and begin your work.

Ladies and gentlemen, today in this happy and glorious occasion, we are about to receive our individual ‘black belts’ – this is our College Diploma. Yes indeed, our diplomas are our well-deserved reward for all of our hard work. Yes, it is a symbol of distinction and recognition of our efforts. But looking beyond, on a more profound level, our diplomas signify a start of a never ending journey of discipline, work, and the pursuit of an ever-higher standard: the standard of excellence. Kaya naman, taos puso kong binabati ang kapwa ko magsisipagtapos, ang Batch Tanglaw-Diwa 2015 sapagkat ating napagtagumpayan ang lahat ng mga hamon ng buhay kolehiyo habang tayo’y nasa bisig ng ating inang Pamantasan. At nawa, hindi lamang sa seremonyang ito matapos ang ating pagpupunyagi sapagkat isang panghabang-buhay na gawain ang pagyamanin at pagyabungin ang ating mga sarili sa gitna ng hamon ng pandaigdigang kultura ng kahusayan.

Today, I have the privilege of addressing you and I am extremely honoured and humbled to stand here in this hallowed ground, where so many of PLMun graduates have come before me, and so many will follow, here in this place of new beginnings. Indeed, I may be the one standing here today but this day isn’t mine alone for it belongs to all of us.

Most of us have spent four years in this situation. Some may have spent five, six, or even more. Be that as it may, the question is – how much difference did those years make? How can we embody the noble vision that we, the youth, are the hope of our motherland? It is surely no coincidence that our graduating batch has been Tanglaw Diwa or ‘Guiding Light’ in the English language. Therefore, to exemplify this aspiration of being the ‘hope and guiding light’ of our motherland in the future, I enjoin everyone to undertake these three challenges: to dream, to dare, and to love.

To Dream.

First is to dream. It all starts with a dream. This dream fuelled our hopes and ambitions for the future. Some of us dreamt of being an educator, or being a psychologist, political scientist, or a media practitioner. We dreamt of improving ourselves as well as for the well-being of our families. And today, we see the fulfilment of that dream. Like most of you, I felt and endured the challenges and pressures of university life. I also had my ups and downs, my trials, my imperfections, my quirks, and my mistakes as many of also had. But through these hardships and challenges, we are like “silver and gold that are tested by flames of fire” (cf. Prov. 17:3). Kaya naman, lubos ang aking pasasalamat sa ating inang Pamantasan sa mga aral at karanasang ikinintal niya sa aking kaisipan at kamalayan na siyang humubog sa akin upang maging isang propesyunal sa hinaharap. Maraming salamat, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa.

Moments from now, we will receive the fruits of our hard work and our sacrifices. But the dream does not end there. We must dream not only for ourselves but also for others, for our society, for our country, and for the world. As Pope Francis said months ago during his apostolic visit to the Philippines, we must “not lose the capacity to dream.” Idealistic as it may seem, but let us not cease to dream of a society where people from all walks of life reap the abundant blessings of the Almighty and enjoy their inalienable rights. Let us dream of a just, peaceful, and prosperous nation where the rule of law reigns supreme. Let us dream of a world that is able to co-exist and work together harmoniously despite cultural differences.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in this world.” We will be able to fulfil these big dreams by accepting this challenge: to dare to become the change we want see in this world.

To Dare.

To dare. This is the second challenge we must undertake. As Andre Gide puts it, “man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” We must dare to go beyond our limits or what is expected of us. This is the essence of excellence – by being able to surpass what others usually do. In this day and age, we cannot afford to become complacent. Therefore, we must dare ourselves to be excellent in our chosen field. Let us dare ourselves to be at par with our global counterparts in the age of globalization. Let us dare to be the change we want to see in this world.

Fellow educators: we are beset by a multitude of challenges of the 21st Century: the information explosion brought about by the advance of technology, the changing attitudes of children towards education, the recent overhaul of the educational system into the K to 12 scheme, and a lot more. Nevertheless, in the face of these challenges, let us always aspire and dare to become “great teachers.” What is a great teacher then? According to William Arthur Ward and I quote, “the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires.” Bilang mga guro, nawa’y magsilbi tayong inspirasyon sa ating mga mag-aaral sa hinaharap sapagkat sa atin nakaatang ang napakahalagang tungkulin na hubugin ang mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga kabataan na siyang pag-asa ng ating bayan.

I also enjoin our friends at the College of Arts and Science to dare. To our future psychologists, dare to excel and to contribute new and fresh discoveries in your field of expertise to improve the well-being of your clients. To our political scientists, may you be instrumental in upholding and promoting the rule of law and may you use your knowledge to be able to realize the goal of building a “just and humane society.” And to our future mass communicators, like us educators, you hold a tremendous power of influencing the minds of our people. May you serve as ‘cooperators of the truth’ – in your deeds, actions, and words which will be broadcasted through a wide array of media platforms.

To Love.

To this end, the final challenge we must undertake is to love. The challenge of dreaming and daring are all born out of love. We dream and dare because of our love for our families, our friends, our community and country, above all for God. This sets us apart from the rest of the creation – our ability to think and our ability to love. That is why this Commencement Exercise is the most opportune time to thank the following who deserve our thanks the most:

First, we are grateful to the Almighty who, through His unending mercy and grace, had guided us and given us the strength to carry on the multitude of obstacles and tribulations.

We are also thankful to our families for all the love and support. I think most of my fellow graduates will agree when I say that the people who deserve to receive praise and gratitude from us today are our parents, our families, to whom we owe this day of success. That is why I offer this moment to my family who stood by me at all times, despite my shortcomings, short temper and mood swings. Kulang ang mga salitang ito upang ipabatid ko ang walang hanggang pasasalamat sa inyo but I would like you to know that reason why I am standing here is because of you. On behalf of my fellow graduates, I want to say thank you to all of our dear parents. Sa paglipas ng panahon, kayo at kayo lamang ang siyang naroon mula sa simula – lahat ng ito ay para sa inyo.

Also, I also like to thank this opportunity to thank our beloved professors who molded us. You are like blacksmiths who placed us in a furnace and patiently hammered us to form the strongest metals and swords. Now, we can fight our battles through your help. Thank you for sharing knowledge and wisdom that will empower us in the years to come.

And I would also like to acknowledge my block mates from BSE – 4I Social Science. Though we may have some differences and misunderstandings, I still thank you for the memories, for your unwavering support, for the laughs and fun moments we shared and for your amity for the past four years. I do take pride of being a Social Science major and a member of the Social Science Achievers’ Society more than ever. We have once again proved that indeed, we are a ‘society of achievers.’

To the City Government of Muntinlupa: maraming salamat po sa pagtangkilik at pagkalinga sa aming mga mag-aaral. Salamat sa Iskolar ng Bayan at sa lahat ng pagkakataong ibinigay ninyo sa amin. Muli, ipinaabot naming an gaming taos-pusong pasasalamat.

The Real Battle Starts Today.

To dream. To dare. To love. By doing these, then we will be able to embody our batch name ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ and be able to realize Rizal’s vision that the youth is the hope of our motherland. Fellow graduates, the real battle starts today. As we now turn the last page of our college life, let us put into action what the Pamantasan has taught us: to become productive and God-loving individuals in the society. Let us not lose the capacity to dream, to dare, and to love – for ourselves, for our families, for our country, and for God. Let us set the world on fire, ablaze with our steadfast commitment to become agents of social transformation that will serve as a guiding light for the future generations to come.

Maraming salamat at magandang umaga sa inyong lahat.

Mabuhay ang Batch Tanglaw Diwa 2015!

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