[0:01]And the graduate with the highest grade point average of 1.05. Abelardo Galang Cortez Junior, Suma Cum Laude.
[0:25]We now welcome Abelardo Galang Cortez Junior for the valedictory address.
[0:51]To the distinguished officers of the administration, esteemed faculty, proud parents and guardians, families and friends, and most especially to the men and women of the historic Batch 2022. Good afternoon.
[1:14]In the middle of a busy day, there's this one woman who asked me this million-dollar question which I regularly hear from almost everybody. Ang na po. Nanu mo yung sikreto mo? O ba't ka biyas na mung kanya. Bantay na ako maging ya na mung biyas sa kalupa mo, 'di ba? Marites, 'di ba? If I was in any formal event, I would be more than glad to provide her some practical as well as research-based tips. But since I'm in a hurry that day and as a sleep-deprived college student who can't process my brimming thoughts, I just replied with a joke. Papa kape niyo po ako. Let your son drink coffee. Shock by my own nonsense response, I was about to explain my point but then she urgently replied, Ayo na. Ayun lang kailangan na kailangan kape. Bale ang problema ko po ngayon ay botame acid na ang anak niyo. Today, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to make up for that. Let me share with you a brew of three life lessons, just three life lessons that I learned as your coffee-blooded valedictorian. Umpisahan natin sa unang timpla. A famous slogan of one coffee brand asks us a remarkable question that gives us a thought. Para kanino ka bumabangon? What or who gets you ready to make your day? This question enables us to clarify the reasons why we continue to work hard and persist in spite of all the challenges that we face. Para sa mga magulang, madalas ay pamilya po ang sagot. Tama po? Para naman sa mga nagsipagtapos, madalas ay para sa pangarap. For others, the answers might be more noble causes such as to serve God and our countrymen. What about me? Para saan o para kanino po ako bumabangon? I have a confession to make. I wasn't supposed to be here today.
[3:30]Why? I wasn't supposed to be here today if my parents decided not to continue with my birth 22 years ago because they were stricken by poverty. I wasn't supposed to be here today if my first teachers did not believe in the hard work and dedication of a son of an impoverished family. I wasn't supposed to be here today if Holy Angel University did not generously provide me a scholarship to enter its prestigious portals 10 years ago. I wasn't supposed to be here today if my family and I chose to give up when our lives seemed not to agree with our aspirations. But thank God, I am here today, with my beloved parents claiming the fruits of our labor as the first college graduate of the family.
[4:33]And I realized through time that my life has been a cyclical process of rewriting the narrative and challenging the status quo. The boy who was faced with the harsh realities of the world at an early age was transformed to become a man who wanted to change this world one classroom at a time. This is the story that brought me to this stage today. My story is just one among the many other stories that kept us going. I am sure that you too have your own story to tell and certainly another meaningful why or reason why you dared to persist to reach this far. Para kanino ka bumabangon really speaks of the aroma, the heat, and the kick that wakes us up every morning. So, even after this graduation, we have to constantly remind ourselves of the reasons because as Simon Sinech says, success comes when we wake up every day in the never-ending pursuit of why we do what we do. Unang timpla, magpursige at magpatuloy, tanga ng kape na magbibigay sa atin ng dahilan para bumangon araw-araw. Ikalawang timpla. Sabi po nila, mas sumasarap ang kape kapag ito'y pinagsasaluhan. Yiy! I don't know if you'll agree with me, but I believe coffee is best when shared. We usually prefer to drink coffee at a cozy table with the special people in our lives, catching up and even talking about our deepest thoughts like, ooh! But here comes reality. Life wouldn't serve us good coffee every time. Alam po natin hindi araw-araw ay masarap ang kapeng ihahain sa atin ng buhay. Kung minsan, ito'y sobrang pait na hindi na natin kayang lunukin pa. Hindi po ba't ganito rin ang naranasan natin noong mga nakaraang taon lalo na ng dumating ang pandemya? Naiparanas sa ating lahat ng buhay ang pinakamatinding pait. Ang mawalan ng trabaho, ang magkasakit.
[6:58]Ang mga araw na maski makakain natin hindi natin alam kung saan kukunin. At ang pinakamalungkot, ang mawalan ng minamahal sa buhay. Regardless of our status, we're familiar with the feeling of losing. For my fellow graduates, these were moments when we felt that nothing matters anymore due to the burdens of our online classes and the worries brought by everything disastrous that's happening around us. In spite of that, today, please allow yourself to realize and savor this sweet reality. We've made it.
[7:43]Tukman taingan po ay mayumong lasa ng katutuan, aakap sa tamong inga ganang pait ng di at mi ta. And since coffee is best when shared, the same thing is applicable to our achievement today. Our graduation becomes a lot more meaningful when we share it with others and when we think the people who were with us in both our highest and lowest. We thank Holy Angel University for making our learning possible in the middle of the greatest challenge in the history of education. We thank our teachers, who work tirelessly under increased demands and experienced their worst burnouts but still managed to show us their sweet smiles in our Zoom meetings. We thank our friends, classmates and orkmates, who understood the assignment that when we said, "Hoy, tara, kape tayo." They knew that in reality, we were just asking for help and company. And of course, we thank our parents and families, who were with us, who accompanied us from our baby steps until this day that we marched to our graduation. And let me use this opportunity to remind you to please love your parents and guardians. Because often times, we are so busy growing up that we forget that they are growing old. You may not hear it directly from them, but some of our parents might think that their lives have been hopeless cases until they saw you graduate today. You were the only hope and achievement that they can share with the hope. Palakpak ang tanan po.
[9:29]Personally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my Auntie Julie and Uncle Rick, who are watching from California right now. Auntie and Uncle, thank you for supporting me and my dreams and for always being there when I needed you the most. Above all, we thank God, the greatest teacher and creator of the wonders of this world. We thank Him for he loves us unconditionally even when we are most unlovable. May the Lord embrace for us our friends and family members in heaven, including our late President Dr. Louise Maria Arcangelo, who were not able to wait long enough to witness this momentous day. The great Maya Angelou once said it beautifully: "I come as one, but I stand as 10,000." Hence, in times of uncertainties and challenges, it would be great if we'll choose to look at ourselves from this perspective. That we are not alone. We come as one, but we stand confidently with tens of thousands of our families, friends, and loved ones. Totoo nga po ang ikalawang timpla, ang buhay ay parang kape. Mas makabuluhan kapag pinagsasaluhan. Ikatlong timpla. Sabi po nila, ang pagmamahal ay parang pagtitimpla ng kape. Uhm. Dapat matapang para kaya kang ipaglaban. Ouch! As we leave the hollowed portals of the university, we are now dared to apply what we have learned to the real world. We will take different paths in life. Some of us will be educators, while the others will venture into the tourism and hospitality industry. And I believe that our diverse missions could be encapsulated by a single command with a profound and poetic meaning. To love. Because we love, when we do the right thing and we when we do our best. As future teachers, we love when we ignite the fire of knowledge within our students and inspire them to become better versions of themselves every day. As industry workers, our friends from SHTM love by providing high-quality services in food, recreation, and travel. As citizens of the world, we love when we invest our time, energy and resources to serve our fellowmen. As emphasized by the woman who recently sparked a revolution in this country. Ang nagmamahal, kailangan ipaglaban ang minamahal. A life live with love should be a life live with courage. As a social studies major, I recognized that facing the real world may mean venturing into the greatest battle of our lives. Because as we enter the post-truth era, we see how powerful people revised the historical narrative for their personal needs. We are living witnesses to the rampant abuse and repression of the truth. And I am here to make you realize that regardless our different careers, we are all called to hold the line. Future educators, we are challenged to stand not as one but as thousands, as we recall and emulate the bravery of real heroes. Like Rizal, Bonifacio and Tarek Suliman. Future industry workers, especially our friends from the tourism management sector, are challenged to become ambassadors of the country who will narrate a Philippine history that is based on research and that is discerned from credible historical sources, not just YouTube and TikTok.
[13:40]In addition, we are all challenged to find or be the solutions to the decade-long issues plaguing our country. And we are challenged to become courageous enough to change the world. Some people say that such a statement is just an exaggeration and an impossible thing to happen. But I believe that these people are wrong. For they just forgot to realize that our contributions, no matter how big or small, if these were done with love can change the world. As a member of the LGBT community, I dare to say with pride that we are changing the world when we recognize no barriers when we love.
[14:28]As a son, I believe that we are changing the world when we build good homes and when we love our families. As a future teacher, I am sure that we are changing the world whenever we genuinely serve para sa bata. As men and women of courage, we change the world whenever we love. Ang pagmamahal ay parang pagtitimpla ng kape na dapat ay may tapang na kayang baguhin ang mundo. Ladies and gentlemen, as we are about to unfold another chapter in our great stories. We can bring with us the three brews of life lessons that I shared with you today. Clarify and be guided by your purpose. Stand as one, but come as 10,000, as you live your life with others. And after that, dare to change the world with love. Once again, congratulations to the men and women of Batch 2022. I have so much faith in who we will be. Let us brew more cups of love and make this world a better place. Kapai.
