When I was asked to be the guest speaker for this special event, I was a bit hesitant to accept it. I am not sure if I’m the right person to do it. But then again, I realized that it’s not about me, but my story. A story that could somehow serve as an inspiration for the graduating student or the parent of that student that is more or less in the same situation as me before.
Let me share you my experiences through that speech. Please allow me to present it the way it is when I delivered it (Tagalog-English-Ilocano). Here it goes...
"I attended a Day Care Center malapit sa bahay ng lolo ko. Sa edad na lima, hindi ko pa masyadong natatandaan ang mga pangyayari pero sa pamamagitan ng pagkukuwento ng nanay ko, nagsimula daw akong mahiyain. Kapag daw may pacontest sa bayan, madalas ako daw ang isinasabak ng teacher ko, kaya lang kapag oras na ng patimpalak ay ayaw ko ng sumali. But my mother never gave up to train and guide me until at last I started to build my abilities. I then finished my pre-schooling as outstanding pre-schooler.
Guest Speaker at Pasil Elementary School
Bilang isang musmos na bata, excited akong pumasok sa unang baitang sa elementarya. Medyo malayo ang distance ng school sa bahay, about 1.5 kilometer. Sa anim na taon, nilalakad ko lang papunta at pauwi. P1.50 lang ang pamasahe noon pero nasasayangan ako kaya itinatabi ko para pambili ng ibang pangangailangan. Wala kaming uniform sa school sa elementarya pero kasya na ang 3 pares na damit na pinagsasalit-salitan ko sa buong linggo. Wala din canteen dito noon kaya kailangan kong magbaon ng pang-lunch ko. Okay na ang pritong itlog, minsan pinakbet na saluyot lamang. Minsan lang makabili si Nana ng karne. Napudpod man ang tsinelas ko sa araw araw na paglalakad ng mahigit isang kilometro, hindi ko ito pinagsisihan. Sapagkat, ito ang nagpatibay ng aking mga binti at paa na siyang naging kasama ko sa pagtahak sa daan tungo sa aking mga pangarap. Bilang man ang aking damit na pinagsasalitan bilang uniporme, masaya pa din ako sapagkat ito ang nagpatunay na sa huli ang mahalaga pa rin ay ang iyong kalooban at di ang gara ng iyong kasuotan.
I took the entrance examination at the Mariano Marcos State University Science High School and luckily passed it. Dahil alam ko ang hirap ng parents ko sa financial, kasya na ang P20 na allowance ko araw-araw. Bente pesos lang ang puhunan ko sa araw – araw kaya’t kung tutuusin ay tubong- lugaw pa ako. Sapagkat dito sa high school ko naranasan ang madaming una sa aking buhay. Ang unang pagtapak ko sa entablado na siyang naging daan upang mawala ang aking pagkamahiyain. Dito ako unang namuno ng mga organizations na siyang humubog sa akin upang maging responsable at mabuting lider. Natapos ko ang high school pero hindi pa ako dapat tumigil sapagkat mas malaking pagsubok ang kolehiyo. Sa hirap ng buhay namin, kayanin pa kaya akong pag-aralin nina Nana at Tata?
My question was answered when I was able to pass the screening exam of Department of Science and Technology scholarship. My tata accompanied me to take entrance exam at University of Santo Tomas, passed the exam at doon na nag- aral.
Sa college mas marami na namang challenges ang nakasugapa ko, academic, financial and life’s challenges. Di pala biro biro ang pag aaral sa kolehiyo. Kailangan ang matibay na dibdib, malakas na determinasyon at may disiplina sa sarili. Sa katunayan nga nakakauwi lang ako sa Ilocos every end of the semester. Limang taon ako sa Manila na hindi man lang ako nadalaw ng parents ko sa boarding house dahil nga sa kakulangan sa pera. Ang nagbibigay lakas sa akin noon ay ang Diyos at ang mga paalaalang pabaon ni Nana at Tata sa akin bago lumuwas uli sa Manila. They may not be physically beside me, but they were always there to guide me in some other ways possible. Thru self-discipline, I was able to fight social evils in Manila environment. I always held on to my hopes and dreams and I always knew that one day I will finish my degree.
And when I did, another question popped-out my mind. Meron kaya akong gagastusin sa pagrereview sa board exams? Kinausap ko si Tata at Nana dahil sila lang ang makakasagot sa aking katanungan. Anyan a ragsak ko idi kinuna daydi Tatang ko. “Nairemedyo mi ti kasapulam nga pimmangal iti maikasiam nga tukad ti agdan, arigna maysa laengen saka ka makadanon iti kadsaaran. Ikarigatanmi dayta “, kinunana (I felt elated when my Tata said: You are almost there and we are not giving up, not this time. We will find way to get that amount you need). Those words echoed to my ears and inspired me to give my best shot in Chemical Engineering board exams.
Together with the Mayor
Noong maipasa ko ang board exams, akala ko wala na akong tanong, meron pa pala. Sa tindi ng competition ngayon, paano kaya ako makakapasok sa trabahong gusto ko? Mahirap sagutin pero binalikan kong isipin ang lahat ng hirap ko sa pag-aaral, ang pagsasakripisyo at paggawa lahat ng paraan ng aking mga magulang para ako’y makatapos lamang at sa dami ko ng pinagdaanan, ngayon pa ba ako susuko? … iyon ang mga nagbigay sa akin ng lakas ng loob para marating kung nasaan ako ngayon.
Dear graduates, sa pagtahak ninyo ng pipiliin nyong daan, lagi nyong tatandaan, Sometime, rather oftentimes, you just need to keep your faith in order to achieve what your heart desires.
Alam nyo naba yung kwento ng isang lapis? Maybe some of you are quite familiar with it.
May isang grade schooler pinapanood ang kanyang lola na nagsusulat ng letter. At one point tinanong ng grade schooler, “Lola nagsusulat po ba kayo ng kwento? Tungkol saan? Tumigil ang lola sa pagsusulat,”Nagsusulat ako tungkol sayo apo, pero mas importante sa mga salita ay ang lapis na ginagamit ko. Sana paglaki mo maging katulad ka ng lapis na ito."
Naintriga ang bata, “Ho? E ordinaryong lapis lang naman po yan lola eh.” Sagot ng lola, “Depende yan sa pagtingin mo sa mga bagay-bagay apo. May limang katangian ang lapis na ito. Hayaan mong isa-isahin ko ito sa iyo apo.”
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| The Pencil |
Una: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand, in God’s hand, and allow other human being to access you for the many gifts you possess. Pangalawa: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil. By going through various problems in life you will become a stronger person. Pangatlo: The pencil’s eraser allow us to erase or rub out any mistakes. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. Pang-apat: What really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you. Panglima: On every surface you are used on, you always leave your mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you will do in life will leave a mark.
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| Awarding of Graduation Certificates to the graduates |
Lagi nyo itong tatandaan and you will be the best person you can be. Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change. God doesn’t give a person excess talent and another person no talent at all. You just have to want to learn, believe in yourself, and be willing to step forward with faith and find your passion and purpose.
Dear parents, your children are the hopes of the fatherland. If you want your child to walk the righteous path, do not merely point the way – lead them the way. Sabi nga nila, ang mga bata daw ay parang basang semento na kung ano malaglag sa kanya ay mag-iiwan ng bakat na dala nila hanggang pagtanda. I could proudly say na nai-lead ako ni Nana at Tata sa tamang daan. They were the ones who lifted me when I’m down, they were the ones that encouraged me when I’m losing hope and pushed me when I’m ready to give up. Sa nanay at tatay ko nakita na lahat ay possible, magtiwala ka lang sa Diyos. Hindi siguro kayo maniniwala pero napagtapos ako sa pamamagitan ng pagtitinda ng nanay ko sa mga bahay-bahay ng sari- saring isda at gulay, at katu-katulong ng tatay ko sa pagsasaka ng maliit naming bukid.
Dear teachers, malaki ang naging impluwensya ninyo sa magiging hinaharap ng mga batang ito tulad ng nagawa ninyo sa akin. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my elementary school teachers, Diyos ti agngina ma’am iti an-anus yo kanyak (Thank you ma'am for all your patience in me). You were the ones that encouraged me to overcome my weakness and pushed me to do my best in school. Those were the building blocks for what I am today and you will always be a part of who I am now and who I will become. And for that, a heartfelt gratitude to you all. May you continue your legacy to the next children to come.
Now, as I stand here before you, hindi ko masasabing wala na akong tanong sa buhay. I guess that’s part of life. Life’s full of questions we have to answer. But with all the experiences I had, I am not afraid.
My dear graduates, today, a new door has opened. Make the most out of it. Do not fear to fall, fail or get hurt for they are the best sharpeners. Good luck graduates or shalI I say little pencils. Make your mark to the world. Thank you and good day to all."
I could still remember very vividly how the parents, teachers and the graduating students were very teary-eyed after my speech. I hope I was able to spark a vision for themselves to not give up until they reach their destination whatever obstacle comes their way. (Let's see when I meet them 10 years from now).
My school life struggles were mostly connected to FINANCIAL STRUGGLE. Back then, I was always thinking why, but school never taught me the answer. When I finished my degree I said to myself I need to find out what can I do so that the next generation of our family will not encounter the same struggle as I did while studying. The financial challenges that me and my family hurdled have somewhat created the hunger in me to discover the secret of the financially-free and financially independent people; how most of my classmates never have to worry about tuition fees, money to buy books, allowances for food and transportation and the like. I said to myself, there has to be a way and I'm going to find it out. So, that started my love for reading all sorts of Financial Literacy books and articles.
Journeying with Passion,
Net
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