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.