SMES Graduation Speech April 2019

josiegv
Aug 11, 2019
10 min read

SMES Batch 2019 Graduate Commencement Exercise

April 4, 2019; 1pm

Thank you Mam MJ for the warm introduction. To God be the Glory!

Part: 1 Intro & Background

My Flight from Guam
During my own graduation 25 years ago
What I hope to get from this trip / influence out of 44 graduating students

A pleasant good afternoon to everyone! How is everyone doing today?

I arrived last Tuesday night from Guam and during my flight, I become so emotional and at the same time thrilled. Today was a dream come true, another check from my bucket list. Back 25 years ago, I was the same simple kid sitting at your sit. At that time, I was inspired by our graduation speaker and wish that one day I will be the one on this stage sharing an inspirational journey of my life.

I may have travelled in many places, and for 17 years I have countless travels here in the Philippines but I consider this trip the most meaningful. When I filed my leave, they ask me where I am going. I said I have a very important mission on this trip – that is motivating the 44 students to dream big, testify to them that nothing is impossible if you perceived. Ordinary people that can do extraordinary things. I aim to do a good job today.

At the end of the day, it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished. It's about what you've done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. “Denzel Washington”

In preparation for this speech today, I have flipped a couple of You Tubes, Google Search and listen to various inspirational speaker at various prestigious schools’ graduation and as difficult as it is to level up with them, like Steve Jobs-I Phone, I am hoping that I can catch your attention. This is not only for our dear graduates but for anyone who have dreams regardless of their age and state in life.

San Miguel Elementary School plays very dear in my heart. These is where my dreams all started, my first success and failures, my first disappointment, my first challenges. I am forever grateful to my former teachers, my classmates, my co-alumni who had been part of that journey and shaped me to who I become today. What teacher MJ had share with you is just a testimony that it does not matter whether you graduate in private or public school. It is you that create your own destiny using the lessons learned during the process. As you graduate today in 6 grades, and Yay you will now be riding a jeepney everyday or staying on a boarding house to study on your middle school and high school, a little freedom from your Mom and Dad – You are a blank canvass.

Fitting my life story in 15 minutes is quite a challenge when Mam Amparo send me an FB message.

If I will share my journey, perhaps it will be a whole book. So, for now before we end up being so melodramatic like the TFC or GMA Teleserye, I decide to share with you all ONLY 3 significant stories of my life. Only three that’s it.

Part: 2 My Life Story

My Chinese Garter Story
My Miracle Baby
My Passing the Test

Let’s begin with My Chinese Garter Story. Does any one here knows what is this game? Most likely your parents but not you? Are you still playing it here at school? It is a popular game for Filipino children, most specifically among girls during their elementary years requiring flexibility, balance and coordination, ... The main goal of this game is to cross over the garter without being tripped from at different levels. 3.31

I have an unforgettable story, when I was third grade, my mother tasked me to fetch water and line up sa Gripo so we can get some water for the evening. You know students, when I was in elementary, I am very skinny, dark and short and still short. Can you imagine me carrying two containers water in my shoulder? A typical kid wanting to please my classmates, ignored my mothers instructions. As I show up that I am pretty good at it “small but terrible” I jumped so high and fell in the concrete floor of the classroom and I chipped my two front teeth. Ugly right? Out of the goodness of my mother, she spend her hard earned money to bring me to the dentist and fix my broken teeth. The moral of the story: 1) Listen to Your Parents 2) Stop complaining 3) Refrain from making excuses

When I was at your age, I did not enjoy much of my childhood years. Because I am the eldest of my four siblings, I carry so much responsibilities caring for them. Bringing laundry to the river, cleaning the house, feeding my brothers and sisters. Earn money through hand sewing, harvesting “sinegwelas during season” so I have money to buy bag and notebooks at the beginning of the school year. My mother has a buy and sell of clothing and various products, we take orders from house to house and collect them in installment basis. On Friday, I will go with Mam Precy at the teacher’s service to go to Domuclay. It was so difficult that back then, walking under the heat of the sun or under the rain, carrying a big heavy bag that you hope to complete the list so you can go home and relax and sometimes you have to run because of the barking dogs. You envy other teenagers who enjoyed playing and here I am helping my mother and father make both ends meet.

I need to change the course of my family’s future. The poverty and being dependent on other people’s assistance has to stop.

“It is in the quite crucible of your personal private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born, and God’s greatest gift are given in compensation for what you’ve through.” -Wintley Phipps

As I connect the dot today and recall what my childhood experience taught me was 1) Leadership 2) Discipline 3) Resilience

The SECOND STORY of my life is “My Miracle Baby”. It was a story of 1) Failure and Learning to Stand Up After A Fall. 2) It is a story of Forgiveness 3) Strength Rooted in Faith in God

When I finish Grade 6, it was uncertain if I can enroll in high school. My father was old fashioned, and was not supportive of me to pursue high school. His thinking was I will get married sooner so I don’t need to continue my studies. Thank God that I grew close to with my grandfather Isidro, I bond with him during fiesta and we go house to house to mark plates kitchen wares so when the neighbor borrows it, they know who owns it. As old as he is, he enrolled me at Batangas National High School so my father has no choice but to give me my allowance and get me to high school. We always fall short of allowance and I had to work with my highschool teacher to collect her 5/6, be a library helper or put some article at the BANAHIS newspaper to earn some money. I must admit that I grew up a bit independent and rebellious with my Father. When I finish high school, I took a part time job, you name it as a secretary, work at a printing press, collection agency, you name it- As I am senior in college, I become working student work in the morning and study at night. Met this guy who bullies me in high school and felt for him as if he was my destiny. I though he will be my night and shining armor but he become so controlling and abusive and I got pregnant –And the rest is history. My world crashes and it was the lowest point of my life. I feel so embarrassed as I brought shame to my parents and during that time it if you are a single mom – generation are very sensitive, and you become the talk of the town. I decided to continue my pregnancy and to my surprise my father embraced my situation with open arms and my family was supportive along the way. Why I call it a miracle baby – I deliver her at 8 months (pre-mature) and during semester break of which I never have to miss a semester and graduated in college on time. Today that pre-mature baby was my daughter who is back here taking dentistry which I can claim to be the best thing that ever happened in my life. Watch she helped me prepare something for your graduates.

Never let the person from your past punish your present and paralyze your future. Forgive often. -Anonymous
The chances you take, the people you meet, the people you love, the faith that you have, that’s what’s going to define you.-Denzel Washington
God is using all your experiences, both good and bad to develop your character to match your calling.”-Lysa Turkeurst

In life there is no guarantee, along the way as you enter your middle school/high school days you will be challenged to make difficult choices that will affect your lifetime. No matter what you choose you own it and make it work. Never lose hope, there is always a rainbow after the rain. 9:35

The THIRD STORY of my life is “My Passing the Test”. It is a story of 1) “What your mind can conceive you will achieve.” 2) It is a story of “There is no elevator to success, you use a stairs.” 3) It is a story of humility and Never giving up on your dreams” . Recognizing God’s sign

To make the story short, I luckily pass the revalidation exam to enter into BS Accountancy at University of Batangas which will allow you to take the Certified Public Accountant Board Exam. I prayed to God back then, when you make it possible for me to pass that exam, you will fulfill my dream of becoming a CPA. It was my fathers dream for me – although honestly, I want to be a nurse – but you know “we can’t afford it anyway”. After graduation, I transferred work in Manila to take the CPA review course but I was not fortunate to pass the exam. I was working at large construction firm in Makati at that time of whom my Japanesse bosses values license and certification. I was passed on promotion, the person who I use to train receive more than double my pay. I took the CPA Review course in Manila and failed once and I promised to retake it, pay the review course in full and pass. But I got call for a work abroad – to Saipan. Analyzing my situation, being a single mom needed to provide a good life for my daughter and having considered to help my parents to send my brothers and sister to college, I decided to accept the job. I was frightened travelling for the first time but I have to be strong. They joke around on me and say I was instructed by my parent to buy suka. But the dream is pre-conceived, I am determined to betterment of my family. I met another mentor who pushes me to take the United States CPA board exam and at the same time I met my destiny. To make the story short he was so support and we got married in Saipan. The journey of taking my CPA dream did not come easy, “ do you know how many times I took the exam students? There are four exams and it is with the US Standard and some different in what I studied in the Philippines. I took the subject each more than twice. I have yet to give up but thank God I never did. There are so many sacrifices, sleepless nights to study and be away from family. After passing the board exam in May of 2009, I got a job offer in October 2009 in Guam. We relocated in Guam and that two year of process passing the exam pave the way to many things. I have travelled different places sponsored by the company such as Dubai, South Korea, Singapore, Japan and many places in the US all expense paid. I met a lot of influential people, high profiled who I admired. The other certifications exams follow through, I was able to teach at the University of Guam for three years now, Job offers come my way and most important I was able to make my parents experience a much better life send my siblings to college, and engineer, registered nurse, autocad draftsman and electrician – all of them wanting to go abroad. The other one just left this morning to Malaysia.

Students today is the mark of the beginning of the new chapter in your life. At 1st Grade to 6th Grade you were at your baby steps where your parents are much involve in your studies but the next chapter on your middle school and high School will be another journey another level. You will encounter hardships, peer pressures but do not be moved, be comfortable in your own skin. Having the right state of mind and a good heart, you will achieve what you want to become. Just persevere, endure. “ There is no successful people that I know of that has an easy past” It is just a test. 13:06

Do not underestimate your capability to make changes as long as your heart and mind is set at the right place. It is not important if you will be at a private or public school, full scholar or not, working student or not. It is not important if you are at front of the line or at the back of the line – It is your will power that makes a difference.

Like my eldest daughter told me = Mom -NO PAIN NO GAIN-

Discover your gifts and talents, learn to connect the dots and be sensitive to God’s divine intervention in your life. Quit those insecurities and do not be afraid to fail. Life will always have a lot of detours, always goes back to your purpose.

Be determined to achieve your own dreams.

What Mam MJ had shared with you inspires you to aim higher, if I can do it You can do it too -

Wisely use the resources available to you that is the technology - your access to cellphone and computers, internet – Facebook- use it to your advantage.

As Steve Jobs who is the founder of Apple said “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living in someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living as the results of another people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other people’s opinions down your own inner voice. Most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

Three things that I believe a secret to success:

Strengthen Your Faith
Take Good care of your health
Practice the Attitude of Gratitude

Before I end my speech, to our beloved graduates my family prepare a small gift for all of you. 1) Journal -I have the habit that every birthday I write on my journal or diary what I have accomplished for the past year and what I hope to accomplished on the following year 2) Clock – this symbolizes time, we are all give 24 hours in a day, don’t waste it 3) Puzzle – when life get’s difficult remember and you can’t seem to put things together in a proper order, know that every part of the puzzle is just there, keep trying – and of course my all-time favorite – Key Chain from Guam – which means You hold the key to your success-

To our beloved faculty, it is indeed my honor to be with you today and thank you for the opportunity, to our distinguished guest a warm Hafa Adai for Guam and to our graduates and proud parents, Congratulations and May God Bless you in your next journey. – To God Be The Glory! 15:51