Thank you, ma’am for that kind introduction.

I would like to extend my

deepest respect to our Schools Division Superintendent Mrs. Jeannie L. Motivo,
Ph.D CESO VI and represented by her authorized representative Mrs. Florence
D. Comandante the education supervisor in Filipino “ma’am”. To our ever-
supportive district in – charge Mrs. Juvy A. Suson “ma’am”. To all the school
heads and principals of the different schools of tubay district II, To our active
school head Mrs. Doris O. Mirafuentes “ma’am”, and to all the teaching staff of
Victory Elementary School, PTA Officials,Barangay officials, LGU officials, proud
parents and guardians, graduates, guests, ladies and gentlemen a pleasant
morning to everyone.
It is an honor and privilege to be invited as your guest speaker for today’s
very special occasion. The graduation day! Seeing the happy faces of this batch,
I can say to myself that they are now ready to conquer another step of their
journey.
Today another chapter of your life has ended but a new one will be
written. The theme of today’s graduation is “Gradweyt ng K to 12: Hinubog ng
Matatag na Edukasyon”. I can say that a person who has a strong educational
foundation can face its challenges and problems in life with a big smile. Nganu
na sulti nako ni it’s because I am not who I am today standing in front of you as
your guest speaker without the education that molded me to strive hard and
reach my dreams. Everyone of us has an ambition in life, some wants to be an
engineer, doctor, nurse, police, soldier, teacher and other professions that each
of us want to become and we can achieve it by having a strong foundation of
education. It is an important tool for you to reach your dreams, a journey that
you must surpass no matter how hard it gets in order for your PUHON turns to
reality.
As the common saying that goes “poverty is not the hindrance to success”,
ug motuo ko ani tungud kay I am one of those students who overcame it.
Actually, most of these people here knows that my mother is a public teacher
but her salary is not enough to provide us financially especially on our studies
tungud kay unom me kabuok nangskwela tanan so para sa akong parents
hangak gyud kaayo. Some says nga “ug maestra raba kay daghan ug loan”
tinuod man pero ang akong ginikanan nagloan para kami makaskwela ug
padayun kay nakita sab nila nga pursigido me ug gusto namo nga makalampos
sa among pagtuon, but it came to a point where me and my brother have to
sacrifice our studies and work for the sake of our other siblings. I stopped for
almost 3 years. I went to Davao and worked as a cashier on a fast-food
restaurant inside the Davao International Airport. Wala rasab ko ge laay tungod
kay mawili ko nga makakita ug artista. But it didn’t stop me in achieving my
dreams, until the day my parents called and told me nga mo uli nako kay para
mo padayon ug skwela bisan pa daw ug magkautang-utang sila basta
makaskwela nako. Nalipay ko kay syempre makaskwela nako mao nani ako
gipaabot but at the same time naguol ko pero I prayed to God to help us and he
answered it. I became a provincial scholar.so syempre kay scholar man ko need
nako mag pursige sa pagtuon kay adunay grado nga gina maintain. Bisan scholar
nako need gihapon nako mag trabaho para sa ako allowance matag semana. So
ang nahitabo skwela ko lunes hangtud bernes then ga work ko as caregiver sa
akong lola every weekend. Bation nako ug kakapoy pero tungud sa akong
tumong ug tinguha nga makalampos akong ge antos ang tanan. I finished my
studies with the degree of Bachelor in Elementary Education. After my
graduation I enrolled myself in a review center for the upcoming board exam
but at the same time I also worked as a private teacher in Agape Learning
Center Cabadbaran City, Incorporated. So my schedule went like this Monday to
Friday trabaho then Saturday and Sunday review at the same time caregiver
gihapon sa akong lola. As exam date is fast approaching wala ko kasabot sa ako
ge bati kulbaan na tungud kay basin dili ko maka focus and basin dili ko
makapasar kay wala kayo ko naka study. But I prayed and trust God for
everything. After the exam there was a time that some people bullied me but
my mother told me na okay mo pasar ko o sa dili okay ra kay ang Ginoo naay
plano sa tanan and everything has its perfect timing. Thank God and I am proud
to say that I passed the board exam take 1 ra gyud and naliwat kos akong mama
nga take 1 rasab siya.
So, you see my dear graduates if there comes to a point that your parents
can’t afford your studies but you want to continue try finding ways apply some
scholarship program or be a working student as long as you have the
perseverance to finish your studies. Use your family and your situation as an
inspiration. Ayaw hunahunaa ang kakapoy kay ang tanan pag antos nila ug pag
antos nimo naay kapaingnan tanan. For the parents you have to support your
children in their studies aron sila makalampos sa ilang pagskwela. Above all let
us pray and trust in God’s plan because everything has its reasons and purpose
but you have to work for it. As the holy scriptures says… “lihok tao kay tabangan
ko ikaw”.
Now I would like to request the graduates to please stand and face to your
parents and say “thank you mama and papa for supporting us always” and then
face your teachers and say “thank you teachers for teaching us everyday” and
lastly face your classmates and say “thank you for being part of my journey”.
Now please be seated.
Ending my speech in todays ceremony is a quotation from Malcom X
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people
who prepare for it today”
Congratulations graduates and be prepared for the next chapter of your
life.
Once again congratulations and God bless us all!