Speech for Emmanuel’s Way 2023 Moving Up/Recognition/Graduation Day 2023

 

 

Speech for Emmanuel’s Way 2023 Moving Up/Recognition/Graduation Day 2023

 

Thank you, Emmanuel’s Way, for your invitation to speak – it’s an honor for me. 

The older generations used to call this day “Commencement Exercises.” How times have changed. Although I belong to the Millennial Generation, I am still surprised at the speedy pace of changes in the field of education. I understand that this ceremony is a mix of three kinds of rites, so congratulations to all of you who are “Moving Up” after a year of studies, those of you who got “Recognized” for your efforts, and those who “Graduated” this year, the Class of 2023.

Your theme for this year is about a “Resilient Education Foundation.” It is a most appropriate theme to have, I think, given our current situation. I believe you belong to those batches who experienced studying in the middle of a pandemic, and we all know that going through it was no joke. Even though we are blessed with modern technology, having an online class or using modules is a lot different from studying face-to-face in school.

The trials you have gone through have not been experienced by the generations before you. It must have taken a lot of self-motivation to learn and more enthusiasm and effort on your part just to get to this day, so you all deserve a pat on the back.

Let us thank God that we have gone back to normal lately, but even without a pandemic, we still experience other kinds of disruptions like stormy weather, flooding, heat wave, and I believe you have also experienced an earthquake? Let’s accept it – such is the life of living in a tropical archipelago that is at the same time situated in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.  

As inhabitants of such a challenging place as ours, we have no choice but to have a resilient mindset in every aspect of our lives. And that includes education.

I believe Emmanuel’s Way’s curriculum is pretty much adjusted to resiliency especially since our world today is a lot different, not just in terms of weather, but also in terms of culture. Everybody knows how globalization and international standards are affecting how we get our education, and I am pretty sure that your school has been preparing you to become global citizens. Again, we have no choice – in fact, being global is who we are as Filipinos. The Philippine nation was formed after a violent clash between different cultures and civilizations. We are a global nation – in fact, historians say that Filipino culture is the first truly globalized culture, thanks to the completion of the world’s first circumnavigation in our country (remember Ferdinand Magellan?) and the ensuing galleon trade, which connected the economies of Asia connected by the ancient Silk Road (especially that of China) and the economies of America and Europe. The Manila to Acapulco, Mexico trade route was, in fact, a longer trade route connecting the ancient Asian mainland to the Americas and ancient Europe. We are the first product of that first great global cultural exchange, so it makes sense that we also show the world the way to being a global citizen.

At this juncture, before I sound like an ambassador of the United Nations, let me focus on the graduating class by saying “thank you” to the parents who are always ready to sacrifice and support you; “thank you” also to your teachers who also put in the amount of effort and patience needed so that you would be able to learn everything you needed to learn; and most especially “thank you” to all of you graduates for doing your part, by earning your stripes the hard way, for burning the midnight oil, so to speak, because you truly wanted to be a resilient learner…

But remember: your success on this day of culmination of your studies is also the success of your parents and teachers. All your hard work have finally paid off.

Let your graduation be an inspiration to all those you are leaving behind, your schoolmates in the younger grades.

Before I end my speech, allow me to note how your local government is also espousing this culture of resiliency. During the pandemic, we had to immediately realign funds so we could have something to spend for vaccination, but we made sure we still had enough left for the schools. We also coordinated with the private sector to help out in whatever capacity they had.

We also had to strengthen our Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, our health department, our peace and order sector, and our information dissemination, so they could do their part properly in responding to the situation.

These are just some of the things we did during the global health emergency situation because we firmly believe in the importance of a resilient response.

So finally, let me express my wish that the resilient educational foundation you received at Emmanuel’s Way make you go places someday.  May what you’ve learned prepare you to face real life full of confidence.

Again, a warm handshake to all to you, whether you are moving up today, is being recognized for your achievements, or have successfully graduated!

Happy Moving Up Ceremony, Happy Recognition Day, and Happy Graduation Day to Batch 2023!