Graduation Speech - Inspirational (MNHS 8th Completion Ceremony) July 10, 2023

   

WORDS to INSPIRE

A warm greeting to all of you!

It’s been almost two decades since I left our Beloved School and today, I am deeply honored for the invitation to return here, and to impart valuable experiences that led me to what I am right now.

To come from a modest background, it’s fulfilling to accomplish things that I believed were unattainable. My father is a carpenter, and my mother is a manicurist. I have 7 siblings. They have humble backgrounds, but they could manage to produce children with professions. Their unyielding and selfless support and dedication greatly contributed to my success.

Students, the fact that you’re here right now is because of your parents and guardians’ support. You should thank them for their sacrifices, for their willingness to provide you with your needs, and for their love, generous commitment, and unwavering support. Congratulations to all the parents and guardians.

Let us also acknowledge and appreciate our teachers for their guidance and support. Yes, without them life is like a time without evolution.

Knowledge helps humans to evolve, I mean not physically, but mentally and civilly. Our teachers are the best people in this school. They have faithfully completed their tasks and did their best to educate, nurture, and support us.

And the most important thing is to be thankful to GOD for giving me this opportunity to serve the people. The fact that I’m here right now could count as one. Honestly, my journey to become a lawyer molded me into a better person but that process was literally smelting. I mean that it was not easy, it was full of rocks and thorns that somehow every time I think about those experiences couldn’t even convince myself that I did it. It was unbelievable.

However, let me share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned and some experiences that pushed me further so that I can achieve my goal.

First, have goals.

If you want to be something or someone in the future, then it’s best to start coming up with a goal. But don’t just limit yourself to one goal, have another one or two or more. Set some goals which are achievable, but you can even set an impossible one but doable. You might ask me, when exactly did I come up with a goal to become a lawyer? Well, let me tell you a short story, my wife’s family is full of achievers. My sister-in-law is a corporate lawyer. My brother-in-law is a CPA lawyer. My wife whom I met in UP also studied law. Dinners were spent discussing both family and legal matters. That made me realize that I want to be someone who can practice law as well. It strengthened my belief, my determination, and motivation.

That’s why goals are crucial in life. There’s something up ahead that you can look up to and that motivates you to move forward. It will also give you hope and certain setbacks. Mind you, failing can be devastating and discouraging but having faith in yourself and your goals keeps you on the right track, no matter how difficult that is. You have a source of strength to continue and move forward.

Second, be more disciplined.

I’m referring to the way we control ourselves. This world is full of vices, temptations, and distractions. If you have a goal, you must ensure that you don’t get derailed or swayed out of your path. I have met a lot of those, and I’ll be facing more of them in the future. However, if you have the right amount of discipline, you’ll know what to do, when to act,

and what options to choose from. And of course, with discipline comes patience. Many times, you’ve heard of this, patience is a virtue. But why is it a virtue? Virtue is moral excellence. It is a quality of being able to act morally, socially, and intellectually. If you’re well-disciplined then you’ll have patience, and if you have patience, you’ll always find better options in life. Better options equal to better opportunities.

I have also experienced many ups and downs in life, I’ve been to some end-roads where I felt like giving up. It happened to me when I was taking the Bar Exam last year. I think it was the third day of the Exam. I suffered from a mental block, and I never felt heavily defeated. My mind went blank, and I was about to give up already. The exam questions were tougher than I expected. The preparation time was also short, just a  few days intervals. It was a marathon of exams. I was on the verge of surrendering; however, I moved forward with faith, and prayed very hard. God heard my prayers and now I’m right here in front of you.

Third, be curious, explore new things, and acquire knowledge.

Having an inquisitive mind is also good but think before acting. We are learners in this life. When I was a student, and this is all honesty, I also hated studying. However, it was my curiosity that helped me continue to read and gain knowledge. You need to be like a sponge, fully absorbing everything that surrounds you. I’ve always been curious about how things work. I’ve always wanted to know how things work. That way, I was able to see things in a better perspective. Curiosity helps you to be able to formulate better plans and strategies as you absorb information. Learning is mandatory for every human being.

As I mentioned earlier, I used to dislike studying. I didn’t want to read academic books. But when curiosity sets in, I can read longer. If you think that you’re done because you’re already a graduate or you’re already working. No, it’s not yet done. Knowledge, information, and laws are evolving, changing, and updating. In order to keep up with these, we must continue to study and learn. Life without learning is like

stagnant water in a lake, there is no progress, no movement, no energy. However, be like the rough waters in rivers in streams, keep on flowing, strong, and always ready to fill yourself with knowledge, and flow to many places. Share with the world what you’ve extensively learned.

Fourth, celebrate your successes but don't be boastful.

Humility is another virtue. Sometime in the future, you’ll be able to achieve greater things but remember, it’s not getting a reward or recognition that matters, it’s your own sacrifices and effort. People will surely notice your awards, but they may not realize how much work you've done along the way to achieving them. But don't forget, no matter how brilliant you are, keep grounded. Don’t let those praises change you. Always be nice to others, respect everyone, and stay humble.

Let me share how I appreciate humility further. I was a freshman in law school, my first semester, and my first subject was Persons and Family Relations. At that time, I was very confident because I graduated from UP. In a way, I felt like I could do things better than the rest of my classmates. I was called to answer a legal question. I stood up and answered his question, but my professor were not satisfied by my answer. He asked me “Is that your answer? Are you proud of it?”. I tried my best to reason out and defend myself, but my professor told me, “Then get out of this room, you’re not meant to become a lawyer. Your answer is not a lawyer’s answer. After hearing those words, I felt like heaven fell on me. I was dragged to the ground without the hope of getting up. After the class, my professor called me, this time he was smiling. He explained to me it was not really his intention to be mean, he told me he wanted to teach me humility. He said that rather than trying to defend my answer, I should have noticed that there was something wrong with it.

- that I should’ve already realized that there was a problem with my answer.

Fifth, appreciate technology but don’t let it dictate your life.

In your generation, technology is related to everything. We have smartphones, computers, and tablets. We can take pictures, record videos, do some calculations, interact on social media, upload files, and stream media, play games, and more using specific apps. However, as you do these, just be more responsible, and do not let yourself get addicted to any of it. Don’t miss out on your chores and tasks because you’re busy playing games and streaming videos. Remember, these are tools to make your life convenient but not make you dependent on them.

I recalled my father's wisdom, that everything in moderation is best. This applies to technology; mobile devices can bring a lot of good things but too much use of that can also cause other problems.

Next, the most essential thing that I would advise is to pray.

Pray to GOD every day, not only if you need something or you’re in trouble but do your prayers every day. Prayers create miracles. Honestly, the things I have achieved until now were all prayer backed. All of the major exams I took were successful because I believed that I prayed faithfully - when I took the UPCAT, when I took my Board Exam in Fisheries and ranked third, and especially when I took the BAR Exam.

When I was studying for the BAR exam, I was putting in 10 hours a day of work. It was only in the months of October and November that I cut down my working time by half. So, I feel that I might not be able to succeed. I was asking myself; will this be my first failure? I have never failed a major exam in my life. At that time thick clouds of uncertainty were in my mind. Then I remembered what my mom told me, I first heard of this when I was in high school. “Pangamuyo gid” Pray, that’s what she told me. When you’re in deep trouble, feeling hopeless, or doubtful, then pray. It is the most powerful thing that GOD has given us, the ability to pray.

In my case, I told GOD, Lord, I’m praying for your guidance and your light. I promise I’ll let go of any negative things in me. I’ll take them all, I will not complain. I will be patient and I promise to extend assistance to anyone in need. However, I’m not qualified to impose upon you.

Again, always pray.

Finally, value and treasure any lessons you’ve learned.

To thrive and to have a better future, you must arm yourselves with the knowledge you've acquired from school. What you’ve been studying is the foundation of your future excellence. Without the things I gained from high school, I wouldn't be able to endure college days. Thanks to the hardworking and passionate mentors who have poured out their professional skills just to educate us. However, success is only guaranteed if you truly study, take in, and accept that knowledge.

Success is different from being lucky, success is guaranteed by hard work, dedication, and proper education. Inspire yourself to study more. Value any learning materials you have.

Don’t be afraid to challenge any difficult situations. I would say that you’re even more special because you made it through the pandemic. You have experienced what other batches haven’t, which could give you a better advantage. You were able to employ technology and utilize it to enhance learning.

Your educational experience is special and through that, you could achieve something greater in the future.

Students, you are the hope and future of our country! Don’t miss out on your task to study more and excel further!

Congratulations and God Bless you all!

Atty. Jose Marie F. Nasalga

MNHS Batch 2004