Message to the Fourth Year Graduates

Greetings!

Guest of honor, head of the school, faculty members, dear parents and graduating students...ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon.

This is indeed the day the Lord has made! As you celebrate with joy and thanksgiving the end of another school year, this marks an important milestone in the lives of both parents and their children. It is a significant event for them who are the role players together with the mentors of this institution.

Graduation is not just a culmination nor a recognition or award for your accomplishments. This activity and your presence here this afternoon means more than the diploma, the medal or ribbon you are about to receive. For this momentous occasion dear graduates, your achievements are the fruit of your diligence and dedication in your studies; your obedience and positive response to the people in authority especially your father, mother, benefactors, the school and your teachers. Hence, you deserve to be among those seated in front of this solemn ceremony. You are not here to be counted among the list of enrollees, but more noteworthy is that you were able to give your level best to cope with and to qualify in doing your duties and responsibilities in the learning process; so that, at the end of the day, you have grown in wisdom and stature. You have embraced and lived the right values and attitudes inculcated in you not only by your teachers but also your parents and benefactors inspiring, supporting and guiding you with love and care. And all these surely have made a difference in your growing-up years.

As a matter of fact, allow me to share with you my personal journey to what I have become today. Twenty years ago, a nine-year-old girl dreamt of becoming a doctor, not realizing how hard and expensive it is and a course of ten years. You might wonder how a nine-year-old girl, daughter of a fisherman and a housewife with nine other siblings could become a doctor. I could remember Papang promised to send me up to high school but could not assure college because- of poverty. The fact that four of my siblings got as far as high school and took some vocational courses after that and five other siblings in the elementary level, the thought of making it into college was really that impossible. It was the start of my struggle as a dreamer.

I believe it also comes with a blessing that I was so fortunate that God gave me a guardian who became His instrument of fulfilling my dreams. I still can recall how it all happened and I owe everything to my third grade teacher, Miss Abellar who believed in me and saw the future in me I guess. It was during the time of President Cory Aquino when they were looking for deserving students to be their scholars. I was so fortunate to be a recipient of that. However, due to some circumstances, the program ended after just a year. But God is so good, even after the end of that program, my sponsor, former Governor R.oy Gamboa, his wife wife, Inday Ruska aamboa and son Ryan continued supporting my education. As a sign of gratitude then, I rolunteered to stay with them every weekend :o do whatever chores I can. At the start of my first year in high school, I started living with them and they became my family for fourteen long years.

But life is not that easy. I have learned life's education as I journeyed. Maybe what makes the taste of life's success more fulfilling is to know is that you've worked hard and sacrificed a thing to get through it. That is the very best education in my life I have learned. I would never forget and would always keep it in my heart what Inday Ruska used to tell me. Leah, if you want to gain something, you have to sacrifice something. I learned the strategy of delaying gratification. I learned to prioritize only my needs and let go of my wants. I sacrificed my few hours of staying in school to play, like what my other classmates used to, in high school. I missed my acquaintance, Christmas and other parties in school for a reason. I learned to organize my life and focus on my future.

By 2001, I enrolled at the USLS- Bacolod to take up B.S. Biology with the kind support of the Gamboa family. It was then the beginning of my journey to become a doctor. Praise God, I have been so blessed by the generosity and concern of both my family and benefactors.

My life may not have been like my classmates in high school nor in college but it never made any difference. It never made me inferior to them. I thought of it as my sacrifices and offering to God to make my dream come true. After all these years, it makes me proud of knowing that at this time I'm starting to reap what I have sown for many years. This is the time when I could give in to my wants at times, my wants that I had set aside because I have to sacrifice. After all my struggles, I stood up in triumph. I have won the battle. One thing is for sure though, God brought me where I am today, a Doctor of Medicine and presently serving as a Doctor to the barrio in the far-flung Municipality of Pinabacdao, Samar.

So never stop believing in yourself. Soar High. Poverty cannot hinder your dreams. God has plans for all of us. He created mine so well, so is yours.

And today, dear parents, you need to be congratulated for a job well done. Through your untiring efforts, these students qualified in this Commencement Exercices. This is now the fruit of your labor of love, concern, sacrifices and commitment as parents. You have proven yourselves as parents. Mind you...this is what the world needs today. Responsible parenthood to bring Christ into the lives of our children, to teach them the values in the light of the gospel. To inculcate to them the Nazareth Spirit of Simplicity, Humility, Sharing, Love for Work and Prayer amidst the global challenge. And if you are today being responsible parents, this is also the product of how your parents had brought you up; a legacy which you are now living and handing down to your children.

So to the school that nurtured these students, to the mentors and parents, let us give each one of them the applause of recognition for being worthy formators of these graduates and a hearty congratulations to the new set of graduates as they move on to be able to do more. CONGRATULATIONS and God Bless!!!