Speech given to Clarendon College (Roxas, Or. Mindoro) graduating class of 2014 on 28th March 2014 HUMBLE BEGINNINGS President Jun Bacay, Directress Lucille Tesorero-Bacay, Dean Flerie Tesado, the proud parents and teachers who are present here today, members of the Class of 2014, good afternoon. Ikinagagalak ko po at itinuturing na isang malaking karanagalan na ako ay maimbitahan upang magbigay ng “words of wisdom” para sa inyo. Ipaumanhin niyo po na yon lang ang aking gagawin. Hindi ko po kayo chi-chismisan tungkol kay Cedric Lee at Deniece Cornejo. At kung iniisip niyo na ako’y magsasayaw at kakanta, maaari na po kayong umuwi. I have a foggy idea of how to do commencement speeches. The sad truth is that I don’t even remember who spoke during my college graduation in UP. I remember being totally lost on where I was going to sit among the thousands of attractive and expectant young people that day. I don’t even remember being seated beside my classmates. So I begin this address with two (2) pleas to all of you – First, take a look at the person seated to your left and to your right. Go on, do it now. You may not see him or her again, and I want you to have the pleasant memory of this person on a milestone day in your life. Second, hindi niyo man maalala kung ano ang sinabi ko sa graduation niyo, pero sana… SANA … Matandaan niyo yung pangalan ko at hindi lamang “yung nag-beki talk at nagsayaw ng 1-minute dance craze sa Gandang Gabi Vice.” Sino ba sa inyo ang nakapanood nung episode na yon? Raise your hands, please? Oo nga, ngayon ay napatunayan ko na bakya nga ang mga taga-Mindoro. But seriously, I’m certain that there was some reason why Directress Bacay and Dean Tesado invited me to speak before you other than for my non-existent dancing skills. Certainly, it couldn’t be good looks, because I consider myself as quite ordinary in appearance, pandak pa nga ako. Kung gusto nyo ng gwapo, eh di sana si Papa Piolo na lang ang inimbita ninyo, di ba? I’m sure kikiligin yung mga girls… at yung mga nanay nila … at pati sina lola! Trulalu ba mga madir? Again, and just for the record, speech po ito, at hindi po akong bading. Ang defensive, ano? So in preparing my commencement address, I took a look at the available material on the internet about Clarendon College and what struck me was the phrase “Humble Beginnings”. Clarendon started out as a Montessori school in 1996. After just 3 years, it acquired the 2,000 sqm lot where your college now stands. In a short period of time, Clarendon began asserting itself in academic competitions in Region IV. In 18 short years, Clarendon College has made leaps and bounds to where it is now – a breeding ground for the future leaders of Mindoro and, possibly, of this country. Humble beginnings – naka-relate ako sa kataga na ito. You see, people, Raymond Fortun was born with hard-working but honest parents who, even if they were both lawyers working in the Supreme Court, could only afford to share 1 piece of tuyo for lunch. His father later became a Regional Trial Court judge but because the latter was uncorruptible, Raymond Fortun’s breakfast consisted in sharing 1 piece of fried egg – sa kapatid nya yung pula ng itlog, sa kanya yung puti. He had no problems wearing hand-me-downs from his elder siblings, with certain exceptions. “Mommy, okay lang naman na gamitin ko yung pantalon at medyas ni kuya. Pero sobra naman, wag naman pati yung blouse ni ate noh!” … Joke po yon. The truth is, Raymond Fortun was a lousy student during his elementary and high school years. Unlike his elder siblings who were consistent honor students, he preferred to just play patintero than study. In his 4th year in high school, he was almost expelled for bringing a switchblade knife to school. It was only when he entered the UP College of Law that he realized that he had a potential for excellence; thus, he graduated in the Top 10 of his class in 1988, was the youngest lawyer in the very first impeachment trial in the Philippines in the year 2000, a Bar examiner in 2007, the Number 1 supplier for weddings in 2009 and yes! even had a duet with Vice Ganda in 2014. And I certainly hope that that is the last time that somebody will mention UP College of Law and Vice Ganda in the same paragraph. Humble beginnings – you, the Clarendon College graduating class of 2014 and I, Raymond Fortun – have a common bond. In the same manner that my parents showed me the light to be who I am now, your teachers and your parents have brought you to this moment. For the high school graduates, you have been provided the skills and methods to do better in college. For the college graduates, you have been chiseled to perfection to now be productive and defining instruments to improve Philippine society. So what else is left to be done? How DO we channel all this knowledge that you have been taught by your school so that you can make a difference in your life and the people around you? Here are some points to consider: One: BE UNIQUE. Don’t try to emulate someone; instead, be someone to be emulated. Gusto natin na maging katulad ni Steve Jobs sa larangan ng teknolohiya, o si James Yap pagdating sa basketbol, o di kaya si Daniel Padilla sa TV at pelikula. But there will only be one Steve Jobs, one James Yap, and one Daniel Padilla. Ask yourself – sino ako at ano ang kaya kong gawin kung pagsisikapan ko? My brother Sigfrid told me during Erap’s impeachment case to refrain from smiling during the trial and I said, “I can’t NOT smile. I am a supremely confident lawyer, and I want the opposing side to know this.” For this, I was singularly acknowledged by law school deans as the reason for the increase in people deciding to take up law in 2001. Two: BE PERSISTENT. The only thing that can stop you from being successful is your lack of faith in your abilities. A lot of people are afraid of failure. However, as J.K. Rowling (the author of the Harry Potter series) once said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” Ang taong duwag ay tiyak na mas tatagal ang buhay, pero ito ay isang buhay na walang kabuluhan at di maaalala ng sinuman. Take it from me: you don’t have to be smarter than the next person; instead, be willing to work harder than him. Three: BE RESPECTFUL TO BE RESPECTED. Treat everyone you meet as opportunities to spread goodwill. Make it automatic to say “Thank You” to security guards, maintenance personnel, and the food servers in Jollibee or McDonalds. Respect people with less power than you, because you may be the most powerful person in a room, but you will be judged on how you treat the least powerful. And finally, Four: When you have attained your goal, when you have been honored for your successes, BE HUMBLE. People may think that their achievements are brought about by their hard work. But I strongly believe that nothing … NOTHING can ever be possible unless the same was willed from above. Lahat ng meron sa iyo ngayon --- ang talino at talento, sipag at tiyaga, ang mga taong nakapalibot sa iyo para maisa-katuparan ang iyong mga panaginip – at pinagkaloob ng Siyang nakakaalam at naghahari sa lahat. In the midst of your victories, do not forget to praise the One who made it all possible. And being a parent who just last year saw my eldest son graduate from high school, ito po ang mensahe ko sa mga magulang na naririto: Parents always want the best for their children. But the best gift that you can give to our young ones is the gift of a loving, compassionate and God-fearing heart. Instead of molding them to be grade-conscious, mold them instead to be morally upright, to practice daily the virtues of honesty, integrity and love of country, and to always fear the time when he will have to face his Maker and make an accounting of what he has done with the talents given. When that time comes, I pray that the child will not give the excuse, “kasi po hindi ako tinuruan ng tama ng mga magulang ko.” Today, we celebrate the joy of your achievement, but let us remember to give thanks to all those who have brought us here. Before we part, do thank your parents who have sweated blood and tears to raise you and pay for the cost of your education; your teachers who have unselfishly shared their knowledge and passion; and your classmates who have been your anchors and support during your times of weakness. And while we celebrate, let us not forget that today’s right of passage carries with it an obligation to be an instrument of change for those whose lives you touch. Congratulations, Class of 2014. Prove your greatness, and make us proud. Thank you.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 03:25:47 +0000
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