Of Hugot Lines and Struggles

Sharing to you my speech for the Senior High School commencement exercises of STI College Las Piñas last 3rd and 4th of April this year.

Good morning/afternoon everyone! Please allow me to express my sincere appreciation for STI College Las Piñas for this opportunity; and warm congratulations to you, mga Senior High graduates na may potensyal and to your parents as well!

Senior High School – This is the stage when you feel you’re in between, right? You seem too old to be in high school but seem too young for college. It’s funny how some students would create a clash between the senior high and college. And so, the phrase “senior high na may potensyal” became viral from a simple tweet. However, I am not here to compare college and senior high school because I believe both stages will bring forth challenges and opportunities for learning.

Hindi pa rin mawawala sa uso sa panahong ito ang #hugot. Sa dami ata ng pinagdadaanan ng mga pinoy, ultimo pagluluto ng itlog ay kayang gawan ng hugot lines. Filipinos have learned to poke fun about their problems by creatively blurting them out through jokes. So, I believe lahat tayo may hugot sa buhay. Sino ba rito ang walang kahit anong pagsubok? Taas ang kamay! Wala, diba?! Lahat tayo may pinagdaraanan. And, it’s a reality that we have to live up to and deal with, with a proper mindset and attitude.

Senior High School graduates, you have just gotten your warm up. When you get into college, there would also be tough situations you have to go through. Maraming puyat sa thesis or feasibility studies; maraming projects; kasabay nun yung mahihirap na exams. Minsan, masasabay pa ang problema sa pamilya o kaya, sa pag-ibig. And when you start working, you will still have to deal with conflicts: pagpili niyo ng line of job, pakikisama sa workmates, pagpapasensya niyo sa inyong boss. And those are inevitable. At yang mga pagsubok na yan, kailangan niyo yang pagdaanan upang higit kayong matuto at lumago. Sabi nga ng isang sikat na preacher na si Pastor Charles Stanley, “We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.” Yung valleys, yan yung mga panahon na nasa malalim na bahagi kayo ng inyong buhay: mga panahon na mayroon kayong challenges, disappointments, failures. At yung mountaintops ay yung successes at comforts nyo. Higit kayong matututo mula sa mga pagsubok. And you would appreciate more the taste of success if you have experienced hardships.

So today, I would like to share to you three points on how to face life’s challenges and live victoriously. Kailangan niyo lamang tandaan ang tatlong letter H!

First point, Heart. While Facebook asks, “What’s on your mind?”; my question is “What’s in your heart?” You all have dreams. What are you passionate about? Your passion is the thing that you cannot imagine to be not doing. Maybe you’re dreaming to become a business person, a programmer, an hotelier, or a tourism operator. You have to take heart and reach for your dreams. And getting into college is one tool to get you a step closer to it. You have to run the race, fixing your eyes on your goal.

I have a short clip here. Please watch.

The athlete you have just seen from the video is Derek Redmond. That was during the summer Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. He was competing for a 400-meter sprint. As you’ve seen from the video, he was leading during the first half of the competition, but he broke his hamstring. The big guy who held him was his father, Jim.

Jim said to his son, “You don’t have to do this, son.” Derek was sobbing and answered, “Dad, I want to finish.” And his father said, “OK. We started this thing together and now, we’ll finish it together.” And they walked through the track until they reached the finish line.

Running the life’s race takes training, discipline, courage, and determination. What is that passion that God has placed in your heart? What is your goal? Go for it. In spite of obstacles and hardships, run for it! Say it, “I want to finish.” And to our dear parents and guardians here, run with your children. Help them finish the race.

Let’s get to the second H, that is Hope. Ako ay tumanda sa hirap. Tumanda, hindi masyadong lumaki. Kidding aside, nung bata pa ako, kapos kami sa buhay. Ika nga nila, isang kahig, isang tuka. Tumira kami sa tabi ng riles ng tren. Dalawa kaming nag-aaral ng kuya ko. He took up Civil Engineering. I was in High School then. Our mama is a fulltime housewife even now, while our papa didn’t have a stable source of income. Madalas nasa construction siya, o kaya nagtitinda ng street foods, o kaya nagta-tricycle. He was asking himself, “Saan ko kukunin yung ipangpapaaral ko sa mga anak ko?” Parents, have you asked the same question? There would be times that our father was at the verge of losing hope. Hindi pa masyadong kilala yung term na depression that time but he was close to that. But you know what, I would see my papa going out at night gazing at the stars and uttering some words I couldn’t hear. Later on, I found out, he was talking to God. Sabi nya, kapag pakiramdam niya malapit na siyang sumuko sa pagpapaaral sa amin, tumitingin siya sa mga bituin sa langit. Sinasabi niya sa Diyos, “Panginoon, kung iyang milyong-milyong bituin sa langit, nagagawa Mong hawakan at kontrolin para hindi mahulog sa lupa, paano pa kaya itong mumunting problema namin?”

And, by God’s grace, my kuya and I both graduated from college and currently, living our lives with purpose. Do not lose hope! Hardships and challenges will come, but continue to hope in the Lord. He is in control of everything. When things seem to fail, still cling to Jesus.

Now I’m down to my last point, Humility. Sometimes challenges are character-building experiences. Nung bata kayo, ang pagsubok niyo lamang ay kung paano matatalo sa Chinese garter yung kapitbahay niyo, o kaya, paano kayo mananalo sa arcade o PSP, o di kaya naman, paano kayo makakakuha ng candy o bagong laruan. But as you grow older, the challenges you face also evolve. And as you get to overcome those challenges one by one, your personality starts to mature. Your character is being built and you become better and better in the process. Likewise, sometimes, challenges are God’s ways for you to be humble.

When I was about to enter college, among of my dreams were to graduate as cum laude and to deliver the valedictory speech during the commencement exercise so I could glorify Jesus’ Name. Mataas ba masyado? Eh mangangarap ka na rin lang, taasan mo na diba? Also, as I’ve said, we didn’t have much money to sustain my studies, that’s why I strived so hard to maintain good grades, keep my scholarship, and be on the dean’s list semester after semester. I started well. Until when I was in second year, second semester, I lost my dean’s list post. Consequently, my scholarship was down from 50% to 25%. I felt so down. I asked God, “Why, Lord? Why do I have to go through this?” I believe God prompted me to reflect on my attitude. And you know what He had made me realized? I had become proud of my small successes. I had a good start because at that time, my heart purely desired to bring Him glory, not to myself. But I went off my track and right motivation. I was already doing it for my own pride. It was a painful disciplinary action but a very effective one. From then on, I told the Lord, “I’m surrendering my future and my dreams to You. I’ll just do my best all for Your glory. More of You and less of me.” And I believe God has honored my prayer of humility. Let me tell you, He has given me more than I asked for. I asked Him to make me cum laude; He made me magna cum laude. I asked Him to allow me to deliver valedictory speech in graduation; He has made me speak during my graduation, and on other students’ graduations, just like now. It is indeed true that “whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Graduates, in times of challenges, try to see the purposes behind them. Take them as opportunities for you to grow in character. Be humble. Have a teachable heart. Listen to your parents. Allow them to guide you. You still have so much to learn.

Dear senior high school graduates, the road to success has humps and bumps, but these are just simple reminders for you to slow down, focus on the destination, and keep yourself on the ground. You can face life’s challenges and live victoriously if… first, you take heart and pour your heart out on what you have to do. Next, you continue to hope in the Lord. And lastly, you live a life of humility and surrender.

Again, congratulations to you, graduates and parents. Mabuhay ang STI! Thank you and God bless!