COMMENCEMENT MESSAGE
(5 P.M., 27 MARCH 2007, VILLAFLORES COLLEGE, TANJAY CITY)

BY BEN S. MALAYANG III, Ph. D.

PROUD PARENTS, HAPPY AND EXCITED GRADUATES, GUESTS, GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT IS WITH EMPATHY THAT I GAZE AT THE EXCITED, HOPEFUL FACES OF OUR GRADUATES TODAY, MANY OF WHOM WILL APPROACH THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD WITH MUCH ANTICIPATION, WHILE OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WILL EMBARK ON A BRAND-NEW PHASE IN THEIR LIVES AS STUDENTS.

GRADUATION IS ALWAYS A JOYOUS OCCASION, ESPECIALLY AMONG FILIPINO FAMILIES BECAUSE WE PUT A GREAT PREMIUM ON EDUCATION AS A LEGACY TO OUR CHILDREN. IN FACT, I MUST SAY THAT MORE THAN THE GRADUATES THEMSELVES, IT IS THE PARENTS, GUARDIANS, LOVED ONES, AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS WHO REJOICE AT THE TRIUMPHS OF THESE GRADUATES. AFTER ALL, WITHOUT A STRONG AND LOVING SUPPORT SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE GUIDANCE AND TUTELAGE OF THEIR TEACHERS, THESE GRADUATES WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT ON THEIR OWN.

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, THEREFORE, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS BY INVITING OUR GRADUATES TO GIVE THEM A RESOUNDING, HEARTFELT APPLAUSE FOR A JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU!

TODAY’S YOUTH LIVE IN A MORE MODERN, COSMOPOLITAN SETTING COMPARED TO HOW OUR FOREFATHERS LIVED. I REMEMBER WHAT MY PARENTS USED TO RELATE TO US ABOUT HOW PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY DEVASTATED OUR COUNTRY WAS, ESPECIALLY AFTER WORLD WAR II – AN EVENT I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED MYSELF, AND WHICH I AM IMMENSELY THANKFUL FOR.

BUT, THAT WAS THE SCENARIO YOUR GRANDPARENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED. FOR SOME OF YOUR FOREFATHERS, THEY MAY JUST HAVE BEGUN TO MAKE A LIVING AT THAT TIME. THE CHALLENGE BEFORE THEM WAS HOW TO RE-BUILD THEIR LIVES FROM THE ASHES OF WAR – AND HOW TO PRESERVE A POOR NATION’S NEWLY WON FREEDOM.

TODAY, THE SCENARIO MAY NOT BE ALL THAT BAD, BUT WE ARE STILL FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE TO RESTORE THE ECONOMY TO GROWTH, AND TO STRENGTHEN THE COUNTRY’S COMPETITIVENESS IN AN INCREASINGLY INDEPENDENT GLOBAL MARKET.

SO, WHAT KIND OF A WORLD OF WORK ARE TODAY’S GRADUATES ENTERING? SHORT OF SOUNDING LIKE A PROPHET OF DOOM, IT IS A WORLD OF TURBULENCE AND UNCERTAINTY. JOBS ARE HARD TO FIND. IF THEY HIRE AT ALL, EMPLOYERS WILL BE EXTREMELY CHOOSY. HOWEVER, INTELLIGENCE PLUS THE FUND OF KNOWLEDGE ACCUMULATED BY OUR GRADUATES THROUGH THEIR YEARS IN SCHOOL WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU, MY DEAR GRADUATES, ARE THE SO-CALLED “KNOWLEDGE WORKERS” – PEOPLE WHO PUT TO WORK, NOT THEIR MUSCLES AND NOT THEIR HANDS, BUT THEIR MINDS. THE LEADING ACTORS IN TODAY’S SOCIETY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CARRY KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR HEADS – AND USE THIS KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE THINGS WORK.

I AM HAPPY TO NOTE THAT VILLAFLORES COLLEGE HAS, AMONG ITS GRADUATES THIS YEAR, INDIVIDUALS WHO OPTED TO GO INTO TWO-YEAR VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL COURSES, ASIDE FROM THE MAINSTREAM COURSES THE COLLEGE HAS BEEN OFFERING IN THE PAST YEARS.

THIS IS, INDEED, VERY INSPIRING BECAUSE TODAY’S WORLD CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO – THE WORLD OF THE SKILLED AND THE WORLD OF THE UNSKILLED; THE WORLD OF THE PEOPLE “WHO KNOW” AND THE WORLD OF THE PEOPLE WHO “DON’T KNOW.” THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO WORLDS IS SIMPLE – THE WORLD OF THE SKILLED AND THE KNOWLEDGEABLE IS RICH, WHILE THE WORLD OF THE UNSKILLED AND IGNORANT IS POOR.
THIS PARTICULAR TREND WILL ALSO SERVE OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES IN GOOD STEAD IN THEIR CHOICE OF COURSES TO TAKE WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS NOW LESS AND LESS USE FOR UNSKILLED WORK PEOPLE, AND MORE AND MORE NEED FOR SKILLED WORKERS. FOR ONE, JOBS ARE DECLINING IN TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES LIKE STEEL-MAKING AND CAR MANUFACTURING. AT THE SAME TIME, JOB DEMAND FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH HIGH SKILLS IS RISING IN SERVICE AND MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES LIKE COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND SYSTEMS ANALYSIS.

INEVITABLY, THE COUNTRIES OF THE UNSKILLED WILL BECOME THE UNDERCLASS OF THE FUTURE WORLD. THE COUNTRIES OF THE SKILLED WILL CONTROL ALL THE WEALTH – AND ALL THE POWER – MAKING THE COUNTRIES OF THE UNSKILLED DEPENDENT ON THEIR PATRONAGE.

WHAT DOES THESE ALL MEAN FOR YOU, YOUNG GRADUATES? IT MEANS THAT LEARNING MUST BECOME A LIFE-LONG CONCERN FOR EVERYONE OF YOU. LEARNING MUST NOT STOP ON GRADUATION DAY. LEARNING MUST CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE.

AS YOU EMBARK INTO YOUR CHOSEN FIELDS OF ENDEAVOR, THERE ARE TWO QUALITIES THAT YOU MUST POSSESS IN ORDER TO SURVIVE AND PROSPER IN TODAY’S COMPETITIVE WORLD. THESE ARE LOVE OF COUNTRY AND SELF-DISCIPLINE – QUALITIES, ALTHOUGH PRIMORDIAL, SEEM TO BE LACKING AMONG OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.

I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT THE ROOT OF MANY OF OUR PROBLEMS IS OUR GENERAL LACK OF A SENSE OF CIVIC DUTY – OUR PROPENSITY TO VALUE SELF, FAMILY, CLAN, AND REGIONAL GROUPS ABOVE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE. PUT DIFFERENTLY, THE ROOT OF MOST OF OUR PROBLEMS IS OUR LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR OUR COMMON DESTINY AS A NATION, OUR LACK OF NATIONAL DISCIPLINE. DISCIPLINE IS WHAT WE NEED. DISCIPLINE IS WHAT WILL MAKE US A GREAT NATION.

I CHALLENGE OUR GRADUATES TO SERVE GOD AND COUNTRY BEFORE ONESELF, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT AS EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, WE SHOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE THE GIFTS OF KNOWLEDGE, LOVE, AND ASPIRATION AMONG OUR STUDENTS. OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE AS EDUCATORS IS TO CONTINUE PRODUCING SUCCESSFUL PERSONS OUT OF OUR STUDENTS BASED ON CHRISTIAN VALUES AND IDEALS.
GRADUATION CLOSES A PHASE IN YOUR LIVES, BUT COMMENCEMENT DAY IS ALSO A BEGINNING. GRADUATION IS NOT THE END OF LEARNING, BUT IT IS THE BEGINNING.

THE WORLD OF WORK YOU WILL ENTER, AND COLLEGE LIFE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, IS AN EVEN MORE DEMANDING SCHOOL THAN THIS ONE YOU ARE LEAVING. NURTURE IN YOUR HEARTS THE PASSION FOR LEARNING WHICH WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN YOUR LIVES. PUT YOUR INTELLIGENCE AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AT THE SERVICE OF YOUR FAMILY, YOUR COMMUNITY, AND YOUR COUNTRY.

DO WHAT YOU CAN TO INCREASE THE SUM OF HOPE IN OUR COUNTRY. DO WHAT YOU CAN TO TEACH SOMEONE ELSE THE LEARNING YOU HAVE GATHERED FOR YOURSELF.

AND, NEVER FORGET THIS: HOWEVER FORTUNE TREATS YOU IN ADULT LIFE, THE EDUCATION YOUR PARENTS, YOUR TEACHERS, AND YOUR SCHOOL HAVE COMBINED TO GIVE YOU IS YOUR MOST SECURE POSSESSION – YOUR MOST VALUABLE CAPITAL. MISFORTUNE OR MISHAPS CAN STRIP YOU OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE – EXCEPT THE LEARNING YOU HOLD IN YOUR HEAD. SO, USE IT WISELY, USE IT WELL TO BENEFIT NOT JUST YOURSELF, BUT YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR COUNTRY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES, ONCE AGAIN, AND GODSPEED!

 

Other Speeches/ Messages:

- Inaugural Speech
- Reaction to “The Role of Equity in Development”, World Bank Forum
- Philippine Crocodile Conservation in the Philippines
- MEA Paper, presented in Sabah, Malaysia