From Classroom to Courtroom
To the man who bravely dares to catapult this University to the highest pedestal of academic excellence, passionate and visionary educational leader, our University President, Atty. Ferdinand S. Nicolas, the Board of Directors led by the Chairman, who believe in the cause and advocacy for quality education, other University officials, college deans and department heads, and to our unsung heroes, the highly-dedicated and committed professors who dare to selflessly devote their lives in a mission called “teaching”, the administrative personnel, who toil behind the scene, to the strong 709 candidates for graduation, proud parents and relatives, friends, ladies and gentlemen, a grandiose evening.
Today, May 25 is a red-letter day for all different reasons and events that changed the course and destiny of the world and in one way or another, affected our collective lives. On this day in 1965, Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, first used the name Muhammad Ali, in his rematch for the world bantamweight boxing championship against Sonny Liston. Muhammad Ali won in that fight through a first round knockout. On May 25, 1977, the first Star Wars, written and directed by George Lucas, opened in American cinemas, grossed nearly $800 million US dollars and a created a cult for future Star Wars movies. In 1898, the Philippine flag was first raised in victory at Barrio Alapan, Kawit, Cavite, leading the events to the declaration of our national independence from Spain. That is why we have National Flag Day today. Also on this day in 1998, two individuals developed a new kind of search engine that became the dominant player for information, the best friend of everyone who needs immediate answer, that is the phenomenal Google. Taking note of these special and historic events in the world of sports, movies and entertainment, history and education, May 25 is indeed a remarkable day, worthy of remembrance and celebration. May 25, 2018, we make another history, at least in our personal lives and in the life of our dearest University.
Yes, we will always remember this day in our lifetimes, a day which all of you and I, will always cherish. To me, it is an emotional homecoming to our dear Alma Mater. I am sharing this ecstatic feeling with you that when I entered the portals of our dear Northwestern University, I genuinely felt how it seemingly embraced me back to the hallowed birthplace of a dream. Uplifting it is, because never in my whole life that I had the opportunity to address a graduation of this grand size and scale, not until I became a lawyer. I was never a first honors awardee, never a Class Valedictorian and not a Summa cum laude of my respective classes. I didn’t experience delivering a speech in an elevated platform. And life is indeed full of surprises. Now, two years after that fateful day in 2016 when I was also seated where you are, I am blessed to be here in an exalted stage to inspire you in this Commencement Exercises.
At an early age, I carried upon my shoulders a huge responsibility to better the life of my family, to take it out from the shackles of poverty. This prompted me to dream big. Before finishing high school, I took and passed the UP College Admission Test. That UP dream did not materialize when I chose [or was forced by circumstances] to stay in the province. I took up Education at MMSU. Since my family could hardly finance my schooling, I looked for a scholarship program to support my studies. God answered my prayers when a Scholarship Program came in 2009. Through the help of this scholarship, I finished BSE with flying colors in 2012. After graduation, I enrolled immediately at the College of Law, with my Tito Globen paying partially my enrollment fees. Then fortunately, my full scholarship with EEUCF continued, thanks to Professor Josephine Bolusan, our VP for Finance, who tirelessly facilitated the processing. My first year in law school was difficult as I needed to prepare for the LET. I had to review so I took a leave for one week prior to the Board Exam. And months after, I became a licensed teacher. I thought my life would be easier and better after I passed the Board. A crucial turning point in my law schooling came when I started teaching in a private school then later on, in DepEd. I embraced my dual role. And the next years of law school were the most grueling years of my life.
I was pushed to the limit and tried to juggle time between work and study, changed hats as a teacher at daytime and a student at nighttime. Though I was the facilitator in my own classroom, I was an ordinary and helpless student in law school. While I prodded my students to study well, there were times I also failed in my law exams. But I persevered, I rose to the challenge and fought for my dream to become a lawyer. I maximized my time to study while at work. I turned nights into days. I endured all the pains and sacrificed a lot to finish the race and eventually pass the Bar. I knew, in time, God will reward me. There is time to sow, there is time to reap.
Truly, it has come. May 3, 2017, I was in Sinait Church to ask for God’s mercy and grace. At 11:16 am, one text message informing me that I passed the Bar Exasm changed my whole life. I didn’t know I landed sixth place in the Bar Exams. So that after more than an hour, I received a deluge of congratulatory messages. While everyone was rejoicing, I was offline, separated from the world, and communed with God. Then, all television and radio outfits, newspapers and websites featured me and other top-notchers. I was proud to see my name, the Northwestern University and my rating in the toplist. Seeing NWU logo, along with other provincial law schools on top, affirms NWU as the premier legal educational institution in Northern Philippines. I’m so proud of NWU. I am also proud of President Nicolas and Dean Manuel Aurelio. I am most proud to have my parents witness my momentous oathtaking at the Mall of Asia Arena. Such an amazing blessing. A miracle.
You, too, can experience this miracle. You, too, can achieve what I have achieved and one day make a difference in lives of others. Today, tonight is just a beginning of that mission. You shall commence your journey and face the challenges of the real world. Before this, I salute you for making this far. This euphoric moment is the denouement of your academic journey. No more long quizzes, no more reaction papers, projects or practical exercises, no more research or thesis, midterms or finals. Your sleepless nights, voluminous requirements and other daunting tasks finally end. And each of you deserve to be here. With or without honors. You are all equally recognized for having fought the battle victoriously. These ceremonies are not only about you, but also about the people who offered their helping hands, their crying shoulders, as you go through the challenging college years. Thank your parents, or those people who stood as parents, whether present here or abroad. For their great sacrifice and tears and hard work brought you here on this special occasion. Your hard-earned diploma is a precious gift you can offer and serves as a testament of their love, support and sacrifice. (Please pay tribute to their heroic acts by giving a round of applause to your parents, guardians and families.)
Do not forget our professors, and all employees of the University who faithfully discharged their duties, and even selflessly devoted their personal resources, time and talents, who brought out the best or even the worst in you, harnessed your potentialities and molded you to become what you are today. (Let’s give them a thunderous applause.)
My dear graduates, you are bidding goodbye to your friends, to your teachers and to our beloved University. Your stay here will leave you wonderful memories to cherish, friendships to treasure and promises to keep. Tonight, you are surrounded by your friends who in the most trying times of your college life, stood by you when no one believed in you, who made difficult times easy for you or made a way to comfort you. Hug them and be grateful for having them through the sunshines and storms of your life.
Let me remind you this: your academic gowns, symbolizing that you are clothed with knowledge and wisdom and values, bespeak that you have the power to chart your own destiny, run the course of your own fortune and achieve a satisfied, if not a successful life. We are always dared to achieve a successful life. That may be true and that is the ideal. But let me tell you that we should focus on achieving a satisfied life. Why? Success is measured by other people, usually based on the standards of society like stature, fame, fortune or wealth. Satisfaction, on the other hand, is personal; measured by your own standards for happiness or fulfillment, only known by your own soul, your mind and your heart.
And as you move to greater heights and search for your place under the sun, keep in mind what the University has inculcated in you. You were prepared to hurdle all the challenges and are equipped you to expand your horizons, whether personally or professionally. Pieces of advice? Other speakers will wish you good luck. But that is typical. Let me share you odd pieces of advice which US Chief Justice Roberts gave to a graduating class. I will not wish you a very smooth and easy journey. From time to time, I hope that challenges will come before you, so that you will enhance your decision-making skills. I pray that you will be treated unfairly, so that you will know the value of justice. Also, I wish that you will experience betrayal so that you will know the essence of loyalty. I pray that you will feel emptiness and rejection and loneliness once in a while so that you will appreciate the importance of your friends, their company. And at times, you will lose, you will fail. Take courage and keep your faith in God, because that will make the difference. As aptly put by Winston Churchill: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Towards the end, I dare you, I challenge you my dear fellow alumni of Northwestern University to have the moral commitment to be excellent, to be the best, to take the moral high ground in our chosen fields, guided by the NWU values of excellence, integrity and honor, wherever we go. Finally, I leave you the words of Steve Maraboli in his poem, “Dare to Be” and I quote:
“Dare to Be”
When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can –
At all times, Dare to be!”
Congratulations, Class of 2018. God bless you all! Fiat Lux!
(Delivered by Associate Solicitor Mark Dave M. Camarao during the 86th Commencement Exercises of the Northwestern University, Laoag City on 25 May 2018)
