Last Monday, I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony of my niece, Erika Meg C. Tacio. She achieved high honors upon completing her senior year at Marber National High School in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. As part of the ceremony, she was entrusted with the responsibility of delivering the Words of Gratitude on behalf of her fellow graduates.
Typically, I do not pay much attention to speeches at graduation events. However, on this occasion, I found myself captivated by my niece’s address to the audience. I was genuinely impressed by her heartfelt message. Therefore, I have decided to yield today’s column to her speech, with some edits and adjustments for clarity.
As is customary, she began her speech by acknowledging the presence of the important individuals who attended the event. She then proceeded to express her reflections, starting with the poignant statement: “Education is not merely about acquiring specific lessons; it encompasses the broader understanding of everything. There is so much to learn about the world, particularly about us.”
“I have attended (this school) for six of my nearly eighteen years of existence and I have always felt that as a Marberian, I am marvelous, empowered, and inspirational because that is how our school wants us to be, specifically our teachers.
“In addition, this school – along with my parents – really shaped me into who I am right now. Throughout my time in high school, I feel protected because of my teachers and co-learners. However, it is not simply the emotions I’ve accumulated while studying here, it is also the lessons I was initially interested in.
“With these being said, I can truly say that being a student of this school, I have learned a lot of lessons, especially those lesson-learnt insights that I will forever bring anywhere I go. Therefore, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to my alma mater and to our teachers for being there to teach, guide, and inspire us. Teachers, thank you very much.
“Moreover, I want to tell everyone that I am not just a student; I am also a daughter of my parents. Ladies and gentlemen, who I am today is impossible without my parents, and I am here in front of you to share how grateful I am to my parents.
“When I was young, my mother served as my source of happiness. My father, on the other hand, served as my source of strength. That is why, without them, I am nothing. My parents provided me with great financial support, even though I am aware that they struggle to do so because of unforeseen events. They both keep their feelings to themselves in order to prevent me from feeling heartbroken.
“They also keep claiming to be fine, although they are actually extremely exhausted. To my mama, Rovilla, and to my papa, Avednigo, thank you so much for your unending love, guidance, and support. I love both of you.
“And to my co-graduates, I hope you feel the same way. We should love our parents above everything else because we will come to regret not doing so. With this, parents, thank you for your love, dedication, and support.
“I would also love to thank my former Grade 11 advisers (Dinalyn Ortega and Judy Ann Chavez), to my LG organization adviser (Rona Xenita Guya), and our demure STEM adviser (Mary Claire Quijano), for the lessons they’ve taught us and for helping to make our high school experience unforgettable.
“A special thank you also to all of our beloved junior high school and senior high school teachers for always being there to teach, guide, and motivate us to achieve more. Without you, dear teachers, we couldn’t have completed this important journey of our lives. Teachers, you have our sincerest gratitude.
“I also wish to express my gratitude to Lesther Dave, my kuya. You’ve been so kind to me, kuya, that your kind words for me have brought me to tears. You know what? You were the first to say, “I am proud of you.” Since I had never heard those words before, I sobbed uncontrollably at that moment. You were the first one to reassure me when I was feeling low. Kuya Dave, thank you very much.
“Additionally, I want to thank my support system, the Tacio and Cortez clans. Thank you for being there with me.
“To move forward, I would like to express my gratitude to my friends and my entire STEMnian babies, for the memories that I will forever treasure. You know, without meeting you all, my time in senior high school would have been quite boring. I appreciate you all for sending me notes if I can’t attend classes due to my participation in any extracurricular activities. I appreciate your love, care, and reminders, as well as the way you have made school a home for me. I will always treasure them.
“Lest I forget, I want to thank my two cousins as well as my eight pals for being my friends. Without your presence, this school wouldn’t be perfect. And to those whom I could not mention here, from the very bottom of my heart, thank you so much.
“I want to express more of my lengthy greeting to you all by saying that, despite the fact that our time in high school was not perfect, the experiences we shared and the knowledge we gained will always be cherished.
“And to my co-graduates, I want you all to take this opportunity to ask yourself, “Ready na ba tayo sa college or is college ready na ba sa akoa?” Joke aside, my co-graduates, let this be a reminder to all of us. Today is not the end of our journey, this is actually just the beginning. Maong padayon. Kay ingon pa nila, “Malayo pa, pero malayo na.”
“And also keep in mind that if you are ever rejected, rejection is simply a redirection. It’s not for you if it’s not for you. A far greater opportunity will be in store for you. Simply have patience and have faith in God and yourself.
“And lastly, this journey would be very impossible without the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ. His presence alone means a lot to me. He is always there when I need someone to comfort me. He is there to guide each one of us. He helped our teachers to gain strength to teach us.
“He guided our parents from work, and He gave us the motivation that we needed to strive more. With that, I would love to thank my savior, Jesus Christ, for being there to give us strength, motivation, comfort, safety, and everything. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.—
