I'm a hopeless romantic, I know I am...

hay naku, after four years of hard work, i graduated with flying colors.. so i am the one who’s assigned to give a response in behalf of the graduates in the Phillipine Women’s University CDCEC Bataan.. sobra akong kinakabahan before and habang tinatawag ako para sa speech ko but after the first paragraph, nawala bigla yung kaba ko then tuloy tuloy na yung speech ko.. this is my piece..

Our distinguished guest speaker, honourable members of the Board of Directors and Administration, respected faculty members, our beloved parents, friends, classmates, schoolmates, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant morning. Thank you dear Lord for this wonderful day.

It seems like it was only yesterday when we first stepped in the hallways of the Philippine Women’s University. Mixed emotions of happiness, fear and excitement were running in our system during that day. We entered the university naked for we all know that the best clothes can be found in PWU, the clothes that will surely bring us to those extraordinary places, the clothes that we will wear when we meet different faces, the clothes we wear this special day, tomorrow and forever. Our shirt is our knowledge, our pants is our experience, our undies are our friends, the One up above as our shoes and our bag is our family.

In behalf of the graduates, we would like to convey our deepest gratitude to the people behind our outfits today:

To our PWU instructors, thank you for giving us a shirt full of knowledge and wisdom. Thank you for teaching us what we need to know in our pursuit of the career we chose. Thank you for being our second parents while we are far away from our homes, for giving us your support, your cheers in our events, soft threats during examinations and many more that all motivated us to focus on our studies. Also, we would like to apologize on behalf of the BSHRM to Ms. Yolanda Gonzales for a very unfortunate incident that happened during the last term of our university days. That was a learning experience for all of us. My apology too for those who think I don’t take things seriously, actually I do, but when things get hard and give me stress I have the tendency to take it lightly and crack a joke to ease the tension. It’s my way of coping with stress, my defence mechanism. In so doing, I avoid becoming an impatient monster, mad at the world, instead I remain the bubbly, cheerful creature with positive vibes that help me become more productive.

And most of all, I would like to give thanks to my most favourite instructor, no less than Ms. Aida Rubiano. Ma’am, thank you for the lessons you taught imparted to us, the priceless trivia you inserted in between lessons, the pieces and nuggets of advice and your positive views in life, these are not officially in your lesson plans but still you instilled in us those important core values in life because as you always told us, we will be needing them in time. You contributed the biggest part of the shirt I am wearing today. Thank you for simply being you, Mam Aida. Love you ma’am.

sorry for the blurry picture

To our Alma Mater, thank you for giving us the pants of experience. If not because of you, we wouldn’t have the chance to meet these amazing people, if not because of you, It will be harder for us to explore the spots that we’ve never been to.

To the administration, especially to Ms Danan and Mam Jazel, thank you for patiently answering those international calls from my overprotective sister.

To the friends who serve as our undies, thank you for the best moments we had with you. Thank you for those nonsense, trash and heart to heart talks with each other….Our endless harutan and sometimes with pikunan, and a lot more. Thank you for completing and being part of the college lives, for always being there in good times and bad times, for being who you are. Thank you for helping us to realize how to be sensitive with the feelings of others. BS Irreg, Kuya Janus, Ate Pau, Goyong, Wennie, L.A, my Barkaduters, Sahara, Bok, Jhoana, Roma, Shenna, Yeng, Hazel, Crizelle and Cherry. Thank you for letting me know this tremendous experience of having friends like you. Thank you for teaching me the real meaning of friendship. We’ve been through a lot of highs and lows, laughter and tears, those moments will be forever be cherished in my heart. They say that friends are like blood, you cannot see them but you know they’re always there and when time comes that you’re been wounded, they come out. For me they are also like undies, for when they’re with me, I feel comfortable, confident and secured that my sensitive and hidden mysteries remain safe and protected. You are my comfort zone, so to speak.

To Papa God, who blessed us and kept us safe in our four years of shopping, thank you for giving us our shoes that lifts us up from the ground because I know you don’t want us to be left out in the ground and be stepped on by others yet still both feet are on the ground for you taught us to stay humble at all times. Thank you for guiding us and all the persons we love. Thank you for enlightening our playful minds to know what is right from wrong.

To our respective families, thank you for being our bags, why bag? Because every student places their valuable stuffs in their bag. Thank you for always being there for us, for always believing in our abilities and talents and thank you for being the best critics in our lives.

To our parents thank you for giving us your unconditional love, endless support and a lot more.

To my Mama and Papa, thank you for accepting me for who I am, happy and proud for who I am. I know that you are very proud of me, not because I’m here at this spot but for what I gained from this. Ma, Pa, I know time will come you’ll be weak, by that time I assure you that this gorgeous person standing in front of you will be your energy booster, I will be your strength to continue life inspite of weakness. We will go shopping anywhere you want to like what my sister’s doing when she’s here. We will explore the world. And I will still love you no matter what. I’ll try to return all your sacrifices if needed love you mama and papa.

To my one and only sister, Ms.Marife Davies, hmm..where will I start? Thank you for all your help in my studies especially in the financial aspect. Though you’re giving me headaches whenever you call up my school. Thank you is not enough. Many people asked me “Hey Lhel, what’s your sister’s gift in your graduation?” I constantly say that, “I don’t know, it’s up to her” and then I asked my sister for a graduation gift and I had no answer. I knew it’ll be harder than the hardest. But I was just kidding her. If she’ll give me, thank you, if not, oh com’on ate hulinghiritna to. Kidding aside, the moment those people asked me that question I realized that I have already received my gift, the most special gift that I could ever receive aside from my life, and that is my degree. I have started receiving it four years ago. I know I am not her responsibility but still she gave it to me wholeheartedly. I love you Ate.

And now, we are all dressed up, we had our make overs, we are ready to leave the Philippine Women’s University CDCEC Balanga and take onto our biggest university. Thank you for helping us choose the best dress to ramp in the real world. We know time will come, people will see us beyond our looks, races, differences or orientation, they’ll see us through our abilities, skills, talent and positive Filipino Christian values that is a culmination of what we learned all these years.

This is it, four years ago; these words came out from my mouth and now I am proud to say this one more time in all caps THIS IS IT. Congratulations to all the parents and the graduates. I am happy and proud to see us enrolling in our new semester of life. Once again thank you and have a great day everyone!