Our distinguished guests, my fellow honorees, officers and members of the Outstanding Students Circle of Iloilo, school heads, teachers, our dear parents, friends, ladies and gentlemen.
“Yes, I belong to the family!” This was the first statement I uttered upon learning that I got the most coveted Award for the Most Outstanding Pupil of Iloilo.
Winning this most coveted award is an answered prayer. This feat placed me at par with my parents whom I regarded as my greatest inspiration. My mother has been national finalist in the Search for Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines while my father had been one of the Outstanding Youth Leaders in the Philippines.
I thank God, first and foremost, for this blessing. He is the supreme provider of our strength and a constant guide in all our endeavors.
As we honorees beam with pride on stage, we can observe that our parents look at us in jubilation. We are their greatest gift from God and their priceless jewels. We children are the symbol of their immortality. And I personally thank Mama and Papa, my brother Nico and my sisters Alexandria and Rikka for supporting me all the way in nurturing my God-given prowess.
It would be a mortal sin if I will not give due credit and recognition to the Solomon Integrated School de Iloilo which the organizers of this competition described as a “hole-in-the-wall school” with a small building that is lost among the neighboring houses with a small number of enrollees that is correspondingly equivalent to the number of yayas, which fortunately, do not crowd the narrow streets of the subdivision.”
Yes, you may not easily locate where the Solomon Integrated School is as it is situated like a molehill amidst mountains. But one who seeks where true wisdom begins would be faced with extra-large streamers hung at the roadside and around the perimeter of the school like feathers in a giant cap. The school has the pool of kind-hearted, diligent and committed teachers who are always ready to walk an extra mile in order to harness the potentials, talents, skills and values of their pupils to the utmost. Potential students are being prepared to stand out from among the Titans from other schools and live in the real world.
Being named the Most Outstanding Pupil of Iloilo for Academic Year 2009-2010 is a very rare privilege and a triumph that everyone aspires to have. I consider this award as more prestigious than my international feats. Why do I consider this so? Participants herein are not just wizards in a particular field like Mathematics, Science, Music or Arts. Instead, this is a gathering not only of versatile students but leaders of the young generation. We are regarded as the cream of the crop whose deeds are worthy of emulation.
In this trans-generational age, we should not only consider ourselves as the hope of the fatherland. Instead, we are active participants in shaping the nation for our future and the future of our children.
And how can we achieve this goal? In this forthcoming elections, let us convince our elders to vote with conscience, to vote for leaders who have the conviction and independence, those who can say no while all around him says otherwise, leaders who have proven their self-worth, those who do not ride on the popularity of others, and most of all, those who have deep faith in God.
I am afraid what will happen two years from now as I celebrate my birthday on December 21, 2012. The Mayan calendar and other tribes studying the time zones are one in saying that a great disaster will happen on that day. God forbids but it is not too late for us to institute change after all.
My fellow honorees, can you count how many trees have you planted to help balance our ecosystem? On the other hand, can you count how many candy wrappers, plastic cups and other non-biodegradable materials have you thrown anywhere that contribute to the destruction of our ozone layer?
Og Mandino’s Credenda says it all: “Do not blame your conditions on others. You are what you are because of your choice alone.”
My friends, all of us here belong to one family, the Outstanding Students Circle of Iloilo. This family do not only include us honorees for Academic Year 2009-2010 but also the organizers, our past honorees, our dear parents, teachers and our respective families. We are here as one family. Thus, let us join hands and let change start from within us.
In closing, allow me to read these words of wisdom which goes:
“Watch you thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”
I express my warmest congratulations to my fellow honorees and deep gratitude to the organizers of this search for giving us the opportunity to be in the Outstanding Students Circle of Iloilo.
Thank you and good day to everyone.@
No comments:
Post a Comment