A Powerful and Unconventional Speech for Students

Ms Jeanette Fabellore-Rivera delivering inspirational message to Paezians

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Last March 19, 2010 my sister was invited as Guest Speaker on the occasion of 2010 Recognition Day for our high school alma mater. She delivered her inspirational speech in an unconventional manner and it was really remarkable.

Madalas, speaker will make the speech too flowery to the extent na hindi na maabot ng mga nakikinig. Sometimes nakatingin lang ang audiences pero hindi naiko-convey at di na-aabsorb ang idea na sinasabi ng speaker, which the most important part of public speaking (in blogging as well).

Recognizing our students' effort really paid off parents' sacrifices

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Nung marinig ko sa video ang laman ng speech niya, naisip kong i-blog since she was not actually only speaking before the new breed of Paezians, but also to all other high school students na until now are struggling on crisis whether to pursue or not. For those who could still feel uncertainty, or fear and even being so undecided about their possible lives once they exit the portals of the school. Those who have no idea what is it like in the real world and how to deal with new surrounding and new way of interactions. Madalas hindi simple ang transition ng buhay from high school to college up to your goal..marami ang sumisemplang dito lalo iyung mga hindi handa at walang guidance.

As I mentioned sa comment ko sa Facebook account ng aming alumni, kapuri-puri ang hakbanging ng faculty papagsalitain ang isang alumnus kaysa sa mga pulitikong walang relasyon sa paaralan. Dahil ang pulitiko ay puro exposure lang at wala rin namang naitutulong matapos ang halalan sa paaralang pinupuntahan. Minsan pa nga mismong alma mater nila ay nakakalimutan nila. Kasi sa isang almuni, with inspiring achievement, nakaka-relate ang listeners lalo kung kauri nila ang nagsasalita.

May sistemang sinusunod ang school kung sino ang kino-consider na pwedeng maging speaker, hindi sila ang teahcer's pet or kung ano pa man. Hindi rin ito base sa kasalukuyang katayuan, or naabot, or estado ng kayamanan. Kundi ang inspiring manner kung paano naabot ang kinalalagyan.

"It not the state of being at Point B, but the essence of how you get from Point A to Point B."-Biz Joker

So kung malapit sa puso or may kaugnayan sa buhay-estudyante ng nakikinig at nagsasalita, mas nakakatulong ito para makasunod or magkaroon ng gabay ang mga sumusunod na henerasyon.

Ate Jing's batch mates in Batch '81

includes TPIPS' Mrs. Elizabeth Bartolome, (2nd,L)

By the way, Ate Jing belongs to Batch '81 and I belong to Batch '89 of our great Alma Mater, T. Paez Integrated Pilot School in Balut , Tondo, Manila. My mom retire from high school teaching in the same school.

Some of the achievers of TPIPS 2009-2010

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So here it, let me share the content of her speech:

"Thank you very much for the overwhelming introduction and let me thank you as well for inviting me today to witness the celebration of the 2009-2010 intellectuals.

Isang magandang umaga sa lahat na naririto, una sa lahat sa mga kapwa ko magulang, mga minamahal nating mag-aaral, mga panauhin at sa mga magigiting at masisipag na guro at pamunuan ng ating Alma Mater, T. Paez Integrated School.

Like most of you today, once upon a time, nakaupo rin ako dyan bilang isa sa mga students that will be recognized to their efforts and sleepless night of studying. Pero sasabihin ko sa inyo na pagkatapos nyong matanggap yung mga certificates and medals, you will start to dream again. Yung ilan sa inyo, will speak to his own self, “next year honor uli ako”, yung iba, “ sana mas maraming medal” at yung iba pa, “ sana kasali nako sa recognition day”. Bet?

Ang araw na ito ay mahalaga dahil ito ang output ng pinagpaguran nating lahat. Mula sa ating mga magulang na bumili ng uniforms, nagbigay ng baon . Sa mga guro na nagtiyagang turuan kayo sa bawat academic subject, sa mga namumuno ng school para bigyan kayo ng maayos at masistemang paaralang at siempre kayo mga students na nagsunog ng kilay to learn. Ang araw na ito ay pagbibigay pugay sa Edukasyon. Well, I truly believe that everyone knows what education is, but to simply the meaning, ang pagkakaroon ng edukasyon ay ang pinakapangyarihang instrumento para makaahon sa kahirapan, para maging pantay-pantay ang level ng buhay at higit sa lahat para magkaroon ng matibay na kaalaman sa pagsulong ng ekonomiya ng ating bansa.

Ang pagkakaroon ng edukasyon ang siyang matibay na paghahanda sa hinaharap. Ito ang huhubog sa ating pagkatao at isipan na kakailanganin ninyo sa pakikisalimuha sa kapwa, pag-resolve ng iba’t ibang problema, personal man or panlipunan, at pagpapatakbo ng sarili niyong buhay tungo sa katuparan ng inyong mga pangarap.

Ako po ay isa sa mga ordinaryong magaaral ng Bath 1981, palagay ko ang ilan sa kanila ay nandito ngayun. Just like in any batch, merong nagiging successful, meron kainaman lang at meron din medyo hindi naging matagumpay sa buhay. Sabi nga sa elementary math natin, to complete a graph, dapat me high, middle and low points. (relate this situation to the above sentence) So kung ipa-plot natin yun sa blank plane makakagawa ka ng graph. But thing is, saan ka doon? Ikaw ba yung nasa hign point, middle point or low point? Siempre, lahat naman tayo ayaw nating pumayag na tayo yung low point, ayaw nating maging taga kumpleto ng graph di ba?

Ang edukasyon ay hindi lamang pagpasok sa paaralan, at pag uwi sa hapon. Pagsagot sa examination at paggawa ng assignment. Whatever we learned inside the classroom, we should definitely apply it in our everyday living. Lahat naman ng mangyayari sa araw araw nating pamumuhay ay dini-discuss ng mga teachers sa loob ng classroom. Kaya walang dahilan para hindi maging maayos ang buhay natin, walang dahilan para maging ikaw ang nasa low point. Ang problema lang sa karamihan sa atin ay binabalewala ang lahat ng itinuro sa atin ng paaralan. We ignore it, we ignore the teachings. But good news is, hindi pa huli ang lahat! It is not too late for you to open your notebooks and review what you have written and apply it in your everyday lives.

When I was in my review school for the CPA board exams, one of our reviewer told us, “ilista nyo ang course outline ng board exams. Write a check kung master mo na ang subject from top to bottom. Take note the words “kung master mo na, hindi sinabing me alam ka na, dapat master daw?. Kapag merong isang outline na walang check, don’t take the board exams”. Proud say, lahat kami followed his advice, and in my case 100% naman may check bawat line item. But did it mean papasa na kami? In addition, sabi nya uli, “hindi porket me check lahat papasa ka na, aim high, dream to be a topnatcher kaya dapat sa pre-board magsikap kayong maging topnotch!” Whew! Pressure yun noh? So lahat kami aim high din, puro aral, sehodang putaktihin ng pimples ang face sa kakapuyat, at matulog sa school para lang mag-aral. Siguro sasabihin nyo OA! But we truly did it! Luckily I was in the top 10 during my CPA pre-board exams. I passed the CPA board (take one) pero hindi ako topnatcher. The morals of the story? Kailangan din pala ang determinasyon at perseverance to acquire the education upang maging part of our system.

Ang kasalukuyang generation at ang susunod pang generation ay maswerte. Kasi high tech na, communication is so easy. Ang pag-aaral ay hindi na mahirap. Google it! (Site more examples). Gumagastos nga kayo ng 25 pesos para magdota sa internet, makipagchat sa GF or BF online, at makipag tsimisan sa Facebook. Why don’t you spend your time in the internet café answering your assignments?

1. Google it! Ang sabi ng assignment notebook, “define education”, e di punta ka sa google or yahoo. Type lang “ define education” enter. Naku! Makikita mo kung ilang milyon ang meaning ng education ang lalabas.
2. O cge, subukan nyo, type nyo (-34)+(-65). Magugulat pa kayo kung ano makikita nyo. Meron drawing ng calculator.

Google it! Kapag natutunan ninyo yun, magaling pa kayo sa text book nyo. Panis ang assignment ni Ma’am!

Sa mga mag-aaral na narito ngayun, enjoy life. Maging masigla at masaya kayo habang nag-aaral. Enjoy reading books, enjoy listening to your teachers, enjoy solving your assignments. Enjoy going to school every day. This way, malamang sumakit ang ulo ng mga teachers nyo kung sino ang first honor at the end of the school year at kahit pa wala kang honor, ikaw pa rin ang panalo! Because, you earned the most powerful knowledge that no one can take away from you. Hindi pwedeng isanla, di pwedeng manakaw ninuman ang EDUKASYON.

Ang pinto ng paaralang ito ay laging naghihintay sa inyong pagpasok, ang inyong mga guro ay laging handang magturo para sa inyo. Ang inyong mga magulang ay nagbabanat ng buto para makapag-aral kayo. Books and school supplies are there for you to use, and most especially the knowledge are always there for you to gain. The only thing you need to do is, study it and embrace it! Having a good education is the key to a brighter future.

To all the recipients of today’s celebration…Congratulations! And keep up the good work!

Thank you very much for listening, your energy and enthusiasm are appreciated. Mabuhay tayong mga Paezians. "

New breed ng Paezians

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OFW Children Must Understand Why We Are Here

I received an early usual morning text message from my daughter last Thursday, February 18, 2010. Her message usually so sweet that could always complete my day here in abroad. My wife does the same thing all the time too.

That morning the message said she was in school attending a forum discussing the topic regarding children of Overseas Filipino Workers. The Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna conducted a forum with unusual topic (to me) “Anak ng Nangibang Bansa, Aruga at Ikaagapay”. It was attended by children of OFWs studying in Letran. She told me during the forum she got emotional that she sent me series of text messages in my Smart Roaming, thanking me for all things I am doing our the family. Although my family is well-aware of some of the tricky things I am doing, not everything in my police service of course, she was able to realize more about the hardship of an OFW is exerting just to give them a better life.

Well I just re-grabbed this line but actually the lines “giving them a better life” and “Bagong Bayani” are all over-rated things to me and started becoming really boring.

“Sasapakin ko na tatawag sa akin na Bagong Bayani, sige (lol!) .”

The forum gave another definitions to these words as, I believe, it knocked out the idea from those children who always see their parents abroad as mere provider of stylish gadgets. This time, my daughter said, everyone was enlightened and was given a chance to appreciate more the very meaning why most parents need to work abroad and be alone for years. There was one of the attendees who even admitted doing things just to catch his parents’ attention and force them to go home and be with his siblings. But this is not actually a simple over the table request, we parents understood the present and future things more than out children, and I guess an option of going home will not gonna happen soon. We have extraordinary dreams and goal for our children and that is the very reason why we are here.

After the forum maybe everyone will understand now why this kid was acting so stupid all the times that he almost gain ownership of the School Counselor’s Office. While on the other hand, he will somehow understand that his attitude is baseless and should stop immediately as it adds another heavy burden on his parents abroad.

Now I am thinking that aside from Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS, a mandatory requirement for OFWs leaving the country, forum like this one held in Letran should be introduced in all schools nationwide yearly. It is high time for the OFWs’ children to have second look on the plight of their parents abroad. Needless to say that most of these children see their parents working abroad as providers of extraordinary needs, and missing the point of appreciating the very reason why they need to leave. This eye-opening forum should start and be held as a regular part of yearly curricula, not to mention that Human Rights Seminar which should also be included as part and parcel of education system. After all there is a great chance that most of the school children we have today are from OFW families.

I see this as far more significant than forcing an ex-OFW to attend PDOS, which is now becoming more of just a "compliance" than being "objective". And everyone knows when something that supposed to be objective by purpose has turned to becoming more of a compliance in nature; it will be a big source of corruption through exploitation of the memorandum or rule covering it. If you are an OFW and have been in and out of the country for several times, is it not that you may have attended PDOS more than ten times, having the same topic over and over again? Does it make sense? You have already become far better than the speaker discussing the topic in PDOS.

That’s why we need to have second look in preparing the life like what we have right now. Being an overseas worker should be a preparation of our life's and family’s both worlds. The world they will have being the ones left behind, on one hand and the world we will have in our new-found land here abroad, on the other hand. This is not only about the culture we are about to face, but it is about the new culture our children will be facing. Well, that includes the culture of having more money of course… and you can’t imagine what a culture shock they will get huh! Kidding aside, but this is true.

More often than not, misunderstood kids in school are product of incomplete family, lack of parents’ attention, lack of appreciations and close parental guidance. This type of seminar or forum, whatever we call it, will help somehow these children to think about things and start getting the deeper positive sense out of being away from their OFW parents, not just being a financial provider, but provider of true and unselfish love. Not everyone is as lucky as these guys, other parents never lifted a finger in order to provide but rather exploit their children to get over on their parental responsibilities.

We need to have this kind of forum. I can call it “Pre and Post Departure OFW Family Orientation Seminar”. Maybe we can include barangays to launch the same thing, to inform everyone that when one works abroad it is not a gate way to luxurious life but a great deal emotional and mental sacrifices that everyone in the family must be involved in maintaining the equilibrium to achieve the main goal of going and working abroad. Every cent earned must be looked upon not just as a grain of rice alone but a painful piece of moment of one working across the sea and vast land. It is not all about celebration of a new life, since our life is still uncertain even when one goes abroad to work for the family. It is about taking advantage of uncertain prosperity that no one knows how long or how short it will be.

Life abroad is indeed uncertain. The fellows back home must take and learn the lesson of the ants’ colony, to work while there is still sunshine, to save while they still can. There are hundreds of bad things thinkable and possible to us to happen while working abroad. Death, lay-off, becoming victims of illegal recruitment, termination, accidents, and many more that could bring storms to the “colony”. Think about that and let our kids learn it. Earn what your OFW parents have painstakingly got and sent you overseas.

Maybe through this type of objective gathering, we can prevent infidelity, financial crisis due to over expenditures, way-ward style of studying by OFWs’ children, and the non-compliance to what the couple has planned before one of them decided to work abroad. These are the common failures we OFWs are experiencing, realizing that after a long years of stay and hardship w abroad our lives back home never moved an inch forward, and at the end of the day our favorite song will be ”Napakasakit Kuya Eddie”. Our children, our beneficiaries are always part of it. Let them realize and play their in building a better future for themselves.

To my children, thanks for the text messages I appreciate the fact you have really appreciated the real sense of my being here.

NOYNOY is Every OFW

This is what I have in mind right now....based on this photo

We have been asked by a batch mate in our high school Yahoo! Group email thread regarding the three "presidentiables" kung sino iboboto namin. It seems it was from a forwarded email circulating in the internet. There was a photo also attached of the three selections (You can check the above insinuating photo). I know it was not from my batch mate Laudemer and its owner is too impossible to identify.

I realized it is a nice topic to discuss about (I mean the photo) and my few understanding about my candidate for president. Let me put it straight, I AM FOR NOYNOY AQUINO. In my opinion, let's forget about the senate and the house of representatives for the meantime (or the legislative branch) and let's face the fact that the president is the most powerful among the three branches of what we so-called government. You can include judiciary branch as being inferior to executive branch nowadays if you want, pero para sa akin cool lang naman ang Court kumbaga..walang naman kasing mga kibo eh...hmp!..

Wala namang nagawa 'yang House sa pag iinarte at tantrums nung maliit na ale eh. So wala silang bilang muna, mas matindi ang upuan nung ale. So whoever will succeed her will be the important issue.

What we have today is not actually a "government" but huge type of syndicate, as I can see it. There are collusions everywhere as approved by our "favorite Tita". I am not saying that I want Noynoy to be the next head of the syndicate but should be the next LEADER of the Filipino Nation. Right now we don't have that "Filipino Nation" being governed by a leader, but a nation being mobbed up and robbed up, where white color will be red as she wishes and no one will gonna contradict on that. She was made right when she was VERY wrong.

Anyways, I don't know so much about Noynoy Aquino, aside from few that I read from the internet and from the news. I think all of us do not have so much informations about our candidates, because like me, most of you guys are not so personally close to these candidates and probably what you guys know about them is limited to what you have read and what others have fed to you. Chinismis ika nga!

And that's a reality, we are actually voting, though we have been given so much time to scrutinize each one of them, for those who have strong campaign gimmicks and remarkable advertisement, kaya nga tayo "na-leche eh". We have been so "possessed" by "pagkain sa bawat hapag kainan" modus-operadi, and yet at the end it was their plates that had the most expensive dinner ever.

(Oooops! commercial muna: I am actually watching http://www.ustream.tv/channel/blogwatch right now while Noynoy is being interviewed, 6 Jan 2010, Kenji Solis informed about it. Actually, I am watching it, writing this blog post and doing project estimates and costing, lol!)

OK let's continue. Here's my stance and why Noynoy is my man for Malacañang. Let me explain my hypothetic idea about " Mr. Galing and Talino". Just being GMA's boy, this man should have no place right away in all four corners of government. Putting him in the Office of the president is virtually putting back GMA.

The tag "Galing and Talino" is actually all about him but since he is an administration bet, we cannot help but to think that they are dining on the same table and feast on the same kind of food, therefor have a "common goal". They have led the country to all formidable scandals and horrifying involvement in human rights violation.

I would rather drop down the idea of voting for "so intelligent and so skillful" since these things are being used to exploit us Filipinos and especially us Overseas Filipino Workers. She's a Harvard alumna and being such is being a hell of being so intelligent, and where did she use that gift? So being "matalino and magaling" is no longer a plus-point because all them are smart and talented already. Pero nakita n'yo ba kung paano prinitong buhay ang anak niyang panganay ni Winnie Monsod? Why.. hehehehe! he's exactly the opposite of her mother. Kung super talino ang mudra, nuknukan ng "ewan", panoorin niyo na lang ang links. Pero ang yaman ng loko ano po!

here are the links again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q0JKzpjh_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6I8h24sC8

So no doubt lahat naman sila may "galing at talino" wala kang tulak-kabigin. Magkaka-level sila d'yan !

Here's another one "Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga". Everyone knows this is pure propaganda, right? The concept of this modus is to sow inspiration which is agreeable to be good. Has he been doing this "sipag at tiyaga" thing long before the election? Or lumalabas lang ito every election.

He is pointing out this "ST" thing today because he is running for presidency. When he won a senate seat the first time, did he continue his "sipag and tiyaga movement? No he did not. He kept his "sipag and tiyaga" secrets to himself. What is the effect of this slogan to us, wala di ba? Absolutely nothing but made us voted for him. So clearly it's a propaganda and nothing else. Parang gusto pa yata tayong palanguyin sa basura sa jingle niya e.

Also, as I observe this guy has been very active these days in helping the OFWs. Aside from showing the public how he helps them and with matching "heroic speeches in time of distress", he also has plans for us OFWs. That is, if elected, there is no need for us to go and work abroad. Hallleeeer! Wake up, man. That is next to impossibility, are we dreaming to become the next North Korea?

Do you know what is the result of bringing home the more than 12Million OFWS?

Scarcity, over population and food supplies will be limited and who will bring the billions of dollars every year? Di mo po kayang kunin 'yang bilyones na yan sa revenue ng investors lang 'no. Even extremely rich countries have their citizens work abroad. So isa itong pambobola..lumang pulitika at taktika!

What we need is realistic approach and plans for us OFWs..walang bolahan. Migration, temporary or permanent, is deemed necessary, dudong.

Wheew! Ka Blas Ople cared for and helped us OFW without the need to run for president, kaya n'yo ba yun?

Filipinos do not need "sipag and tiyaga" inspiration as we are so naturally HARDWORKING already since time immemorial. The sad thing was that the fruits of our hard work were abused, much more stolen from us by greedy government.

Of course, capturing the more than 12-Million OFWs is more than winning the lottery. They need to have the best political gimmick just to show that they care. One could imagine, if you multiply that 12-Million by at least three voting members of each OFW family, that a sure thing lottery.

Get OFW majority and their families..you are undoubtedly a winner!

So there you are fellow OFWs, let me remind everyone that with us alone..we can make a president... a leader and not a "LORD"

The problem with the first two good-looking candidates, they were crafted, dressed-up and groomed by their parties long before they dreamed of running for president.

So just like in construction industry, all possibilities were anticipated including accidents to achieve a "common goal". Be it a bad or a good goal, they have prepared ways to achieve it no matter what. They have all the well-prepared crew to answer things, to cover things, to scientifically explain thing in more complex way so nobody could understand and accept it whatever it is.

That's all for the sake of the PARTY.

So all in all base rin sa sipag at tiyaga, magkaka-level sila riyan!

So here's my guy, NOY!

At dito walang ka-level si Noynoy pag-dating sa utos ng magulang.

Based on the photo, I would rather go for MAMA at PAPA! The one who follows the guidance of righteous parents, than those who follow the dictates of the party. Here, we have Daddy Ninoy at Mommy Cory guiding the political direction of the party, if that's what the picture above tried to emphasize.

He has one noble guidance, and that is just to LOVE and take CARE for all of us. With this guidance, everything else will fall in proper places. Just like a good father who loves and cares for his family, exactly just like us OFW -- just like you and me.

We are here abroad driven by our love and care for our families, working HONESTLY to keep our jobs for their sake, kahit mahirap and working HARD for them in order to provide their necessities.

Just like Noynoy and us OFWs, WE will never steal because we do not want to put our families in scandalous situation.. WE will never put our families' future at stake for sake of our own personal interest. And most of the time, friendship (or party) is immaterial if things are prejudicial to our families.

So equate that, equals:

"Filipinos is the big family of Noynoy.. our families is his family too, therefor NOYNOY IS EVERY OFW."

Maybe, there were few guys out there who got dismayed during Pres. Cory's time because of her convictions and her true-to-the-line governance..but that few did not represent ALL of us...NOT the majority of the Filipinos.

Look at us today, look around...it's the other way around and exactly the opposite. Only few guys are so happy, the rest of us are begging for a real life we deserved.

Just like his mother, Noynoy's running for presidency is impromptu and consulted no one but his conscience.

Good governance need long planning and presidency is a short term stint. But to corrupt the government needs longer one, longer than planning a good government and it is also a long term operation where 6 years is not enough. So in order to plan for a bad government that will enrich the whole clan and everyone in the party, it should start from ambition down to planned re-election, from one position to another.

Noynoy never dreamed of becoming a president. It is the people who wished him to run, and he did not fail us on that request.

Sabi ko nga sa email thread dun sa Yahoo! Group:

Mas mabuting pumusta ako kay Noynoy at matalo, or mabigo ako sa expectation ko. At least expectation ko lang, afterwards, wala na siya. Kesa magbakasakali ako sa iba...bigo ka na..asar-talo ka pa..mas maraming unexpected na ayaw mong mangyari ang gagawin nila.

Etong move na ito, expected nyo ba:

Tatakbo pang Congresswoman.....tanga lang maniniwalang pagmamahal sa bayan ang nagtulak para muling mag-lingkod sa bayan at constituents ang nag-request. Tanga ba kayo diyan sa lugar na yan at di niyo halata ha?

Si FVR nga panay tulong naman until now ah.

Sa sobrang talino, pinaikot ang batas, binalewala ang moralidad, ininsulto pa ang lohikong pag iisip ng bawat Filipino. Awkward! parang di natural!

So di naman ako galit, nagpapaliwang lang, medyo asar nga lang ako dun sa ale..bad trip!

SO KANINO KA?

Ako, di ako makakaboto..wala ritong presinto sa Afghanistan...kaya eto lang kaya ko.