University President Ma. Cristina Padolina, CEU Board of Directors, faculty members, our dear graduates, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

It is certainly a great honor and privilege to join you on this momentous occasion specially for our young graduates and their parents who have been looking forward to this day with great anticipation.

The diploma that you will receive this afternoon best symbolizes the achievements that you have accomplished in the last years of your academic life; a sweet reward for the sleepless nights and nerve-wracking days you have spent preparing for your exams, recitations, and fulfilling your school requirements.

Let me also congratulate the proud parents. This important milestone is also the fulfilment of your dreams for your children.

This is one of the shining moments in your children’s lives that you should take credit for. This day would not have been possible if not for your sacrifices, persistence and determination to see your children through all the highs and lows of their academic life.

This is also the best occasion to recognize the significant role played by your mentors – the people who selflessly shared their knowledge and expertise, and who painstakingly guided you in your academic pursuits.

I likewise commend and congratulate the officers and administration of this esteemed university for the continued pursuit of academic excellence.

By maintaining high quality standards through the innovations in your curricula, upgrade of your equipment and facilities, and by sustaining your pool of dynamic teaching force and university staff, this institution has significantly responded to the challenges brought about by the changing times.

As you have expanded your school system, by recently establishing new campuses in Makati City and Malolos City in Bulacan, you have reached out to more students, helping them hone their intellectual capabilities, skills and potential to become productive members of our society. In a highly competitive world, your commitment to academic excellence has produced well-equipped and outstanding graduates who are eager to find their rightful place in Philippine society and even in the international community.

My dear graduates, you give hope to our country that has been beset by many social ills and afflicted with malaise for years. My heart swells with pride and joy as I look at your vibrant and promising faces. Knowing that you possess the passion and youthful idealism gives us older ones a brighter hope and stronger optimism that we are placing the future of this country in good, able and safe hands – your hands.

Today marks the beginning of another chapter in your life. As you embark on a journey into the real world, I encourage you to hold on to your ideals despite the many temptations you will encounter along the way. Endeavour to take the road less travelled and make a difference in the lives of many.

I am certain that your parents and mentors have already impressed upon you the values of honor, truth, justice, honesty and courage. When you step out of the safe and protective walls of the academe and see the world for what it really is, I earnestly hope the importance of these values will not be lost on you.

Let me caution you that the world that awaits you outside the academe may even challenge the beliefs and values that you hold dearly. Inevitably, too, you shall encounter the different facets and harsh realities of life. But I trust that you will be able to brave any storm, defy all odds and hold your head high. With the motto of your alma mater, ciencia y virtud, instilled in your minds, I am confident that you will not compromise what you believe is right.

Each one of you will follow a different journey and live a different life. But any which way you take, you will have to make a choice between the path of excellence or the easy high way of mediocrity. I implore each one of you to make the best choice. Take the path of excellence. It will be a decision that you will never regret.

It is possible that, among you, we will have a future Einstein, or another national scientist like Carmen Velazquez, your alumna who gained recognition for her works in fish parasitology, or a potential awardee of the The Outstanding Filipino Physicians (TOFP) by the Jaycees, or a Senate President, or even a President of this republic. The possibilities are endless.

You can excel in any field you choose to put your heart into, whether in science and medicine, public administration and governance, social sciences, sports and athletics, entertainment and the arts. Whatever choice you make, do not be content with staying in the sidelines. Do not hesitate to take the center stage, so to speak. Render the best service possible. Touch the lives of those around you. Leave an indelible mark.

The pursuit of excellence should be a way of life. Use your God-given talents. Do not settle for what is easy but of lesser value. Do not opt for what is convenient but only gives you fleeting rewards. Do not take the easy road if what you get in the end is something you cannot be proud of.

In my long years in this world, I have been saddened for the young and promising lives that have been wasted on reckless and senseless endeavors.

Your life is not just about you or your plans and dreams. When you took your first step into the halls of this great university four or five years ago, you have committed yourselves to your school’s objectives: pursuit of knowledge, personal integrity, and social responsibility. Your lives now and from here on will also be about your respective families, communities and this nation we all belong in.

Today, I appeal to your sense of patriotism and nationalism. While you are considering opportunities to work abroad, let fellow Filipinos and our country benefit from your knowledge and skills first. In the light of the many economic, political and social problems we are all facing right now, I am imploring you to pursue worthwhile endeavors that will redound to the benefit of the people around you. I am confident that when young people such as your good selves come together for a cause, you shall be instrumental in propelling this nation to greater economic and political heights and help this country become a great nation once again.

In the end, a life that pursues excellence in a principled manner is a life well-lived. Let me end with this timeless reminder: “Your life is a gift from God. What you will do with your life is your gift to God” and, if I may add, to the Republic of the Philippines.

Thank you and good day.