Bona fide Text
Thank you PRISSAAP
It was April 19, 2009, Sunday when Private Secondary Schools Administrators Association of the Philippines (PRISSAAP) - Region VI had its Awards Night for the Search of the Most Outstanding Students, Teachers and Parent at Punta Villa, Arevalo, Iloilo City.
I was honored to be one of the two teachers in the region to be recognized by PRISSAAP headed by Rev. Dr. Exequiel F. Guanzon. Undersecretary Vilma L. Labrador of the Department of Education was the guest of honor in the said event.
I would like to share to all of you my dear readers the speech I delivered that night:
I used to sit at the banks on a raft and watch the water roll by lazily. One day I pushed my raft into the shallows of the water and found the water moved swifter than I thought. My raft was actually a boat. Then, after some time, I rowed my little boat into deeper water. There were great storms, mighty winds, tremendous waves, and sometimes I felt so alone. But I have noticed my little rowboat is now a mighty ship manned by my friends and loved ones; and beautiful calm seas, warm sunny days, and nights filled with comfortable dreams always double after a storm. Now, I could never go back and sit on the bank. In fact, I search for deeper water. Such is life when lived.
It is an opportunity for me to stand before all of you and to speak in behalf of all the awardees. What we have received tonight is the fruit of our labor, reaping what we've sown. There are countless ways of achieving greatness, but any road to achieving one's maximum potential must be built on bedrock of respect for the individual, a commitment to excellence, and a rejection of mediocrity. Before we reach this far, we underwent series of test, just like an ordinary contest of life. Thus, the real contest is always between what you've done and what you're capable of doing. You measure yourself against yourself and nobody else. It is an overwhelming feeling to receive such recognition that we worked hard for. We measure our capacity, as an ordinary person, as a leader, as an achiever, as a citizen who just made a difference in the lives of others and the community. If there is anything I would like to be remembered and as what Ma'am Labrador said, for it is that I helped people understand that leadership is helping other people grow and succeed. To repeat myself, leadership is not just about you. It's about them.
This is also the best time to thank the wonderful persons who touch our lives in so many ways. To our parents, my St. Joseph School family, to Mrs. Maria Lourdes Josefina Garcia and Teacher Lea Manejero for the opportunities given to me, my mentors, friends, our special someone, and our dear Almighty whose always there for us, in times of laughters and tears, in our ups and downs of life. Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without gratefulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without gratefulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from gratefulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.
I'll end my speech by sharing these beautiful lines from Theodore Roosevelt that says, “Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
To PRISSAAP Region VI headed by Pastor Guanzon and to the Department of Education for Region VI, thank you so much for recognizing us. Kudos for a job very well done!
And to all the awardees, congratulations to all of us! We made it!