Graduation Speech: The Story Of ABS-CBN

For those of you who don't know ABS-CBN, it's actually one of the leading television networks in the Philippines. As a Communication student, I spent my entire four years of college dreaming of landing a job in ABS one day.

Dreaming that after graduation, I will walk up to them, hand them my resume and they would like me, enough to even hire me. Then I would spend my coming years, serving them and being a part of this great thing they are doing from time to time, specifically, in video production – an editor or a producer, perhaps.

I was meant for ABS. I knew I was created to be part of this company. I was in this career path because I am meant to leave amazing legacies with ABS. All these thoughts, circling in my mind every now and then,
Yes, resigned. Got more calls, exams, interviews then finally a job offer – researcher for a news program. Even though I'm more on the creative side, I grabbed it. It was ABS for goodness sake. The next day, I was given a bigger offer for a magazine show in the same network. Boy, I was excited. Bigger offer plus creative side plus it's my dream company-- as an impulsive fresh graduate, I chose the magazine show, not over thinking the pros and cons of this decision. I chose the other one in a heartbeat. I declined the offer from the news department, assured that I'll have the more exciting offer. However, due to some twist of fate or some kind of a universal joke, conflict began to rise since it wasn't very honorable for me to decline the news department who processed me for a long time, in just one snap in order to get hold of the bigger offer. At first, I didn't understand the logic behind it, it's in the same company. But maybe it was really meant to happen that way. Thus, to cut the story short, I lost both offers. I lost ABS.

Hell yeah, I was depressed. I can't eat. Can't sleep. Stupid right? I know. I was unemployed for awhile. Praying and hoping for some miracle or magic or some godly intervention for my application to somehow work its way out. Praying and hoping for my phone to beep, an email, a call, a text – anything saying they will still consider my application. An opening, a chance, anything that can produce a feeling of assurance in my heart that maybe
Maybe I was raised for something greater than just being an employee working for a boss, more than just producing shows for people's entertainment or reporting news. Maybe I was cultured for more than just waking up early each morning or each dead of the night, to attend to my EP's needs and concerns – but to be one of those instruments God use to hearten souls.

Maybe I was reared to live my life outside the walls of a network. Maybe I was programmed to waste each time recording by ink all the experiences that made me a better person, to pen each heartache that made me braver and firmer. To type about the fascinating people I met along this journey, to scriven about the places I never thought I'd go. Maybe beyond all these commotion and confusion, I was absolutely born for more. I was born to serve my purpose, that is to communicate to people, to leave my fingerprints in other people's lives, to touch hearts through letters.

It's all thanks to you ABS-CBN, if not for you I wouldn't have comprehended it. You paved the way for me to discover my real calling. My real