Olga's Thanking Speech
To our acting Dean, Mary Baluyot, members and officers of the College of Commerce Alumni Foundation Inc., to our honored guests from COCAFI, to our faculty professors, parents, fellow Thomasians, Good morning.
Every child has a right to good education. But not everyone is fortunate enough to get one. With millions of Filipino families struggling to have food on their plates, a roof above their heads and clothes to protect them from cold, education seems to be a privilege enjoyed only by the people who can afford it. Children coming from the financially challenged families perceived education as an elusive dream.
I was once one of those children who had almost given up in finishing my studies. With the seemingly endless promissory notes and unsettled tuition fee, I began asking myself, “Will my dreams of being successful ever be a reality? Or will it forever be a mere dream?” There were a lot of reasons for me to answer “Yes, give up, this is the end,” however, I realized that my dreams are better once transformed to reality, my faith is stronger than my doubts, and my God is bigger than all these problems. I decided not to let my dreams slip away, that I will one day stop chasing it and instead get a hold of it. I will hold on to that flicker of hope no matter how impossible it may seem. This is the reason why I am standing in front of you today. I never and will never give up on my dreams.
Among all of these dreams, the one that seemed the most difficult was my dream to pursue a degree in this Pontifical and Royal University. It was a dream far too high for me to reach, but God has His ways. Though I am someone coming from a humble beginning, He bestowed upon me strength and courage for me to strive to become more than what my family and I can afford, and for this, I am very thankful. This scholarship grant is a blessing sent through His angels here on Earth—angels who took the form of people who made studying in this prestigious university possible. With this
Every child has a right to good education. But not everyone is fortunate enough to get one. With millions of Filipino families struggling to have food on their plates, a roof above their heads and clothes to protect them from cold, education seems to be a privilege enjoyed only by the people who can afford it. Children coming from the financially challenged families perceived education as an elusive dream.
I was once one of those children who had almost given up in finishing my studies. With the seemingly endless promissory notes and unsettled tuition fee, I began asking myself, “Will my dreams of being successful ever be a reality? Or will it forever be a mere dream?” There were a lot of reasons for me to answer “Yes, give up, this is the end,” however, I realized that my dreams are better once transformed to reality, my faith is stronger than my doubts, and my God is bigger than all these problems. I decided not to let my dreams slip away, that I will one day stop chasing it and instead get a hold of it. I will hold on to that flicker of hope no matter how impossible it may seem. This is the reason why I am standing in front of you today. I never and will never give up on my dreams.
Among all of these dreams, the one that seemed the most difficult was my dream to pursue a degree in this Pontifical and Royal University. It was a dream far too high for me to reach, but God has His ways. Though I am someone coming from a humble beginning, He bestowed upon me strength and courage for me to strive to become more than what my family and I can afford, and for this, I am very thankful. This scholarship grant is a blessing sent through His angels here on Earth—angels who took the form of people who made studying in this prestigious university possible. With this