We can be the best if we will give our best.
I had the worst initial episodes of my life when my family had broken up when I was a child. It’s a misfortune but it had driven me to reciprocate my father’s mistakes. At young age, I’ve seen and experienced how hard it is to be left by someone you love.
Rock Bottom
I’ve seen my untiring mother, Marilyn work for us to make a living. We were dragged to rock bottom that time and yet rock bottom is an ideal ground to build foundation of a new home.
My mother had met this guy, Sebastian Jr., who treated me as his own son and supported us all the way. They yield to have my little sister Jazzie Mae.
Until now, we don’t have a house that we can call our own, but my family make every house that we rent a real home. I was born poor and living to strive for a better life.
Graduating as class Valedictorian of Bato NHS paved way to finish my Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Transportation at Palawan Polytechnic College Inc. through full-merit scholarship.
Graduation
Fellow graduates, I hope the years you’ve spent in college learning your stuff were good enough to enable you to sail away as the masters of your own self.
Every year, graduates are like ships having their first departure bound to anywhere depending on how they have prepared for it.
Our life destinations as graduates is like knowing where we should go yet we can only see the horizon with our unaided eyes.
Whatever your plan is, always remember this:
Good things come to those who wait, but better things happen to those who go out and get them.
The real world out there is full of accumulated competitors through the years and tomorrow, you’re gonna be one of them. To survive, you should grab every opportunity.
Wag patulog-tulog. Wag pabagal-bagal.
We Continue to Fight!
Keep moving. And never stop because every day, it’s a fight between you and time, every day, you are either winner or defeated in achieving your goals.
It doesn’t matter if you are an achiever or not, financially stable or not, graduated from a prestigious school or not, what really matter and will define your future is how you manage your 24 hours every day.
Time is the world’s great equalizer. 7.6 Billion people around the world have different potentials, from the poorest people of 3rd world countries to richest CEO’s and company owners, we all have 24 hours a day.
We are wasting so much potential when we are idle. Always set a deadline in everything you do. A life full of pressure is bound to make an impact.
Focus more on goals
Don’t let social media steal your time.
You are what you always do but don’t expect to be Mark Zuckerberg if you always do Facebook. Don’t let your screen brightness be brighter than your future.
For the 3rd year in a row, Philippines ranked first based on time spent on social media. And the sad truth is, we are waking up seeing first our phones, living the whole day with our phones and it’s still our phones that we see lastly before we sleep.
Social media can be very useful to communicate with far away people but it divides attention to those who are near you.
Job Hunting
Looking for a job is like joining a raffle draw. The more entries you have the more chances you get.
Apply to as many companies as you can. It may be hard and take too long but don’t lose hope because you’ll never know how close you are in achieving that goal if you will give up.
Sabi nga, susuka pero di susuko.
Keep on Pushing!
We are all like ships cruising towards success at full speed. You may slow down your speed but don’t stop, because if you stop, it’s gonna be hard to gain that momentum again.
When you stop, you’ll be floating around without direction and it won’t take long to lose control of your own life and might adrift you somewhere else that could sink everything you’ve worked hard for many years.
Always Learn Everyday, Everywhere
Don’t stop learning because investing in knowledge pays the best interest. Read and learn continuously.
There are many Kabaro who will tell you, “sa barko ka nalang matututo, matututunan mo lahat yan sa barko.”
It is somehow true but having the knowledge to impress your superiors at once would give you an edge to gain their trust to teach you even the most critical tasks, thus allowing you to learn more.
Having that knowledge would allow you to learn easier as it will be like comparing notes rather than looking for notes on board.
Truly Grateful
Graduates of 2018, it’s an honor to be graduating with you and from the bottom of my heart I wish you all the very very best! Congratulations to all of us!
Thank you once again to:
God
My Family, Relatives and friends.
PPCI’s President Madam Aileen A.
Alterado and the Alterado Family
Tita Tess and Ate Sandra
PPCI’s members of the administration, faculty and staff
Capt. Nieto and C/E Renz
Anglo-Eastern Univan Group
Capt. Manrico O. Dalusong
Capt. Anthony C. Carin
C/O Juanite, C/O Ruena, C/O Ty, C/O De Villa
all my officers and ratings mentors.
Without any of you, I will not be where I am today and graduate as first Summa Cum Laude of my Alma Maters PPCI and BNHS. Thank you for all the greetings. The photo below is my biggest and grandest selfie ever. God bless us all!
#todaymylifebegins
#notwithoutGod
Click here to see Jonel’s original post.
And may the winds be on your favor.
