IBA KA BOY!!! UP Summa Cum Laude's Valedictory Address That Won’t Inspire You

Summary

In this graduation speech, the speaker shares their personal journey of overcoming financial instability and becoming the first in their family to graduate with honors. They challenge the notion of being an inspirational story, instead advocating for systemic change to dismantle barriers that force students from marginalized backgrounds to work harder for education. The speaker calls for an equitable society where quality education is a right, not a privilege, and urges fellow graduates to demand better public service and hold leaders accountable.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker is a proud first-generation university graduate, achieving the highest academic distinction despite financial struggles.
• 💼 At 18, the speaker began working multiple jobs to support their education and family, highlighting the financial instability faced by many students.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker took on the role of the family breadwinner at 20, emphasizing the burden of responsibility many young people face.
• 🌐 The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the speaker's family's financial situation, illustrating the impact of global crises on individual lives.
• 🤔 The speaker questions why education, a fundamental right, is not accessible to all and is often treated as an exceptional achievement for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• 🔨 The story serves as a call to dismantle societal barriers rather than being a standard for success, advocating for systemic change.
• 😡 The speaker encourages feeling discontent and frustration towards the system that requires students to work excessively hard for an education.
• 📚 The digital divide is highlighted as a significant issue, with the pandemic's shift to online learning exacerbating educational inequality.
• 🌟 The speaker rejects the idea of being a role model, asserting that no one should have to endure the same hardships just to get a diploma.
• 📉 The script discusses the importance of public service and the need for a resilient and dedicated approach to addressing societal issues.
• 🌱 The speaker advises not to always look for the silver lining in struggles, as recognizing and challenging systemic problems is crucial for progress.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial career at the age of 18?

The speaker began working as a call center agent for a BPO company at the age of 18.

How did the speaker support their family during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The speaker became the breadwinner of the family at the age of 20 when the pandemic caused both the father and the older brother to temporarily lose their jobs.

What academic achievement did the speaker accomplish at the University of the Philippines?

The speaker became the first University of the Philippines graduate in their family and received the University's highest academic distinction.

Why does the speaker feel uncomfortable being an inspiration to others?

The speaker does not want to be an inspiration because they believe that no one should have to endure the same structural barriers they faced to get a diploma.

What does the speaker suggest as a reaction to their story instead of inspiration?

The speaker wants listeners to feel discontented, frustrated, and even disgusted towards the system that requires students like them to work harder just to attain an education.

What is the speaker's view on the current educational system?

The speaker views the current educational system as one that perpetuates class inequalities and makes quality education a privilege rather than a right accessible to all.

How does the digital divide affect educational outcomes according to the speaker?

The speaker believes that the digital divide leads to significant differences in educational outcomes, with privileged students flourishing and underprivileged students falling behind.

What does the speaker advocate for in the education sector?

The speaker advocates for better public service and education sector reforms that address the inaccessibility and ensure equal chances for all students to finish their degrees.

What perspective does the speaker suggest when looking at the struggles of Filipinos?

The speaker suggests adopting a 'half empty' perspective to recognize systemic root causes of problems and to hold leaders accountable.

What message does the speaker have for those entering public service?

The speaker encourages those entering public service to be critical of the status quo, challenge the perpetuation of inequalities, and strive for a system that provides equal opportunities for all.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Overcoming Challenges: A Student's Journey

The speaker begins by acknowledging the common inspirational speeches heard during graduation season but decides to share a personal story instead. At 18, they started working to support their family's financial instability. By 19, they held two jobs while studying. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to become the family's breadwinner at 20. Despite these challenges, they graduated with the highest academic distinction at 22, becoming the first in their family to do so from UP. The speaker reflects on the societal praise for such stories but questions why education, a fundamental right, is not accessible to all and why their success is seen as surprising. They urge listeners, especially those in similar situations, to not just be inspired but to feel discontented with the system that creates these barriers.

05:02

🚩 Dismantling Barriers for Equitable Education

The speaker continues by emphasizing that their journey should not be a standard for success but rather a testament to the need to break down societal barriers. They express frustration with a system that requires students from marginalized backgrounds to work excessively hard to achieve what others take for granted. The speaker calls for a system that provides equal opportunities for all, regardless of socio-economic status. They discuss the digital divide in education, highlighting how the pandemic's shift to online learning disproportionately affected those without access to technology. The speaker argues for a better public service and education sector that addresses these inequities, ensuring that all students have the chance to succeed.

10:13

🌐 Advocating for Public Service and Social Responsibility

In this paragraph, the speaker addresses the future roles of public service, including potential leadership positions. They caution against盲目乐观主义 and suggest that recognizing the systemic issues is more important. The speaker encourages holding leaders accountable and challenging the status quo to address the root causes of societal problems. The message is one of advocacy for change and a call to action for those entering public service to work towards a more equitable society.

15:36

👏 Recognition and Applause

This paragraph consists of applause from the audience, indicating a positive reception of the speaker's message. It serves as a punctuation to the speech, showing that the audience resonates with the speaker's call for change and the importance of public service.

Keywords

💡Public Administration

Public Administration refers to the management and implementation of public policies and programs by government agencies. In the context of the video, the speaker mentions obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, which implies a focus on the study of government operations and the delivery of public services. The degree is relevant to the speaker's advocacy for better public service and equitable access to education.

💡Financial Instability

Financial instability denotes a lack of financial security and predictability, often characterized by irregular income or the inability to meet financial obligations. The speaker recounts experiencing their family's financial instability at an early age, which motivated them to work multiple jobs to support their family and education, illustrating the personal struggle and the systemic issues that can affect access to education.

💡Breadwinner

A breadwinner is a person who provides the primary financial support for their family. The speaker took on the role of the breadwinner at the age of 20, emphasizing the responsibility and burden that can fall on individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds. This role is central to the speaker's narrative, as it highlights the challenges faced by those who must balance work and education.

💡Structural Barriers

Structural barriers are systemic obstacles that hinder certain groups' access to resources or opportunities. The speaker mentions enduring structural barriers to education, which they argue should not be necessary for anyone to obtain a diploma. This concept is key to understanding the speaker's call for societal change to dismantle barriers and create equitable paths for all.

💡Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have ready access to computers and the internet and those who do not. The speaker discusses the digital divide in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the shift to online learning disproportionately affected those from low-income families who lacked the necessary technology and resources, exacerbating educational inequalities.

💡Public Service

Public service involves working for the government or other organizations to serve the public interest. The speaker challenges the audience to consider for whom they will dedicate their public service, suggesting that it should be aimed at addressing the needs of all, regardless of socio-economic status. This concept is integral to the speaker's vision for a more equitable society.

💡Privilege

Privilege refers to unearned advantages that certain individuals or groups have over others, often due to their social, economic, or educational status. The speaker contrasts the experiences of privileged students with those who are underprivileged, highlighting how privilege can influence educational outcomes and opportunities.

💡Systemic Issues

Systemic issues are deep-rooted problems within a system that perpetuate inequality or injustice. The speaker calls for a recognition of systemic issues, such as the barriers to education, and urges the audience to challenge the status quo and hold leaders accountable for addressing these problems.

💡Equitable Path

An equitable path implies a fair and just route that provides equal opportunities for all individuals. The speaker advocates for the creation of an equitable path for education, suggesting that the current system unfairly favors certain groups and perpetuates class inequalities.

💡Discontent

Discontent refers to a feeling of dissatisfaction or unhappiness with the current state of affairs. The speaker encourages the audience to feel discontented with the system that requires students like them to work harder for the same opportunities, using this discontent as motivation to demand change.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the obligation to report, explain, and be responsible for one's actions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of holding leaders accountable for addressing systemic issues and ensuring that public services are accessible and effective for all.

Highlights

Began working at 18 to understand and address family's financial instability

Juggled two jobs at 19 to support academic and family needs

Became the breadwinner at 20 during the COVID-19 pandemic

Proud to be the first UB graduate in the family at 22

Received the University's highest academic distinction

Questioned why education is not a natural occurrence for all

Encourages listeners to be discontented with the system that requires students to work hard for education

Believes no one should endure the same structural barriers to get a diploma

Story should be a testament to the need to dismantle societal barriers

Wants listeners to be disgruntled enough to demand better from the system

Access to quality education should not be a privilege but a right

Digital divide exacerbates educational outcomes and class inequalities

Advocates for better public service and education sector to address inaccessibility

Challenges the audience to recognize systemic root causes of problems

Encourages holding leaders accountable for the perpetuation of inequality

Does not encourage blind optimism but a realistic view of the struggles of Filipinos

Emphasizes the importance of public service for all, regardless of socio-economic status

Highlights the potential roles in public service for graduates

Transcripts

Bachelor of public administration

[Applause]

um the inspirational and motivational

types of validatory address are the

common types we hear during this

graduation season

speech in reaction

s

I know

this time however

I watched David from that Norm and

standard

so today I chose not to inspire you with

my speech but first let me tell you my

story at an early age of 18 I began to

feel and understand

my family's Financial instability so I

started to earn my own money working for

a BPO company

as a call center agent

at 19 i juggled two jobs

as a marketing assistant and tutor in

Learning Centers

to support not only my academic needs

but also those of my family as the

covid-19 pandemic have caused both my

father and the older brother to

temporarily lose their jobs at the age

of 20 I decided to be the bread winner

of my family because it had always been

my dream for my father to retire as I

know how hard it was for him to work as

an of double since I was young

I did all of this while also studying

here at up and now at 22 I am very proud

to say that I am the first UB graduate

of my family having received the

University's highest academic

distinction

[Applause]

thank you

as you can see in my life an academic

journey is similar to those that are

frequently featured in the news and

social media

driver

[Music]

s

[Music]

working students

these headlines and narratives draw a

lot of public attention and praise

because aside from being inspiring the

society would identity finds it unusual

or surprising that the poor or

marginalized to them graduated from

college

and sometimes with flying colors in the

past as used to celebrate the success

like others but the privilege of having

a up education taught me to question why

such a fundamental human right as

education which must be granted to each

of us is not a natural occurrence

Paul were listening to me especially

those who find themselves in similar

situations as mine those who are

juggling work and studies at the same

time acting as the breadwinner of their

family

I urge you not merely to be inspired by

my success and story and wondering

honestly I feel uncomfortable answering

those questions because I do not want to

be your inspiration I do not want my

story to be your source of motivation

I am and Will Never Be Your Role Model

I firmly believe that no one should have

to endure the same structural barriers I

face just to get a diploma and reach

where I am today

my journey and story should not be a

standard for success but the Testament

for the need to dismantle the barriers

we have in our society so that we can

create an equitable path for all of us

rather what they wanted to feel is to

feel discontented frustrated and even

disgusted towards the system that has

four students like me to work twice or

Thrice as hard just simply because the

current system makes a thing

like an attainable fit for many of us I

want you to be disgruntled enough with

the system to the point that we demand

for something better and not Setter for

Less featuring for a system we're

working students indigenous people and

individuals from impoverished family

have equal chances to finish their

degrees because as long authorities

similar to mine persists and continue to

be surprising for others it speaks

volume about the prevailing reality we

believe and today where access to

Quality education remains a privilege

dependent on one's socio-economic status

rather than a right that is accessible

to all segurus

but before we delve into the question of

how we can establish and promote a

resilient and dedicated public service

the first question that we must answer

first is for whom you may dedicate this

service

by answering this question we can lay

the foundation for understanding the

core purpose and beneficiaries of our

Collective effort and public service

[Music]

[Music]

foreign

regardless of our class the existing

disparities and differences in our

socio-economic status influences how we

perceive this effect and how we deal

with its consequences in education when

we transition from face to face to

online learning not everyone had the

privilege and resources to meet the

demands and requirements of online

learning because the harsh reality is

that middle and upper classes have

better access to technology and other

resources while some of us

come from low-income families find it

difficult to acquire the devices we need

for our education such as laptops

computers and stable internet

with this digital divide we can also

expect

significant differences in educational

outcomes which contributes to the

perpetration of existing class

inequalities as privileged students

continue to flourish and Thrive amidst

this change will underprivileged

students are more likely to fall behind

um

foreign

in reality millions of students lack the

resources they need for distance

learning so instead of pushing the

students to do what I did what we should

do is to demand an advocate for better

public service and the education sector

that will truly address this apparent in

accessibility

can be said for other aspects and

sectors of our society it's a health

sector

health workers

[Music]

and inventors

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

many of us

will serve in the public service and

some of us may become the next Supreme

Court Justice member of the House of

Representatives senators or even

presidents

as we embark on the next chapter of Our

Lives

as we embark on the next chapter of Our

Lives I do not encourage you to always

be optimistic that when you look at the

struggles of our fellow Filipinos we

always look for the Silver Lining

because in reality not all situations

can be viewed through the lens of a

harmful glass sometimes looking at the

glass half empty is the better thing to

do

using this half empty perspective it

enables us to recognize the systemic

root causes other problems challenge the

status is called the perpetuation and to

hold our leaders and let the leaders

accountable

[Music]

foreign Marcos

[Music]

unit

s is

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

foreign

[Applause]