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Message of Colonel Benito T. de Leon, Commander, 104th Infantry (Sultan) Brigade, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division,
Philippine Army as Guest Speaker during the 24th Commencement Exercises of Balo‐i National High School, Lanao
del Norte, on 31 March 2009.
Bismillah Hirahman Niraheem. Assalamu Alaykom Warahmatullahi Wabarakato. May
the peace and blessings of The Almighty be upon us all.
I am pleased, but more honored to be part of the 24th Commencement Exercises of
Balo‐i National High School, and to contribute to your aspirations as you, the graduating
class, face your journey to the future.
This is definitely a special day of celebration for what all of you—the graduating
students including your parents and your teachers—have achieved, which you should be
proud of and from which you can draw inspiration. To the teachers, appreciate your
graduating students; to the parents, take pride of your graduating children; and to the
graduating class, look hopefully to the future that is unfolding before you.
When I was your age, I was similarly brimming with so much excitement and hope to
face the future. I was confident to meet the challenges with the education my parents
and teachers gave me, along with the studies I did on my own. Yes, I did study on my
own after I discovered there is so much to learn outside what was taught in school.
Earlier in my childhood, I spent so much time in the libraries, reading and reflecting on
the wisdom that was written in various books. It led me from one book to another; then
from one library to the next. My quest for knowledge was unending: not contented with
my extra readings, I sought the personal views of friends and even those from strangers.
In the end, I challenged the saying “experience is the best teacher.” To my mind, I would
often say, “only fools learn from their own experience, but wise men learn from the
experience of the fools!”
My passion for reading and educating myself has been carried to this day: now, I also
spend so much time on the internet and have found too much information, but I realize
it is today’s trend of education. In a way, this obsession to learn has broadened my
perspective that made me understand and tolerant of different peoples, cultures, and
beliefs. With this view, I believe that education will be the key to harmonize peoples
from different cultures and faiths. And this is also the reason why I find it important for
me to see Christians and Muslims accepting each other and living together in harmony.
Undoubtedly, my education made me what I am today and the manner by which I
address many concerns of the day and those that I will yet have to meet. So, indeed,
when there is education, there is a prospect for a brighter future.
We the elders, particularly the teachers and parents, look at you—the graduating
students—to carry and sustain the hopes to provide for us all a better future. We have
done our part to pass these hopes to you. So much time and money were invested to
make this happen. Your parents sacrificed a great deal to put you in school with high
expectations. Similarly, your teachers patiently passed the lessons to prepare you to
meet the challenges of the future. Government, for its part, provided the appropriate
school facilities that allowed your learning process to take place. All of these—so that
you, as students, will have to learn and seriously prepare yourselves in your future roles,
whatever they may be.
Our “Panatang Makabayan” or the Oath of Allegiance, which we often recite as citizens
of the Republic of the Philippines, shows us how you need to prepare yourselves and
the reasons why. I now repeat this pledge for emphasis and understanding of how you
can best contribute to the future:
Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas. I love the Philippines.
Ito ang aking lupang sinilangan; It is the land of my birth;
Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi. It is the home of my people.
Ako'y kanyang kinukupkop at It protects me and helps me to be
tinutulungan upang maging malakas, strong, happy and useful.
maligaya at kapaki‐pakinabang.
Bilang ganti ay diringgin ko ang payo ng In return, I will heed the counsel of my
aking mga magulang; parents;
Susundin ko ang mga tuntunin ng aking I will obey the rules of my school;
paaralan; I will perform the duties of a patriotic,
Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin ng law‐abiding citizen;
isang mamamayang makabayan at
masunurin sa batas; I will serve my country unselfishly and
Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan nang faithfully;
walang pag‐iimbot at nang buong I will be a true Filipino in thought, in
katapatan; word, in deed.
Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na
Pilipino sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa.
I ask you then to reflect on the meaning of this oath—a pledge you must deliver by
committing your time and energy to become true patriotic Filipino citizens. A pledge you
have to fulfill to the best of your abilities for the future of our country. Certainly, it is
through education that you can best provide yourselves the skills, and develop your
talents to better serve our country. It is through the powerful means of education that
you can change our society and the world for the better: a fitting contribution to the
future and the generations to come.
As I look once more to this happy occasion, I share with you the pride, inspiration and
hope of this moment having also been a teacher, a parent, and a student. This was the
same heartwarming feeling that I felt a few days back, when I also witnessed the high
school graduation of my youngest son.
And so, to the teachers and the parents and especially the graduating class, my heartfelt
congratulations. I wish you all the very best as you continue your journey to the future.
May The Almighty Bless us all, may He Bless Lanao del Norte, and may He Bless the
Philippines. Wassalam.