I am Atty. Steven Michael D.

Gala, I am an alumnus of SJA, I graduated

2004, simple math, when I was in 4th year, you were in prep-one. So I
am a Josephinian, elementary to HS. After HS, I took up BS Legma, in
SBC-Manila, and after 4years, I immediately took up law, also in SBC.
After years in lawschool, I took the bar last October 2013, and
fortunately I passed. So there, again, I am Atty. Steven Gala.
When I said I was speaking at a high school career orientation, my
friends were curious. Anong sasabihin mo dun? So I asked them, what
do you wish someone had told you in high school? Natameme sila,
English e. So I'm going to tell you what we all wish someone had told
us.
I am not your typical HS Career orientation speaker, first, Im not a HS
honor student, I was not even in the top10 of the graduating class, I
was not a teachers pet, Im an ordinary HS student---swabeng swabe
lang. I was the student, Sir Abesamis, sent out, because I was late for
Araling Panlipunan, I was the student, Sir Deodores, punished with
50push-ups because I was not in the flag ceremony formation; I was
the student, Maam Cabile and Agie would always tell to manahimik
naman. I have my share of kalokohan, but despite this, serioso naman
ako, minsan. I am a member of the SGO, being councilor for 3years, I
am a member of YEM, YOUFRA, and the Editorial staff for Josephinian.
So I was not all play, may effort-effort din naman!
I'll start by telling you something you will not know in high school: what
you want to do with your life. People are always asking you this, so you
think you're supposed to have an answer. Ano nga bang gusto mo?
If I were back in high school and someone asked about my plans, I'd
say that my first priority was to learn what the options were. You don't
need to be in a rush to choose your life's work. What you need to do is

discover what you like. You have to work on stuff you like, if you want
to be good at what you do.
Nagsisimula ang lahat ng yan, sa pagpili ng course! Back in HS, I had
two choices: Una, Molecular biology major in biotechnology at second,
International studies, major in European languages. Intense diba? I
chose this kasi ung tunog nia mukhang pang matalino eh. But then, I
failed UPCAT and ACET. So I ended up taking BS Legal Management sa
SanBeda. Little did I know, that I was born to be a lawyer.
College is a whole new world. It is never comparable to HS. It is like a
walk in the park, only thatits Jurassic Park. I can still recall, first day
nun college, so magpapakilala, I was likeim steven gala, from sariaya
quezon, you can see in their faces parang shock na shock e,
probinsyano paguwi ko, I told my mom, Mama, uuwi na ako, ayaw
ko na dito and she told me, you have to prove them wrong, youre
better than them So, wala akong nagawa, inisip ko na lang, if they can
do good, I can do better. I learned to adjust and to adapt, I found good
sets of friends, I lived a balance life, Skul-bahay,-fun, skul-bahay-fun.
With this formula, I was able to graduate on time with Academic
Distinction, In fact, hayaan nio akong magyabang-- never akong
nawala sa Deans list---astig no?, and that for me is quite an
achievement. Who would have thought, 2x nga lang ako nahighachiever e.
Why am I telling you this? Kasi I want you to know, that I was once a
NOBODY. And that never hinders me to continue with my dreams.
College may seem like steps away from the real world but its also
miles away from what high school was like. In college, the stakes are
higher and the challenges tougher. Simply put, youre bound to learn to

stand on your own two feet, every step of the way. So im giving you
this survival guidelines.
First tip:
Know your Passion. Sbi ko nga, you need to do discover what you like.
You have to work on stuff you like, if you want to be good in what you
do.
Pangalawa, Find good sets of friends. Your high school friends are going
to make new friends, and so will you. No, this doesnt mean, however,
that your friends forever sumpaan wont matter anymore. But it does
mean that things will be different. Youre all going to have friends that
the others only hear about from stories or nakikita lang dahil naka-tag
sa instagram.
Third, live a balance life. Go to class, or it will go on without you. On
that note, dont spend naman all days and night in the library. Grades
are important, but that General average do not define you. Its okay to
stay in sometimes, but go out as much as you can. Years from now
when you look back at your college experience youre going to want to
talk about your awesome stories, not your awesome grades. In other
words, ok lang mag pachill-chill, basta aral-aral din.
Pang-apat, savor every moment. College life means independence.
Freedom.
And lastly, be Batman, Yes, si batman, the mere mortal, orphan, no
supernatural powers, only average human strength at nagsusuot ng
brief sa ibabaw ng pants.
There are three simple lessons, I learned in the story of Batman that I
wish to impart to you: First things first, I am not telling you to dress up
like a bat and fight crime. No, The First lesson I learned from Batman is

Improve yourself and be better. Batman was not beaten by a

radioactive spider, he was not injected a super soldier serum and he
was not born in the planet krypton. He was an average guy like us.
Second lesson, I learned from batman, is to learn to pick yourself up. It
is important in order for you to survive life and college. When Batman
was in a brink of death, Alfred his butler/foster father, asked him,
Bruce, why do we fall? Batman was dumbfounded. Then Alfred told
him So we could learn to pick ourselves up.
The road to college will be tough. You will fall, believe me.You will fail
your exams, quizzes, thesis, pati sa lablife, you will experience
countless of heartaches.
Lastly, the lesson, I learned from batman is to find your passion and
seek that one thing that makes your life worth living. Batman was an
orphan. His parents were murdered and that brought his quest to fight
injustice. Thats his passion.
Today, Im working as a Senior Associate at SGV. It is the oldest
accounting and taxation firm in the Philippines. I will not elaborate on
this at yung experiences ko sa lawschool kasi baka mawalan kayo ng
gana mag-pursue ng law e just a hint kung yung college parang
Jurassic Park. Yung lawschool parang The Conjuring You get the
picture?
So now, Allow me to thank ,my teachers and this institution for
teaching me that education is not confined in books and theories, but
encompasses
the spirit of faith, the zeal of service, and truth through charity. Ad
veritatem per caritatem.

To end, you may dream of becoming a lawyer, a teacher, a rockstar, an

artist, the next Jeric Teng. Whatever your dream or passion is, claim it,
seize it! Unleash the Batman, in you. Afterall,Bahala na si Batman!