UP Diliman 107th Commencement Exercises: Paglayang Minamahal

The 29 summa cum laude graduates. (Photo from UPDIO)

The rains came the night before.

That morning the sunflowers along the University Avenue shone, and 4,612 graduates beamed with sunshine on their faces as they walked on soggy ground to their seats. The MassComm graduates unfurled yellow umbrellas, and the would-be lawyers put on their wide sombreros.

Chancellor Michael Tan started the ceremonies with UP reality checks.

Alexander Michael 'Miggy' Bautista,
BS Business Administration, cum laude!

He looked at Alexander Michael 'Miggy' Bautista on his wheelchair in front of the Virata School of Business Administration contingent, and he recalled promising to Miggy the installation of an elevator at Palma Hall. The funds came but there were structural and logistical problems on the shaft. Miggy transferred to Virata. There were no elevators there too but he managed to walk through, figuratively, his course with the help of his parents, schoolmates and even security guards.

People with Disabilities (PWDs_were clearly in Tan's mind; likewise the financially-handicapped UP students who finish their courses the LULI way: lulubog lilitaw. He cited a library science student who went through that hard way and was finally graduating at the age of 34.

He went on to say too that among the graduates are some who suffer from clinical depression, and there were those who did not make it. One particular case, who dreamed of getting back to UP, got killed by the police because he supposedly held up a taxi driver,

Of course, he reminded that the free-tuition policy for undergraduates began this school year 2017-2018. No fees of any kind were collected and that meant, he said, belt tightening.

His parting shot to the graduates: "Many of you have benefited as iskolar ng bayan in the full sense of the word, and you are still exempt from return service, which will require starting this schoolyear for all who benefit from the no tuition fee policy.

"But even if you are not required to render return service, I hope you will think of coming back, and giving back. Huwag munang mag-isip na maging balikbayan, Ang kailangan, pagbabalik bayan, at least stay and work and serve our country."

The university bestowed Sen. Loren Legarda, BA Broadcasting '81, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

Sen. Legarda receiving her honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

In her speech, she recalled the nerdy "student Loren", how she coped with the grind of UP life:  shuttling between classes around the oval via ikot jeepney, dealing with terror professors and the lines to get the best schedule and instructors during registration.

She acknowledged the 'resume peace negotiations' placards raised among the graduates, and said she's all for it.

She noted that there are things in UP that will never change ('hindi magbabago magpakailanman') like the graduation theme 'paglayang minamnahal: paglaya ng kaisipan, ang paglaya ng pamamahayag, ang paglaya mula sa kahirapan, sa kamangmangan, at sa kaapihan.'.

"UP would not be UP if we were to devote ourselves to anything less than service to the people in whatever form," she stressed. "UP would not be UP if it did not dare to lead, to be different, and to excel."

Yellow umbrellas for MassComm graduates.

She then called attention to the 'need to protect and to promote our environment', which pushed her to author and sponsor the passage of laws on solid waste management, clean air, clean water, renewable energy, climate change and people's survival.

The need to protect the weak, the dispossessed, and the marginalized people moved her to support significant legislation on women and children and senior citizens.

She tied these all up in her leading advocacy on culture and the arts.

"I have supported important initiatives," she said, "in the arts in their full range and variety, from our indigenous artisans to Philippine representation in the Venice Biennale."

Legarda is the co-author of the National Cultural Heritage Act, which mandates the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and the local government units to undertake the Philippine Registry of Cultural Properties.

She was forewarned of the lightning demonstration at the end of the ceremonies, which has become a commencement tradition.

She told the demonstrators, "I say welcome, and say your piece if you must ... UP will not be UP without you."

She urged them to look at 'higher forms of, and larger reasons for, protest and affirmation.'

"We need to act," she said, "in our respective spheres and communities, to protect the future. Samahan po sana ninyo ako sa adhikaing ito, at magkaisa tayo sa pagsasabuhay at pagtataguyod ng ating paglayang minamahal.'

China Marie Giuliani F. Gabriel, BA Broadcast Communication, was one of the 29 summa cum laude graduates. She was not the topnotcher, but she spoke on behalf of her fellow graduates.

China Gabriel delivering response on behalf of Class 2018.

She talked about freedom, and asked Class 2018: "... may dilag nga ba ang tula at awit sa paglayang minamahal? Tunay nga bang tayo'y malaya?"

"Insofar as our freedom is concerned," she said, with reference to the issue between China and our country, "we can be firm in our stance yet sensitive to the dynamics of global order. Whatever contention we might have can be worked out through diplomacy-hardcore, as it may need to be--but always keeping that delicate balance between an assertion and enjoyment of rights, and empathy based on a sense of global citizenship and common humanity."

She dwelt on fake news, martial law and historical revisionism.

"In this age of alternative facts and fake news, we can all agree that media plays a huge role in either advancing or combating revisionism," she asserted.

"I look at media as a means to promote positive values, to deepen our appreciation for our own Philippine culture, and most of all, to both mirror and defend truth," she added.

She recalled her mind-opening experiences in history classes and lessons learned on the streets.

Shifting the sablay to the other shoulder: a graduate at last!

"The truth is," she stressed, "we are not free from the horrors of our past. We contest the validity of our memories up to this day, and we find the same terrible chapters of our history repeating itself, with evil manifesting in a different form. For a freedom-loving people, we have allowed too many tyrants to rule our nation. Kung noon pa man hanggang ngayon sinisiil ang ating karapatan, ano nga ba ang kalayaan?"

She acknowledged that "the greatest gift that [UP] has given us is perspectives on using lenses of history, social justice, and our respective disciplines to look at national issues and to address them head-on."

"The call of the times is for us to become truth-seekers," she asserted, "but I challenge each of us to go the extra mile by becoming a guardian of hope and memory."

This was her call to Class 2018: "Magpakatatag at magpakagiting tayo para sa ikauunlad ni Inang Bayan. Let our enthusiasm to learn transform into enthusiasm to serve and to remember; together, let us create new memories for our liberated Pilipinas, stand for truth, and actualize our loving vision for the Filipino society."