By Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on delivered his response on behalf of the graduating students.
Commencement, School of Graduate Studies
Central Philippine University
June 28, 2024
Good morning! It is an honor to stand before you and speak on behalf of my fellow graduates. I do not know why I was chosen but it’s probably because I finished my doctoral studies in 9 years. 5 years in the classroom and 4 years in writing the dissertation. As they say, Magna Nine years!
First and foremost, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our families—our parents, grandparents, spouses, children, and friends—whose unwavering support has been instrumental in our academic journey.
Personally, thank you to my Tatay and Nanay for bringing me here to CPU. They both served as members of the CPU Board of Trustees and they only know of one school, and that is CPU. We are a family of Centralians because of them. Thank you also to my brother Jobert and my sister Star, who is an Alma Mater Awardee and their families for the financial support. Thank you also to my in laws Welga and Makoy for the morale support. I also would like to mention two churches which supported me along the way – the Bacolod Bethany Church and La Carlota Evangelical Church.
A special thank you to my wife Hermely, the original CPU Golden Lion. I did not start writing again if not for her. She was writing her dissertation proposal while I was watching K-drama during nighttime. After a few nights, we decided to graduate together. If not for the late responses of her respondents, we could have graduated together. But she is set to graduate this summer hopefully. For now, she is busy writing at nighttime, and I am back to my K-drama.
To our children, Kairos and Francheska, thank you for inspiring us to make our world a better place to live in.
We are also deeply thankful to our teachers at Central Philippine University for their guidance and mentorship. Here at CPU, we do not have teachers who just teach for the sake of teaching and for earning money. We have teachers here who are exemplary Christians in words and in deeds. Their lives have become part of our lives, and we will be forever grateful to that.
Special mention to Dean Dr. Bernabe Pagara for recommending me to the CPU Faculty Development Program. To my dear mentors who have become lifelong friends, Rev. Dr. Jerson Narciso and Rev. Dr. Nestor Bunda, thank you for guiding me along the way. My gratitude also to Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Fabula, our legendary teacher. Thank you also to Dean Dr. Rowena Libo-on for reminding me to stop biking so that me and Hermely can finish our dissertation. My gratitude also to VPAA Dr. Irving Domingo Rio for the wonderful revisions that he made me do within 48 hours.
I also would like to thank all the personnel under the Office of Communications for the friendship and for being model employees of CPU.
And, of course, we are grateful to God for His amazing grace that has carried us through. Today, our response goes beyond expressing our thanks. As graduates of Central Philippine University, we are here to make a commitment. As a response, we commit to:
Be an Exemplary Leader
We are called to be exemplary leaders, reflecting the light of Christ in all we do. As Ephesians 4:1 urges us, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
John Calvin, a leading figure in the Reformation, reminds us that “We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.”
Be Christ-Centered
At the heart of our education is a Christ-centered approach, ensuring that our faith guides our intellect. Colossians 3:17 encourages us, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
C.S. Lewis, a renowned Christian author, wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
Be Dedicated to Serve
We have been equipped not only to excel academically but also to serve others selflessly. Jesus said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Protestant theologian, echoed this when he said, “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others.”
Be Excellent in All Things
Our alma mater has taught us the importance of striving for excellence in every endeavor. Philippians 4:8 advises us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, once said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Be a Lifelong Learner of Science and Faith
Our journey does not end here; we are called to continue growing in science and faith throughout our lives. Proverbs 1:7 teaches us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Martin Luther, a key figure in the Protestant Reformation, believed that “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.”
As we leave the halls of Central, let us carry with us the spirit of Scientia et Fides—Science and Faith. We are reminded of the profound words of Anselm of Canterbury, one of my favorite theologians in medieval history and the forerunner of Scholasticism. He wrote, “For I do not seek to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order to understand…unless I believe, I will not understand.”
This intertwining of science and faith has been the cornerstone of our education at Central Philippine University which has guided us to pursue truth in both intellect and spirit.
Let us enjoy our graduation for there are no more edits, no more revisions, no more additional related literature, no more APA citations, no more references.
Thank you, and may God bless each one of us as we step into the future God has prepared for us. To God be the glory!