Words by Dr. Marcos D. Bito-onon
Delivered during the Investiture of Hoods and Commencement Exercises of the School of Graduate Studies at the Rose Memorial Auditorium on June 7, 2026
Dr. Marcos D. Bito-onon, Doctor of Management graduate for the Second Semester of Academic Year 2025–2026, delivered the Response on behalf of the graduates during the School of Graduate Studies’ Investiture of Hoods and Commencement Exercises at Rose Memorial Auditorium on June 7, 2026.
Dr. Florence P. Bogacia, the OIC to the Office of the President, Dr. Ryan Oducado, our Commencement Speaker, members of the CPU Corporation and the Board of Trustees, Dr. Althea Denuevo, Acting Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, other school officials, beloved professors, honored guests, proud parents and loved ones, my fellow graduates, good morning.
First of all… I’m now a Centralian!
Today I join my four siblings who are alumni of this university, as well as my alumni nephews and nieces. This is a full circle moment for me. The eldest sibling in the family, graduated here at CPU in 1977 – 49 years ago. Now, I’m the last sibling to graduate. Have I delayed my graduation, it would have been 50 years! But God’s timing is always the best timing.
Every one of us graduates, have interesting stories to tell, and inspiring tales to convey about our shared journey.
This unending quest for knowledge and meaning led me to this day. When I started my post-graduate course here at CPU, there were 3 of us students at home – me, my son who was in college, and my youngest son in Senior High School. After several years and now that I graduated the older son is now in medical school, and the other just graduated from college. If we have to ask, what are the odds of a Doctor of Medicine graduating from another doctoral program that is completely different from his expertise? And the probability of an anesthesiologist going into the doctoral program in public administration? I guess it will take Dr. Penetrante’s statistical analysis to get a significant predictive correlation.
I am truly humbled, and deeply grateful, for this additional degree after years of procrastination, self-doubt, and balancing a chaotic schedule, to finally claim that the doctor is another doctor!
My Doctoral studies here at CPU was a wonderful experience. The journey was daunting, but I enjoyed every moment of it. The expanse of knowledge was so tempting it became an impetus. Just because I’m a doctor, you may think it was easy. But no. The whole process required another level of cognition and rationalization, and attempts at delivering my best. There were failures, yes failures, and bouncing back from them. One needs an indomitable will to achieve the title. Every class was an avenue for learning and gaining new perspective. From Dr. Catolin’s rural development, administrative reforms and need for social preparations, Dr. Opiña’s Kantian philosophy, the late Dr. Rico’s rural urbanization, and Dr. Delicana’s servant leadership, to name a few. They expanded my horizon outside the medical realm. I was able to establish a network of friends with classmates and professors.
Memorable stories, I have plenty. Just imagine
- Sitting down in class of 5 students with the professor perplexed of an extra student in class. The classes went on including assignment. On the third meeting, an attendance sheet from the office was used to call the roll. I asked the professor, why my name was not called. He answered that maybe I was enrolled in another class and not to his’s. So I transferred to the class which I was actually enrolled in, and found it very, very interesting.
- In 2020, I was one of the earliest doctors to be infected by Covid 19 in Iloilo City. That was the time that a lot of doctors and healthcare workers in the country succumbed to the pandemic virus. And, that was the time when being infected, your fate was hanging in a balance to either go home erect or have your ashes in an urn. Unknown to Dr. Catolin and my classmates, I was attending class via zoom on hospital quarantine and hooked to a costly antiviral medication.
This achievement is not mine alone — it belongs to my family, mentors, colleagues, university staff, and friends whose support were material throughout this journey.
The final year and dissertation writing was simply overwhelming. It was a test of will, infinite patience, sufficiency of resources, and at the same time a remarkable lesson in humility. I am lucky because I connected with classmates, friends, former students who made it easy for me, and co-workers who offered their expertise. In fact, I consulted with our speaker on the topic for dissertation. His suggestion became one of the variables of my research. The study was challenging to do but I bore in mind the words of my panel during the proposal defense, “you are too bold to do this research”. Besides, if I did not do it, nobody will dare.
Pilot testing my questionnaires was demanding. I drove to Negros Occidental alone, loaded my car in a RoRo vessel and went to a government hospital only to be met by an office secretary who frustratingly did not open email communications. They scheduled my letter for discussion during their meeting the week after. Good thing, I had a plan B. My former student who was just promoted chief of another hospital saved the day. By the time the first hospital approved my request. I was already tabulating the results of the pilot-testing.
Every page revision of the dissertation manuscript, rewritten related literature and studies, abridged methodology and edited sentences and paragraphs of the discussion and recommendations were acknowledgments of the purging of the best in each of us.
Every bound copy of my dissertation sealed with the panel’s approval is worth every drop of gasoline in crisscrossing the whole of Panay and traversing previously rebel-infested areas for data gathering and seeing for myself first-hand the condition of the district hospitals and infirmaries in the whole island (of Panay). Every page, is worth the fear, apprehension, and prayers uttered loud by my wife after getting lost in the mountain of Antique at 9 o’clock in the evening, just because I missed the right turn going back to Iloilo during data gathering.
Every power point slide presented in the colloquium was a reverence to the hard work invested in the journey to achieve the title of Doctor of Management. Presenting my paper at a research colloquium in CPU’s partner university in Vietnam and getting the dean’s and panelists’ nod was an affirmation of my hard work. It turned all the struggles and hardship, into a badge of honor. The real deal however, was the remarkable university officials and staff who made that trip truly worthwhile including the excess baggage from bargain hunting, including unpacking at the airport. That was one great experience of a lifetime!
Fellow graduates, look carefully at your academic regalia. This is homage to the 2-3 hours of sleep or even sleepless nights all of us have to go through and endure to achieve excellence. In my case, the struggle to concentrate after the mental fogging due to Covid; every surgery I gave up for my classes; the challenge to stay awake and beat exhaustion in some classes after an early morning flight from Manila attending congressional and senate hearings, and board of regents’ meetings, or sometime, early morning operations; a feat over failures; and the lingering words of encouragement of every person who believed in me when I procrastinated.
The tassel that we moved from right to left, is a symbol of our perseverance and faith, and the triumph over all the hassle of graduate school.
The seal of CPU imprinted in our diploma is a paean to the globally-ranked, one of the region’s and nation’s best universities, our beloved Central Philippine University.
To the staff of the School of Graduate Studies – Ma’am Vilma, Ms. Jingky, Ms. Dona, Ms. Bibian, Miss Nami, and the others, thank you for your generosity, empathy, and for making it easier for all of us to transact at the office. Likewise, to Ma’am Joy Raso and the University Research Ethics Review Office staff, and Miss Pinky at the anti-plagiarism testing center, To the previous Dean Dr. Libo-on and the Acting Dean, Dr. Denuevo thank you for the warm reception, and taking care of your students. To our professors, thank you for journeying with us and letting us pass. One thing I could say, CPU Graduate School is so convivial and very facilitative.
My immense gratitude to my dissertation panel that gave way to my graduation – Dr. Carmen Hernandez, Dr. Gynnyn Gumban, Dr. Luis Abioda, Dr. Gelbert Jan Porque, and especially Dr. Mary O’ Penetrante who insisted to treat my data to Mediation Process 4 and several Post hoc results that proved political influence is a major factor influencing effective public hospital governance. My dissertation adviser, Dr. Opiña. though he’s not here, has allotted a remarkable amount of time to correct, shared his insights, and guided me throughout the difficult phase of dissertation writing. And Dr. Cora Samorin, for editing my manuscript into a scholarly, Centralian output.
Fellow graduates, our stories are similar. They intertwine to make a beautiful saga that is Graduate School at CPU. They sharpened and molded us.
Days from now, most will be earning their new appointments, new designations, and step increments – a sweet and meaningful testament to our determination and achievement. As what Dr. Oducado, our commencement speaker has said: Stand by your title… our responsibility becomes wider, and take the lead.
As we move forward, let’s focus on growth and positive change. Let’s harness the education we received to become good administrators, and better persons by uplifting others. Armed with courage to serve and make a difference, together let us create a paradigm framed by our beloved Central’s core values of faith, character, justice, stewardship, and excellence. Let our degrees symbolize not only our personal glory, but a constant reminder of our deeper responsibility to contribute meaningfully for societal advancement. Let’s do this for ourselves, for our community, for our country, and our beloved Central Philippine University.
We chased a dream, toiled hard to get it, after this moment, it’s our new reality.
Let us not only endeavor to be successful but become people who live and exemplify Christian values for life. By this, together we Excel!
Thank you and May God bless us all.