Words by Dr. Ryan Michael F. Oducado

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. Ryan Michael F. Oducado delivers the Commencement Speech at the Central Philippine University School of Graduate Studies Class of 2026 at Rose Memorial Auditorium on June 7, 2026.

Thank you for the kind introduction.

To the OIC of the Office of the University President and Vice President for Finance and Enterprises, Dr. Florence Bogacia, To the Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Merle Junsay, Dr. Aris Romallosa, Vice President for Research, Development and Extension, Engr. Danny Molina, Vice President for Administration, Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Althea Denuevo, University key officials, esteemed academics, former professors, support staff, friends, distinguished guests, proud families, and most especially—the resilient and brilliant graduates. Maayong aga sa aton tanan!

To our dear graduates, My warmest Congratulations!

It is a profound honor to stand before you today. Thank you for inviting me back home to Central. It feels nostalgic driving around earlier. Thank you for allowing me to share this significant milestone with you.

At this significant moment of yours, I want to talk about the journey that brought you here. But also, allow me to talk about the realities that await beyond this celebration, the quiet weight of the responsibilities that come with the new initials after your name, and the expectations that accompany the knowledge and credentials you now carry that will ultimately shape the kind of professional, scholar, leader, and person you will become.

Dear graduates, Earning a graduate degree is never a walk in the park. And nobody knows the cost of that walk better than you do. The very fact that you are sitting in those chairs today means one thing: you survived the Jurassic Park of graduate education.

Metaphorically, just like a Jurrasic Park, there were predators called deadlines and moments of self-doubts. There were unexpected plot twists called comprehensive examinations not fully knowing whether you will pass or fail, There were terrifying encounters known as panel defenses. And that every time you thought the dinosaur was finally gone, another one appeared just around the corner—usually in the form of a new comment from your adviser, a recommendation from a panel member, or a request for yet another revision.

And so began the seemingly endless cycle of revisions after revisions after revisions after revisions. Naka pila kamo ka revisions? And, did you ever ask yourself, “Ngaa nag-eskwela pa gid ko liwat man?” “Ngaa nag-enroll pa ko liwat man?”

But look at all of you now. You made it. You are graduating.

So today, we gather not just to recognize the completion of your degree—but to honor your sacrifices, your grit, your discipline, and distinction.

I would like to highlight distinction, Distinction—because graduate education is different. It is not simply about learning more anymore. It’s being more independent in learning. It is about thinking deeper, looking far beyond what is simply given, and contributing more meaningfully. After all, true learning is not only about what you know—but about the heart to serve, the courage to lead, and the drive to create a lasting, meaningful impact.

But more than a distinction—Graduate education is a privilege. Do you agree? Not everyone gets the chance to pursue a graduate degree, right? And not everyone who starts gets to finish. Many aspire. Many begin. But life, in its unpredictable wisdom, often asks us to choose differently.

For many of you—this degree was not your only dream. It was the dream you carried alongside everything else. This was something you worked on every Saturday—carved out from a busy week that already exhausted you. And yet—what looked like a “side quest” from the outside actually demanded the full weight, time and effort of a main mission.

Many of you held jobs Monday through Friday, full-time working—not because of ambition, not because it was convenient, but because there were mouths to feed, bills to pay, and people depending on you. Some of you chose to be present—really present during your children’s formative years. That was never a detour. That was a decision made with love. Some of you carried financial burdens heavier than any book or thesis. Some of you had to take care of sick parents and other family members. And even for some of you— you were the ones who got sick. you were the ones fighting your own silent battles no syllabus prepared you for.

And while some battles were deeply personal—others were shaped by circumstances beyond your control. And some of you pursued your studies amid circumstances beyond what many of us have experienced—living through conflict, displacement, and uncertainty—where simply getting through each day and holding on to hope required courage.

And pagkatapos sang tanan—ari ka na dire. You still came back. You still showed up. You still persevered. And today—You reap the fruits of your labor. You graduate.

For many—The desire to continue studying was strong. But the timing—was not. It was life that kept intervening. That is something I deeply understand myself. Because in my own journey—it took me roughly seven years—to complete my master’s degree here at Central Philippine University. Seven years.

That was not the timeline I had written for myself. There were also moments I questioned whether I would finish. Moments where everything else felt louder than the dream. But looking and reflecting back now—I believe it became the formation I needed. Now, I don’t see a delay. I see a formation. Every year that felt like a setback was quietly shaping the person who would eventually cross that finish line. And I believe—the same is true for every single one of you.

And I know—many of you carry your own version of that story. And if your journey took longer than expected—Do not measure it by the clock. Measure it by who you became along the way. Wala kamo na-ulihi. You are not late. You are just right on time. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. And that despite everything you went through—the long nights, the missed family moments, the times you almost stopped—here you are. Standing on the other side of all of it. Graduating.

So take a moment to congratulate yourself. Not just for earning a degree. But for this lifetime investment in yourself. And for choosing to keep going when it would have been so easy—so understandable—to stop. And that took something extraordinary. And that something—is in you.