Salutatory Address 2026
Nadine Medina delivers this year's salutation
Worth Living, Worth Loving
Good afternoon, everyone. It is with great honor and gratitude to welcome you all to this memorable occasion and to say these words: congratulations to us, the Class of 2026. I would first like to acknowledge the presence of the members of the Board of Trustees, the Management Committee, and this year’s commencement speaker, Mr. Joe Soberano III. Thank you to the UA&P educators for gracing us with your presence in today’s ceremony—we owe all our knowledge and lifelong lessons to you. To our loved ones, our family, relatives, and friends, your support and encouragement reach us always no matter where you are, making each day of studying and learning more meaningful. Finally, to my fellow batchmates, this milestone is a result of your sacrifice, patience, and hard work, and it is only right that we celebrate in love and gratitude.
How we each found our way to UA&P is, of course, unique. You may have heard of it through your school fairs, or you may have had your eye on it as your dream university long before applying. For me, I knew about UA&P as a toddler. At that time, my father was taking his Master’s in Values Education every Saturday, as a supplement to his teaching role in an all-boys school. My earliest memory of the university stemmed from a funny, unfortunate instance when our car broke down, and he still had to make it to class. Since he intended to bring me along that day, we had no choice but to commute. That trip from Cavite to Pasig even became the trick my parents used to feed me my vegetables—instead of “here comes the airplane,” my parents would say, “First stop, the jeep. Next stop, MRT,” and so on, until we finally reached UA&P. Today, we come together at the UA&P graduation, and the only difference now is that, between me and my dad, one of us will finally have a master’s degree. So, Dad, nauna pa ako sa’yo!
All humor aside, this anecdote reminds us of the sacrifices made by our loved ones to ensure our studies are completed with ease or comfort—sacrifices made, most of all, by our parents. To Dad, once again, I am ever so grateful for you teaching me the importance of humility in both education and work, as every opportunity trains us to be stronger. To my mommy, thank you for the packed baons you shipped from Cavite to Pasig every other week, the calls you tookwhere I just spilled stories from my day even when you were tired from chores at home, and the silent prayers you echoed, always wishing for my safety. On behalf of the graduates, thank you to our parents who have done everythingwithin their capacity to allow us to receive quality education, and trust us enough to make this university an extension of our home. You were our first and greatest supporters, and all achievements we celebrate today are dedicated to you.Thank you as well to our siblings and relatives—
Speaking of finding a home in this university, that idea is built on the communities each of us formed with the people we met along the way. For many of us, it all began in the classroom, and the ones who first welcomed us into that community were our teachers. To our professors, thank you for encouraging and instilling excellence in everything we do. Beyond the technical knowledge we gained in class, it is the real-world experiences and advice you shared with us that will stay with us as lessons we will carry over to our professional lives.
The community each of us found at UA&P is remarkable in many ways. The School of Economics, for instance, was already a small community on its own, yet there were still avenues outside the classroom to foster relationships across batches, with faculty, and with alumni, such as the Business Economics Association (BEA). For the rest of you, that community you found might have been in your block, your varsity team, your organization, or simply the friends you eat lunch with every day. This community both challenged us and championed our success, because there’s no better way to achieve something than to share it with others. To the friends we made along the way, thank you for the memories, both the shared suffering of assignments completed and quizzes studied for together, and the wholesome joy of the spontaneous moments that made college life so much more exciting.
UA&P became a place that changed who I believed I could become. Entering as a clueless freshman in the middle of a hybrid setup, I didn’t know what was awaiting me over the next five years. I never knew I would end up leading as the President of BEA, my home organization, or even set foot as an intern from UA&P at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). There is no doubt that the school sets us up for excellence because it is a collaborative effort with our peers, teachers, advisers, mentors, and most importantly, our Faith, that brings us here today. Once again, thank you for believing in us.
Beyond being a celebration of our success in university, today also marks the end of an important season of our lives. Even before reaching this point, I found myself saying, “I miss my undergrad days,” or “I miss being in my little bubble on campus.” When we miss something, whether it’s a person, a place, or a moment, there’s a tinge of sadness in it. But we must remember that this sadness is rooted in love. In a way, we are grieving that time of our lives. Because we loved greatly, we will miss who we were.
However, grief need not only be something we feel after experiencing loss—it can also be a transformation. We are transformed into better versions of ourselves today because we’ve learned to appreciate what we lived through. This appreciation is rather a quiet one, which is why I believe fondness is a better word for it. And looking back with fondness is what equips us with the maturity and courage to embrace whatever comes next.
As we find our place in the world once more, may we continue to carry with us the people we thank today, for they will remain part of every milestone we celebrate in the future. Even as we bid farewell to the pearl of Pasig City, we now step forward to uncover the many gems the real world has to offer.
So for now, let us carry this day with fondness, for it is a celebration of every moment worth living and worth loving. Thank you, and congratulations, to all of us.