Salutatory Address at the Junior College Commencement Ceremony 2026
This speech was delivered by Salutatorian Andreas Christian S. Punzalan during the 9th Junior College Commencement Ceremony held at the Sonata Ballroom, Westin Manila, on July 25, 2026.
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once shared these words with us.
To our Guest of Honor, Mr. Jolo Valdez, our University Chaplain, Fr. Alfred Cruz, Atty. Philip Yeung, University President and Members of the Management Committee: Dr. Gladys Golo, Mrs. Aurea Cruz, and Ms. Viory Janeo, the University Registrar, Mr. Rey Vincenzo Cruz, College Deans: Dr. Philip Peckson, Dr. Peter U, Dr. Annie Mendoza, and Dr. Noemi Torre, College of Arts and Sciences Vice Dean: Mr. Moreal Camba, School of Management Vice Dean: Dr. Ruel Maningas, Junior College Program Director and Deputy: Ms. Elerosa Caparas and Ms. Maria Cristina Uy, Program Directors, invaluable faculty, beloved parents, esteemed guests, friends, and most especially, my fellow students, our JC finishers:
Dr. King refuses to give us a middle ground, a passive position; if you aren’t actively giving, you are sliding into the dark. Because the truth is, you cannot live a fulfilling life without dedicating it in service to others. As we celebrate our accomplishments today, let us recognize their purpose: to elevate ourselves to our highest calling—the betterment of other people’s lives.
Today, I would like to share three simple truths with you all about love, service, and leadership:
First: Love is how you live a fulfilling life. Saint Josemaria Escriva says: “You need a heart which is in love, not an easy life, to achieve happiness.” There are many things we can choose to pursue and wallow in in our lives—wealth, fame, and power. My question is: are these pleasures enough to fill an empty heart? When I ask you today to reminisce on the past two years you’ve spent at this university, what comes to mind? Probably stressful test papers, intense review sessions, and running around to get group work done. I think I speak for all of us, though, when I say the memories that shine the brightest are the ones you’ve made with the people you care about—people who have stood by you and supported you at your lowest. In those memories, we glimpse a simple truth: the impact of love on our lives is greater than anything else we carry with us. It is through love that we fulfil the highest purpose God has given us, and it is through love that we feel fulfilled.
The first truth is that love is how you live a fulfilling life; the second truth is: Love is found in the service of others. When you serve others, you love. Pope Francis tells us: “Love is not words, it is work and service.” The greatest embodiment of this is Christ: Jesus died on the cross, but saved the world—that was His ultimate act of service, and thus His ultimate act of love. It is through service for others that we find deeper meaning in the lives we lead and the work we do. I realized this when I began at UA&P, when I recall the first time I felt truly happy was in my review sessions with my first friend group and study group; I felt an incomparable warmth in my heart when I found I could help others with the little whiteboard review sessions I hosted. Describing this feeling, my mother told me as a child: “In one way or another, every person in this world is suffering. There is no greater thing we can do in our lives than to help lighten that burden. That is what it means to love, and why we have to do our best.” That feeling I felt is the essence of love: the betterment of others’ lives, and the fulfillment that comes with it.
If the first truth is that love is how you live a fulfilling life, and the second is that love is found in service of others, the third truth is: excellence is goodness. The ultimate lesson my mother taught me in love, it is a simple idea: the better you become as a person, and the larger your reach, the more people you can help. In my small review sessions, I felt inspired to do my best for others from the warmth I felt, and so I did. My review sessions grew larger and larger, and soon enough, they became class review sessions with 26YP5 at ACB 508. Later on, they became batch review sessions. For all of you who were there with me, one last time: clap twice if you’re with me? As my reach increased, so did the lives I was able to touch. This is why we are called to leadership as the promising young trailblazers we are: the more people we can reach, the more we can serve. The better we serve, the better we love.
To my family, my mom Dianne and Tita Cai, my irreplaceable friends, my amazing orgmates, wise mentors, brilliant teachers, everyone who has helped me get here, and, most importantly, God: thank you. You have all taught me something important: it’s that love lifts us to greater heights, and those greater heights let us love more. What I want to leave you with today is this: as we celebrate today, talk to those you love, thank them for doing their best, and ask how you’ve changed them in whatever small acts of service you’ve dedicated to them—cherish their words and let them carry you to greater heights. I hope it gives you the strength to refuse the darkness of selfishness and strive for more—because with you, you will be carrying the people you love. Excellere et servire, Batch 2026—may you lead with competence and serve with character.
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