Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; Mr. Jose S. Concepcion Jr., Chairman of RFM Foundation, Inc.; Mr. Romulo L. Neri, Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education; Mr. Jose Ma. Concepcion III, President and CEO of RFM Corporation; Ms. Marie C. Young, President of RFM Foundation, Inc.; Mr. Alfredo Ramos, President of National Book Store, Ms. Rebecca Jeanine De Guzman, Vice President for Retail Sales Distribution of PLDT; the Outstanding Students of the Philippines Alumni Community, our dear school administrators, parents, guests and friends… Good afternoon!

Life begins from but a tiny seed. This small, unnoticeable speck holds within it a boundless hope for existence. All the forests, glades and beautiful landscapes that are teeming with life began from minuscule grains that were sown on fertile grounds one by one.

Like seeds, all 30 of us began as nothing more than little specks in the society where we subsist. We were pretty much ordinary, unremarkable and insignificant. Yet an invisible hand has gathered us up and sown us in different places to add beauty to the breathtaking landscape in this world. Some of us sprouted from harsh and unforgiving lands. Many of us are financially challenged who had to work from dusk until dawn while studying and accomplishing school requirements. Many are products of dysfunctional families who suffer from the discrimination of a myopic society. Some grew from rocky terrains like the many young leaders who are working for the welfare of marginalized communities with insufficient support systems, while few sprung from rich, fertile fields and were given the opportunity to live a sheltered life.

During the past few days that we were together, we have come to appreciate the blueprint of the landscape of this country. By looking inward and finding the light that is in us, we were reminded of our unique roles in building this nation. These roles include our task of promoting responsible citizenship, academic and professional excellence, leadership and social responsibility. As we unearth the inner core of our aspirations, we see the interconnection of our dreams for our respective communities. We have come to know that the dreams that we used to dream individually are also dreamt by like-minded individuals coming from diverse fields with different personalities. But as we tread the path of nation building, we have acknowledged and recognized the fact that we are not really different after all. We have a single unifying dream of envisioning for and working towards the development and progress of the Filipino nation. This dream comes along with our lifelong task of realizing our worth as Filipinos.

Outstanding is not an exclusive word. It is a word that can be attributed to all of us. While it might be true that we were deemed the best and the brightest by our respective universities and colleges, we know that we are nothing but mere representations of the unheard voices of the youth, of the experiences and persons which contributed to our holistic development. We receive the recognition that you have given us with humility, knowing that we share it with the people who are silently doing their part in making this nation great.

A future lawyer for the indigenous people and the environment; an advocate of inclusive education for the differently abled; a writer upholding responsible and responsive journalism; a youth leader respecting religious diversity; community development leaders fighting for an equitable society; advocates of social entrepreneurship; public health care practitioners promoting awareness and initiating reforms; a law enforcer and a would-be religious missionary priest safeguarding morals… These compose TOSP-Batch Kanlungan. We may come from different regions and different fields, yet we are ONE. We worship through kneeling and bowing. We embrace those in barongs and bahags. We journey with people who walk with different paces and various ways.

We commit to continue what we have started. Together, we know that we can make this nation better by dedicating ourselves to learning, leading and serving for life. As what Dr. Jose Rizal encouraged us to do, let us pray and behold the redemption of our nation. Let us have faith in the Supreme Being who nurtures the seed to its full growth. Let us hold on firmly to our values and rich heritage. Let us be proud Filipinos!

We represent the Outstanding Students of the Philippines but the TOSP is more than just a mere recognition of what we have done. It commits us to a lifetime responsibility and a way of life that is dedicated to the “Filipino Dream”—a dream of a nation finally finding its true identity.

In due time, when we look back to our glorious past, we will be overwhelmed with the bountiful harvest that we will have: from the once-young, helpless and flimsy seeds that were transformed into strong, sturdy and useful trees—trees which will bear good fruits that will burst forth another set of seeds to continue and even surpass their predecessors’ legacy—trees which will serve as the KANLUNGAN of the present and the future generations.

Let us always remember that we do not sow the seeds by only talking about seeds. Seeds beget seeds; life begets life. We are the seeds. We are the life. Let us all go out and plant seeds of hope and change for the nation!

Para sa Bayan, Batch Kanlungan.