Culture and Arts Months Celebration (Speech at BBCMAIS)

 Good morning.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for inviting me to speak before you on this momentous celebration of the rich Lavezaresnon and Filipino cultural heritage you aptly dubbed as PADASIG. It is always a great honor for me each time I am requested to speak before students especially here in my dear Alma Mater, Basilio B. Chan Memorial Agricultural and Industrial School which was named during my time as Lavezares Agro-Industrial School, my second home for four years, that was from 1991-1995. This second home, which has been a part of my life, and your home today is where we weave our dreams for a better life; is where we struggle to be the best version of our selves. In my case, it was in every corner of this school where I learned much of my life skills that helped in my journey to adulthood.

 

For the last two decades, I have been involved in work and advocacy that require the art of effective communication skills. Much of what I know and what I can do I attribute greatly to this school and to my mentors who trained me, along with my peers the best they could. They told us beautiful stories and trained us to compose essays, poems, dramas and other literary forms that evoke positive values. More than that, they made us perform literary pieces during Monday’s convocation program, English and Filipino months celebration, founding anniversary celebrations, and other events. We also performed some traditional folk dances on some occasions.

 

In our Filipino subject with the late Sir Wenifredo Cortez, we recited his beautiful tula, which were his original compositions, Ang Wika at ang Bansa and Ang Paaralan kong Mutya. In his class, we presented our originally written Balagtasan, Monologue, and staged a full drama production which we are the scriptwriters, the production designers, the directors and the actors.

 

A few weeks ago, I came across the social media page of The Reaper, the official publication of this school. While flipping through the pages, I suddenly remember when we were producing our own articles for the Reaper more than thirty years ago. I was astounded by how the paper has evolved over time. Looking at the wonderful quality of The Reaper, I am proud to say that I used to be part of it as its editor-in-chief. Congratulations to the writers and to their advisers! The Reaper today is far better than what we had during our time.

 

As an agricultural school, we have not only literally planted crops and vegetables around this campus, we have also planted various forms of arts, literary, music, dance, theater and visual arts with the guidance of our teachers and advisers and the support of the administrative officials. Then, most of us alumnus of this school, have planted seeds of creativity, today, we are reaping the harvests of the perseverance we have poured in as we delved deeper in honing our respective crafts, which began here in the fertile ground of BBCMAIS.

 

To the students of BBMCMAIS today, believe that you are unique in your own way and within you, lies tremendous talents and capacities planted by our Divine Creator waiting to be unleashed by none other than you. Let them germinate, sprout, grow and bear fruit to be shared with the world. Your talents are not meant to be kept, for they belong to humanity.

 

Thank you once again for this wonderful opportunity.

 

God bless BBCMAIS.

God bless Lavezares.