President Aquino calls on 2013 graduating class
of Philippine Military Academy to embody the sacrifices of their parent's,
teachers and elders into action to live better lives
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City) President Benigno
S. Aquino III called on the 124 graduating members of the Philippine Military
Academy Pudang-Kalis (Puso’t Dangal ng mga Kawal ng Lahing Nagkakaisa) 2013 to
fully embody the great sacrifices their parents, teachers and elders underwent
in sending them to school in order to live better lives.
In his speech keynoting the PMA Commencement
Ceremonies held here on Sunday, the President said that while it was true that
the cadets had to undergo the hardships of going to school and getting good
grades while undertaking the strict rigors of the PMA, their parents, teachers
and elders also had to sacrifice so much to be able to send them to school.
“Totoo namang kayo ang dumaan sa mga pagsusulit,
kayo ang gumising ng madaling-araw para sa physical training, at balikat ninyo
ang pumasan ng napakarami ring sakripisyo para umabot tayo sa puntong ito;
hindi matatawaran ang aking paghanga sa mga dinaanan ninyo,” the President
said.
“Ngunit isipin din ninyo: Bago kayo makatapos ng
high school at matanggap bilang plebo dito sa PMA, dumaan din sa sakripisyo ang
inyong mga pamilya upang makapag-aral kayo, at patuloy ang kanilang suporta
hanggang sa puntong ito. Nagpuyat din ang mga guro at tagapayo ninyo upang
siguruhing may makabuluhan silang maituturo sa inyo. Nakipasan ang buong
sambayanan sa pagpapatayo at pagpapalakad ng istitusyong Philippine Military
Academy, at magpapatuloy pa ang kanilang kontribusyon sa kahabaan ng inyong mga
karera bilang miyembro ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas,” he added.
The President mentioned as an example class
valedictorian Jestoni Lanaja whose father was able to make ends meet and
eventually send his son to the premiere military school in the country by
harvesting tuba (coconut wine).
“…at ngayon, hawak na niya (Jestoni) ang
Presidential Saber na sagisag ng dangal at responsibilidad na dala ng pagiging
class valedictorian,” the President stressed.
“…lahat po kayo ay benepisyaryo hindi lamang ng
sariling pagsisikap, kundi ng pag-aambagan ng inyong kapwa,” he said.
The Chief Executive challenged the 105 men and
19 women of Pudang-Kalis to embody the individual sacrifices of their parents,
teachers and elders through exerting time and industry transforming love and
compassion towards their fellowmen.
“Kaya nga ang hamon sa inyo ngayon: Nawa’y ang
pananagutan at pakikiambag na ipinamalas ng mga tumulong sa inyo, ay manganak
ng malalim ding pananagutan sa inyong mga puso’t isipan, upang kayo naman ang
maglaan ng pagod at panahon para sa inyong kapwa,” the President said.
“Kolektibong narating ng sambayanan ang tagumpay
ninyong ito; umaasa akong sa kolektibo rin ang tuon ng bawat kilos ninyo—dahil
‘di nga ba’t ang lahat ng problema ay nagmumula sa pag-iisip ng pansariling
interes lamang?” he said.
Pudang-Kalis is derived from a muslim term which
means "sacred sword." It is a sword that is passed by a muslim clan
from generation to generation.
The class used the name to symbolize their
belief that they are like a sacred sword that will not perish but will persist
from generation to generation.
The blade symbolizes the heart and honor of the
members of the PMA class 2013 that will continue to unite the Filipino people.
PND (rck)
President Aquino advises graduating members of
PMA Pudang-Kalis 2013 to resolve conflict fairly, put themselves in the shoes
of the oppressed to get the clearer picture
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City) “Whenever you face
a dilemma, you need only put yourselves in the shoes of those that will be the
most affected, the most abused, the poorest, those who are in most need of your
protection—and I can promise you, what is right and what is wrong will become
clearer.”
Thus was President Benigno S. Aquino III’s
advice to the graduating members of the Philippine Military Academy Pudang
Kalis 2013 in his speech keynoting their commencement exercises here on Sunday.
The President told the 124 men and women of
Pudang-Kalis 2013 that as they set out and “begin to put what you learned into
practice,” to keep in mind the plight of “those who are in the margins of
society” as they will ultimately “set the direction we must take.”
“As the next leaders of our uniformed forces, you
bear on your shoulders a grave responsibility. And as someone who is a little
bit older than you, perhaps this is the lesson I can impart: whenever you face
a dilemma, you need only put yourselves in the shoes of those that will be the
most affected, the most abused, the poorest, those who are in most need of your
protection—and I can promise you, what is right and what is wrong will become
clearer,” the President said.
“They who are in the margins of society, they
who are our Bosses, the Filipino people—they are the ones who will set the
direction we must take; so long as we always keep their well-being in mind, we
will never stray,” he stressed.
“I tell you the same thing I said to the classes
that came before you: the time for training is done, the time for theories is
done, the four years of vacation you have spent in Fort del Pilar is done;
today, you begin to put what you learned into practice. Go forth, and show our
nation that it was not wrong in selecting you as part of Pudang-Kalis Class of
2013 of the Philippine Military Academy,” the President said. PND (rck)
