Sixto Valencia's speech

Classes start in DLSU-Manila today. I am just hoping for another fruitful term ahead of all of us teachers. Just to inspire you, teachers out there, I am posting this speech given by a very special person who touched the lives of many of his students because of his dedication to teach.

I wish to have the same passion in teaching. I would really emulate him and hope that I may grow in my passion and dedication in the vocation that I have chosen.

Here it goes:

SPEECH OF DR. SIXTO "VER" VALENCIA DURING THE 2007 CEAT FOUNDATION DAY AS OUTSTANDING SENIOR FACULTY OF THE COLLEGE

...Thank you for taking your time out of your hectic schedule just to be here and rejoice with us on this momentous occasion. In behalf of my co-awardees, allow me to receive this award with sincere humility and gratitude. Humility because I know I am not a perfect teacher. For years, I have avoided joining this search, until this time, my 20th year in teaching profession. To be honest with you, I have a lot of qualms of being evaluated and scrutinized as if I were a “Starstruck” or “Pinoy Big Brother” contender. I know I wouldn’t even fit into the box which the board of judges uses to measure “contestants.” My colleagues know me to be a maverick; I am a type who thinks out of the box. What I can really boast about is that I love teaching. For me, it’s not just an activity or even a job. In fact, teaching is my life and I am greatly challenged to help students learn and breathe chemical engineering principles and calculations.

I also receive this award with much gratitude because I realize that “giving of awards” is symbolic of humanity’s eternal quest for excellence. Awards ceremonies like this, do celebrate life and all that it stands for: dignity of work, search for truth, love for wisdom, strength of character and passion for life itself. For teachers like me, this plaque of award represents accomplishments of students who graduated.

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been said time and again that the training of the nation’s citizens is in the hands of the teachers who are uniquely endowed to spot and develop talents of their students. At all levels of education, teachers train and nurture the youth of the nation to realize their full potential to become productive and responsible citizens. To the extent that such productive and responsible citizens constitute the nation’s human resource base. Teachers must be appreciated as the indispensable key agents for the realization of the country’s development goals.

Teaching indeed is a vocation, a response to a call from the heart. I would like to thank my colleagues for your dedication to journey with our students. While at times this journey may seem like an uphill battle, it will bear fruits many times over. I am very honored to be associated with an award that honors my work.

It is my strongest hope that the award I have received today will motivate me further to aspire for greater heights in the honorable profession of teaching. The motto of my profession “I Live To Teach.” This award is an ample evidence that I have administered my calling efficiently and effectively. I must rededicate myself to the traditions of my high-minded profession to the utter belief and commitment that my role is to help produce rational beings for the realization of the destiny of our dear nation and humanity.

I consider myself today as the most fortunate of all those who labor. Because you allowed me to usher into the world in one magic moment, to see that life is reborn each day with new questions, ideas, and friendships.

I consider myself a warrior, doing battle against peer pressure, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance and apathy. But I have allies: Intelligence, Curiosity, Colleagues’ support, Creativity, Faith, Love and Laughter.

And who do I have to thank for this wonderful life I am so fortunate to experience but you my colleagues in the department and in the college, and of course the students.

Thank you to everyone who has come together to build what we hope are just the beginnings of this profession. Some of you are in the room, and we are incredibly grateful for your gentle teaching and self-less contribution. Thank you for your endless sources of energy and love.

Please know that the good work of healing the world is continuing – we are just simply using our ideas and achievements as a platform to find new solutions.

We are building passion upon passion, toil upon toil, and hope upon hope. I am proud to join in this struggle – in dreaming of brighter tomorrows while crafting a more perfect today.

I am possessed by this very idealistic notion that human beings in a free society intrinsically love each other and had the passion to serve each other, and that – when given freedom and basic human rights – people would form their own destiny, through which they would support each other, clothe each other, feed each other truly inclusive of all humankind.

Public service is not some vague notion. It is real. It is what binds us together. It is the millions of hours in unpaid overtime. It makes us excellent professionals.

To me, Professionalism has always been defined by pride, integrity and commitment. But modern public service professionalism also demands flexibility to achieve ever-higher standards. We know that the future is all about partnership rather than confrontation.

And so I have a past that is so rich in memories, I have a present that is challenging, adventurous and fun because I am allowed to spend my days with the future.

To end I would like to quote this passage from Richard Bach,

“An architect knows that if he builds with care, his structure may stand for centuries. A teacher knows that if he builds with love and truth, what he builds will last forever.”

I am a teacher…and I thank God for it. Thank you and God bless us all.

Mother's day

Moms are really angels on Earth.

They just go on loving.

Of course, they also get tired but they never quit loving.

I pray for them. I pray for my Mom.

I love her although I did not get the chance to show how much I love her while she was alive.

That will be my curse for eternity. I hope God will give me a chance to truly say how much I love her if God allows me to enter eternity.

Happy Mother's day.

Jason Mraz - You and I Both

This is one of my fave music. The beat and the lyrics complement each other. Perfect song!

David Cook - Hello

This guy really rocks!

He is so unique and very talented. Great singer!!!

Jason Castro - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

This is so far, the best performance of Jason Castro in this season's American Idol.

A singer who is not so trying hard.

Today, I started establishing this blog.

I don't know but fate led me to it.

Here I am at MOA (Mall of Asia) along the coastline of Manila Bay listening to my very good old friend since highschool explaining things about blogging. It's interesting. This will help me further my teaching capability and capacity.

I can actually posts reading materials and assignments for my students to download.

I can also write down bits and pieces of my life story as I hook into this new culture of GeNeration Y.

I hope this will commence a new chapter of my life.

I am just into learning new things in life.

Again, you only live once so make the most out of it.

Tomorrow, it's Mother's Day. As I remember to say a prayer for my Mom who is now in heaven, I also do remember to say a prayer for all the Moms out there who never get tired of loving.