Thank you very much, Dr. Alex Acosta, for the kind introduction.

To the school administrators, members of the Board of Trustees, distinguished guests, parents, family and friends, and to all the members of the graduating class of 2023,

Good afternoon. Isang mapagpalayang hapon po sa ating lahat.

Before anything else, allow me to take this opportunity to extend my sincerest congratulations to the latest batch of senior high school students who, after this ceremony, will be coming out of this venue as K to 12 graduates.

I take immense pride and comfort in seeing such a dynamic and promising group of young people collectively achieve what is, for all intents and purposes, a significant milestone.

Indeed, the joy and excitement I see in your faces this afternoon betray stories of struggle and hope, tales of friendship and camaraderie, and beautiful memories to last a lifetime.

I acknowledge that the conditions and circumstances that eventually led to this momentous occasion have been anything but easy. As you very well know, the past few years have been largely challenging, to put it mildly. I say this not only within the broader context of global developments, but also within the context of our personal lives and relationships.

To this day, the world continues to battle the ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has, for better or worse, upended every aspect of our lives and forced us to redo things differently in a way which, a few years prior, would have been unthinkable.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the education sector. The restrictions in mobility put in place at the height of the pandemic resulted in face-to-face classroom sessions being replaced by virtual learning. I imagine that for a system that places a premium on hands-on and in-person interaction, switching to Zoom or Google Classroom overnight may have been a little jarring.

But as with all things, we persevere and make the best out of every situation that comes our way. Today, even though much of the world has gotten back to face-to-face classes, blended learning and hybrid classrooms remain very much in place and have emerged as acceptable modalities for learning.

These are among the legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic – a pandemic which we pray will be declared over sooner rather than later.

From where I stand, I see this batch of senior high school graduates who have managed to overcome the difficulties presented by the past few years, thriving with youthful energy and vigor which I hope you will keep with you long after this graduation ceremony is over.

As the Philippine Ambassador to the State of Qatar, being here and bearing witness to this ceremony marks a step closer to achieving the goals set out by the Philippine Government in the Philippine Development Plan for the period of 2023 to 2028. 

The most notable of these goals is, of course, the improvement of lifelong learning through quality, inclusive, adaptive, resilient, and future-ready basic education for all. Related to this is the development of globally competitive and inclusive higher education, as well as technical and vocational education and training programs. 

The ultimate goal is for the Philippines to produce graduates ready and able to hold their own in the global knowledge economy and contribute to the growth of the Philippines in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This is important because we are seeing a post-pandemic world that continues to be confronted by a host of complex challenges. These include, among others, the devastating effects of climate change, the horrors of wars and military conflicts, economic meltdowns, and the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence.

Dear graduates, these are issues that will confront you as you step out of this venue and begin to unfold a new chapter in your lives. But I am here to tell you that these things should not stop you from achieving your goals and ambitions. I have full faith and confidence in your ability to thrive in difficult circumstances, as you have demonstrated in the last few years during the pandemic, and I trust that your education from the Philippine School Doha has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and patriotism to contribute to nation-building and development.

Now, more than at any other point in recorded history, we are witnessing a world being reshaped by major geopolitical developments and technological innovations, so sweeping and fast, it’s almost impossible to keep up.

But today we take a pause to commemorate this special moment. Today, we relish the values that lend meaning to the diplomas you have earned for yourselves: Courage. Honesty. Fortitude. Today, we celebrate the indomitable human spirit to persevere and take risks, to discover and innovate, and to undertake creative pursuits.

Notwithstanding the challenges, the future holds promise because we believe we can. And we can because we believe.

On behalf of all the officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy here in Doha, I would like to once again extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you on this very special day. I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.

Maraming salamat po. Mabuhay po tayong lahat.