“Let us remember this day – a day of success as we earn our ticket to make our lives, the lives of people around us, the world – safer, healthier, and better,” Merlie Joy Aguila, representing the Class of 2024, hoped she and her fellow graduates would stand up to the challenge of using their degrees for the greater good. She is magna cum laude graduate of the BS Nursing program.

Aguila’s journey to the podium was far from easy, as she recounted in her speech. She recalled a heartbreaking experience during her third-year clinical rotations at the Pediatric Ward of the Gabriela Silang Provincial Hospital. “I chanced upon a newborn; less than 1 month old. The attending physician kept on reviving her. But unfortunately, we couldn’t save her; all the knowledge we have gained is not enough to bring back her life,” Aguila shared solemnly.

The loss of the infant patient deeply affected Aguila, who was one of the student nurses responsible for the postmortem care. “I heard how her mother cried even from a distance. The anguished cries, the pain in those screams – I felt these from the innermost of my heart. But I had to keep all my feelings inside me because I have a responsibility to fulfill, and I mustered all my strength to not let even a drop of tear fall as I served the grieving mother.”

Despite the emotional toll, Aguila emerged from the experience with two profound lessons: the importance of professionalism and the limitless need for continuous learning. “Empathy should still prevail, instead of sympathy, that is what we are taught. We are human beings, too, and we need to understand other’s point of view; to not mix our thoughts and emotions so as not to affect the delivery of our work as nurses. And as nurses, we also cry in silence over our patient’s loss, their heartbreaks, and more so, when we see suffering, and death.”

Aguila also emphasized the importance of having a “thirst for learning” and equipping oneself with knowledge to better serve others. “Graduation is not a moment that stops our learning; instead, it celebrates the skills and competencies we have gained,” she said.

As the graduates of Batch 2024 prepare to enter the real world, Aguila urged them to embrace their Filipino and Ilokano roots, embodying values of “kindness, compassion, humility, service to others, respect, and a genuine love to make the world a better place.”

Aguila’s own journey serves as an example of this, as she recounted her experience of self-doubt when her research team applied for a grant program with the DOST – Philippine Council for Health and Research Development. “I doubted our own study and yes, I compared myself with the capability of other students from different universities in our country. As a result, I was consumed by pressure and thoughts of not fitting within their standards, up to the extent that I dismissed my potential, and the quality of our study.”

However, Aguila’s perspective shifted after receiving the acceptance email from PCHRD. “It dawned on me that I overlooked the value of our work which has the potential to be a natural anti-cancer product. Imagine the lives we could save!” This realization led Aguila to a profound conclusion: “The person that should first believe in what I can do is no other than myself. So, when on the verge of comparing yourself with someone, I urge you to stand in front of a mirror, and look at that person staring back at you. You are your greatest nemesis. And you can also be your very own hero!”

Aguila’s empowering words resonated deeply with her fellow graduates, who were reminded that their true competition lies not with others, but with the limitations they impose upon themselves. “The only enemy you have is the limitations you put upon yourself. The only competition you must win over is against your preconceived self.”

More importantly, as our times are marked by environmental, physical, or mental health dilemmas, the ever-going fight for equality and equity, and sovereignty of our Motherland, for justice in our system, and for silenced voices to be heard, Aguila hoped that she and her fellow graduates could contribute something—even in their own little ways.

“Let us be the living embodiment of kindness, and a living testament of unconditional and fair service towards our fellows,” she ended.