Testimonial
Jessica de Jesus Dogaojo
BANQUET (Speech)
When I first delivered a speech for the scholars last 2010,
I opened with a quote from a French author, Anaïs Nin, which
goes: "You have your brush, you have your colors, you paint
paradise, then in you go." I always reiterate this statement
because I believe that it's the way life is. I mean, we create
our own paradise. We create our own fate. The famous masterpieces
in literature and the arts are created by people who dared use the
brush, the pen, and the colors. And we need not be an artist in
order to create a masterpiece. Every life is a work of art.
It's up to an individual to make it a masterpiece.
I was 12 when I first thought of a masterpiece I wish to create.
I was 12 when I first dreamedbig. My vision of my masterpiece
is myself holding a college diploma certifying that I finished
a degree I love. Then, it was but a vision.
Of course, every creation of a painting needs colors and brushes.
So the next thing is to worry where to get these paraphernalia –
these brushes and colors. But someone whispered in my ear, 'Hey,
you need not worry. Your brushes and colors have already been provided.
' And true enough, when I finally decided to pursue my studies at the
University of the Philippines, which I equated to my first step in
creating a paradise, colors and brushes just came rushing in.
The knowledge, skills, and experiences we had acquired for the
past years served as our colors to paint a whole picture. The
Advocate for Casiguranon, International (AFCi) and the Oberman
Foundation provided, however, the brushes – guiding our every
stroke, not necessarily for perfection but for polished edges.
For four years, I continued mixing colors and using brushes in
an attempt to achieve my masterpiece. This April 27, my work
art is almost complete. I could already see myself proudly
holding a diploma from the country's premiere university,
the University of the Philippines, saying that I am a graduate
of the BA Communication Arts program. And I know that everything
will just branch out from this single piece.
Hence, I guess this banquet means a day of gratitude for those
people who were with me through the process of creating my
masterpiece. Fortunately, these people are here today.
To my high school teachers who taught me how to dream; to
Ma'am Gemma, Sir Ariel, Sir Bernard, who made me dream big;
to Sir Tony, Ma'am Irene, the Oberman Foundation, AFCi,
who made my dream possible. 'Thank you' is never and
will never be enough for us to express our gratitude to
you. But rest assured that my masterpiece is not just for
me. It's for you as well. Because I know I couldn't finish
it alone.
Hence, for the last time, I will quote Anaïs Nin. "You have
your brush, you have your colors, you paint paradise, then
in you go." We already have our brushes and colors, provided
to us by AFCi and the Oberman Foundation, we just have to
paint our own paradise, and in we can go.