The 天美视频 Visayas (UPV) held its 45th Commencement Exercises in its Miagao, Iloilo campus on July 9, 2024, ushering in a new tradition:听 designating each batch of graduates with a class name. The UPV Class of 2024 is Class Haraya, composed of 770 graduates鈥�407 of them with honors. Two are summa cum laude graduates; 78, magna cum laude; and 327, cum laude.听
Roberto 鈥淜a Dodoy鈥� Ballon, fisherfolk leader and 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, was this year鈥檚 commencement speaker. As he recounted how his organization paved the way for mangrove reforestation in their community, Ballon shared what he called 鈥渢rue treasure鈥攖o serve the people without any conditions.鈥�
Leading Class Haraya was the valedictorian, Hyke Jancon Maybay, who earned his BS Applied Mathematics degree, summa cum laude, with a general weighted average of 1.07978. In his speech, Maybay spoke of the challenges their batch has faced and overcome amidst a global pandemic. He also urged his fellow graduates to 鈥渁pply [their] learnings and creativity to better [their] communities.鈥�
To serve without expecting anything in return
鈥淲ala akong kurso kagaya ninyo,鈥� said Ballon as he began his speech. 鈥淎ng kurso na mayroon ako ay ang kursunada. Ito ang kursunada ko na magsilbi sa tao, sa aking pamayanan.鈥�
For Ballon, protecting and conserving the mangrove area in their community was his advocacy鈥攊t was his 鈥渒ursunada.鈥� Together with his group, the Kapunungan sa Gagmay’ng Mangingisda sa Concepcion (KGMC) or the Association of Small Fisherfolk of Concepcion, Ballon led the reforestation of mangroves in Concepcion, Kabasalan in Zamboanga Sibugay.听
Yet the path toward fulfilling this advocacy was met with doubts from the people of their community themselves. 鈥淸W]e were called lunatics. Tinawag kaming baliw dahil kami lang ang nagtatanim ng mangroves,鈥� shared Ballon. 鈥淚 keep telling them na magtanim lang tayo nang magtanim ng mangroves para balang araw, maibabalik natin ang ating kabuhayan.鈥�
KMGC鈥檚 tireless efforts of planting mangroves did not go to waste. Not only has it restored the biodiversity in the area, it has also provided livelihood to the people of Concepcion. 鈥淢y dedication paved the way for a more united and empowered community,鈥� Ballon said with pride.
Ballon then addressed the Class Haraya on how they could better serve their communities. 鈥淭o serve the people, tayo mismo [ay] magpakadalubhasa. . . . Ang matuod nga serbisyo, wala naga hulat sang balik.鈥� (鈥淕enuine service does not expect anything in return.鈥�)
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To serve the people
In his valedictory speech, Maybay shared his quest for academic excellence. 鈥淚 entered UP Visayas to pursue academic excellence鈥� none other than academic excellence,鈥� he recounted.听
Witnessing 鈥渢he injustices and oppression鈥� against the Filipino people, especially during the pandemic, changed his perspective on academic excellence. 鈥淸A]s time passed, I came to realize that many people in our country are using their academic excellence for their selfish gains, abusing their privilege to be educated just to ignore the woes of the disadvantaged.鈥�
Maybay challenged his fellow graduates to continue the service that they had already started. With a raised fist, he urged Class Haraya 鈥渢o serve the people鈥�.
