MALOLOS CITY—Feisty Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago gave graduating students of the Bulacan State University (BulSU) here valuable life lessons on Saturday.
But not after she opened her commencement speech with jokes that left her audience laughing out loud.
“Ang pinaka-importanteng bahagi ng buhay ng tao matapos ang graduation ay maghanap ng asawa,” she said as she opened her speech.
Graduation students from the BulSU College of Social Science and Philosophy (CSSP) applauded while laughing.
But Senator Defensor-Santiago was just warming up.
She told the members of the graduating class what to say in looking for a life-long partner.
“Para makahanap ng asawa, ganito sasabihin mo. Kung magkakaroon ako ng sariling planeta, gusto ko ikaw ang axis nito, para sa iyo lang iikot ang mundo ko,” she said which the graduating class responded with applause and hooting.
Defensor-Santiago added, “Ibenta mo na buhay mo, tutal dito ka na nakatira sa puso ko;” “Sana off ang ilaw, para tayo na lang ang mag-on;” and “Noodles ka ba, kasi lucky me.”
By this time even parents and teachers joined students in applauding and hooting.
Sensing that she was able to catch the attention of her audience, the senator further dropped jokes one after the other.
She said, “Ang buhay ko ay parang seesaw, pag wala ka, down ako;” “Para kang holdupper, lahat ibibigay ko sa iyo, wag mo lang akong saktan;” “Ang galing mo din, hindi mo pa ko binabato, tinamaan na ko sa iyo;” “Maglaro tayo ng kahit ano, huwag lang taguan, kasi a girl like you is hard to find.”
“Bastos ka rin ano, di ka man lang nagpapaalam, tuloy tuloy kang pumasok sa puso ko;” “Google ka ba, lahat kasi ng hinahanap ko sa iyo ko natagpuan;” “Hindi ko alam ang katapusan ng universe, pero alam ko ang simula ay ‘You” and “I”; “Nakalimutan ko ang pangalan mo eh, pwede ba kitang tawaging Akin;” “
Nakalunok ka ba ng kwitis, kasi pag ngumiti ka may spark;” “Sana ikaw ang cardiologist ko, para ikaw ang mag-aalaga sa puso ko;” “Sana scientist ako para ikaw naman ang lab ko;” “Tindera ka ba ng yosi kasi you give me hope and more,” she added.
Defensor-Santiago explained that she decided to crack jokes at the beginning of her commencement address to keep the graduating class awake.
She said that great speeches were delivered during commencement exercises, but not too many listen, and the speech is hardly understood.
“I myself can’t even remember what our commencement speaker said during our graduation,” she said and started to deliver her four point ‘life message’ to the graduating class.
To drive her points, she asked the graduating class the following: what is the greatest adventure in life, what is the nature of life, what is the purpose of life and what is the greatest challenge of life.
Defensor-Santiago answered each question and explained.
She said that the greatest adventure in life is to learn What is the greatest adventure in life and everybody must continue learning even after completing studies in school.
“You must continue learning even after school, you must learn something in life, that makes life worth living,” she said.
For the second question, she said the nature of life is change, and she advised the graduating class to always try and change for the better, but life is not always about good things.
On the third question, she said that the purpose of life is to grow physically, intellectually, spiritually, socially and emotionally.
“You have to have social quotient not just intelligence quotient, kailangang marunong ka pero dapat matutuo na makisama sa kapwa mo,” she said.
For the last question, Defensor-Santiago explained that the greatest challenge of life if to overcome.
She said that the graduating class must never plead nor surrender.
But not after she opened her commencement speech with jokes that left her audience laughing out loud.
“Ang pinaka-importanteng bahagi ng buhay ng tao matapos ang graduation ay maghanap ng asawa,” she said as she opened her speech.
Graduation students from the BulSU College of Social Science and Philosophy (CSSP) applauded while laughing.
But Senator Defensor-Santiago was just warming up.
She told the members of the graduating class what to say in looking for a life-long partner.
“Para makahanap ng asawa, ganito sasabihin mo. Kung magkakaroon ako ng sariling planeta, gusto ko ikaw ang axis nito, para sa iyo lang iikot ang mundo ko,” she said which the graduating class responded with applause and hooting.
Defensor-Santiago added, “Ibenta mo na buhay mo, tutal dito ka na nakatira sa puso ko;” “Sana off ang ilaw, para tayo na lang ang mag-on;” and “Noodles ka ba, kasi lucky me.”
By this time even parents and teachers joined students in applauding and hooting.
Sensing that she was able to catch the attention of her audience, the senator further dropped jokes one after the other.
She said, “Ang buhay ko ay parang seesaw, pag wala ka, down ako;” “Para kang holdupper, lahat ibibigay ko sa iyo, wag mo lang akong saktan;” “Ang galing mo din, hindi mo pa ko binabato, tinamaan na ko sa iyo;” “Maglaro tayo ng kahit ano, huwag lang taguan, kasi a girl like you is hard to find.”
“Bastos ka rin ano, di ka man lang nagpapaalam, tuloy tuloy kang pumasok sa puso ko;” “Google ka ba, lahat kasi ng hinahanap ko sa iyo ko natagpuan;” “Hindi ko alam ang katapusan ng universe, pero alam ko ang simula ay ‘You” and “I”; “Nakalimutan ko ang pangalan mo eh, pwede ba kitang tawaging Akin;” “
Nakalunok ka ba ng kwitis, kasi pag ngumiti ka may spark;” “Sana ikaw ang cardiologist ko, para ikaw ang mag-aalaga sa puso ko;” “Sana scientist ako para ikaw naman ang lab ko;” “Tindera ka ba ng yosi kasi you give me hope and more,” she added.
Defensor-Santiago explained that she decided to crack jokes at the beginning of her commencement address to keep the graduating class awake.
She said that great speeches were delivered during commencement exercises, but not too many listen, and the speech is hardly understood.
“I myself can’t even remember what our commencement speaker said during our graduation,” she said and started to deliver her four point ‘life message’ to the graduating class.
To drive her points, she asked the graduating class the following: what is the greatest adventure in life, what is the nature of life, what is the purpose of life and what is the greatest challenge of life.
Defensor-Santiago answered each question and explained.
She said that the greatest adventure in life is to learn What is the greatest adventure in life and everybody must continue learning even after completing studies in school.
“You must continue learning even after school, you must learn something in life, that makes life worth living,” she said.
For the second question, she said the nature of life is change, and she advised the graduating class to always try and change for the better, but life is not always about good things.
On the third question, she said that the purpose of life is to grow physically, intellectually, spiritually, socially and emotionally.
“You have to have social quotient not just intelligence quotient, kailangang marunong ka pero dapat matutuo na makisama sa kapwa mo,” she said.
For the last question, Defensor-Santiago explained that the greatest challenge of life if to overcome.
She said that the graduating class must never plead nor surrender.
