October 1, 2008

The recently concluded UAAP championship games between the La Salle Green Archers and the Ateneo Blue Eagles still serves as an exciting sports match that has been existing since way back when of the rival schools. It has always been able to bring about excitement, admiration, intensity and the love and affiliation of students to their Alma Mater.

In my case, I am blessed and privileged to be an alumnus of both schools. I started studying in La Salle Green Hills from kindergarten to High School and went and got my AB Economics degree from Ateneo De Manila University. Just to add, I am also thankful to have been a UP Diliman campus alumnus graduating the youngest in my batch in my Masters in Public Management major in Local Government Administration program when I was only 26 years old (started at age 23). I also had international school exposure from the Asian Institute of Management with my Basic Management Program and Leadership Program. Currently, I am the youngest ever doctorate student on my 2^nd year Doctor of Management with concentration in Public Management program of the Central Philippine University.

Going back to the topic at hand, every time there is a UAAP game, especially when it involves Ateneo vs. La Salle, I am left in a quandary to what side I belong to. My old friends are in the La Salle side and my college friends are with the Ateneo side.

I remember when I decided to run for a Student Council post in Ateneo that there were doubts and misgivings of my candidacy for certain reasons and one of which was that I was a Student Council Officer in La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) and they said during that time that no LSGH alumnus has ever made it to the Ateneo Student Council. Apparently, the rivalry of the schools was emphasized with my candidacy. Thankfully and luckily, I won by a landslide and a year after I was appointed as the first LSGH alumnus to the Student Council Department Head post which is sort of a cabinet post as Chairman of the Department of Academic Rights and Services. At that early stage, I wanted to become a link and a symbol of unity amidst the school rivalry. I could even relate this experience to my experience in Rotaract, Jaycees, Kalipi which gave me a fresh face and a newcomer a resounding mandate with high and influential positions. This also could be true with my run as the youngest City Official of Iloilo City going against all odds even with the issues being thrown against me as I was a newcomer, said to be an outsider and was not with the administration but still the city gave me a convincing win. For all of these experiences, I believe I have grown and am ready to face any challenges that come my way. Thus, I truly believe in the saying “nothing is impossible”.

I am very lucky to have had the chance of going to the said best schools in the country because not all have the opportunity to do so. I am very much humbled with such and I am doing my part to share whatever knowledge I have learned from these schools that molded me into becoming a man for others.

I am thinking of a blue sky (ADMU) and a green environment (LSGH) with the colors maroon (UP) symbolizing passion which is public service, yellow (CPU) symbolizing optimism and idealism and my signature color blue which symbolizes unity (UGYON) and orange which symbolizes energy and enthusiasm.