DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite – Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio served as the guest speaker at the 49th Commencement Exercises of Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) at the City of Dasmariñas Arena on Thursday, July 7.
Also present during the event were Mayor Jennifer Austria-Barzaga and EAC President Jose Paulo E. Campos Jr.
During her speech streamed live through Facebook, Duterte-Carpio recalled her days in Dasmariñas as a post-graduate student in 1999.
"Nahirapan ako mag-adjust dahil ako lang mag-isa. Ako lang ang nag-iisip ano kakainin ko sa lunch, sa dinner. Ako lang and naghahanap saan ako magpapalaba, ako ang nago-grocery (I found it hard to adjust because I was all by myself. I had to take care of my lunch, my dinner. I had to handle the laundry and the groceries)," Duterte-Carpio shared.
The vice president says living on her own for the first time was a difficult experience and it affected her studies.
As she was embarrassed to go home to Davao without a post-graduate degree, she thought of a solution and decided to transfer to another school closer to the townhouse of her parents, where she did not have to live by herself.
The vice president finished her Bachelor of Laws at San Sebastian College – Recoletos in 2005.
"Life will never be easy. Pero (but) when faced with a problem, you sit down and think about the solutions, the options... Never give up."
Duterte-Carpio encouraged the graduates to reflect on the life of Emilio Aguinaldo and how his acts of heroism and his legacy are etched in the foundation of freedom that Filipinos enjoy today.
"As you embrace the battleground of life, I hope you will bring not just the knowledge, skills, and ideals you've acquired from your Alma mater, but also the bravery and the fortitude to uphold your core principles as Filipinos," the vice president said.
