Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

A belated but heartfelt Happy Father’s Day!

Some stories leave you speechless. Others leave you changed.

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking to the West Visayas State University’s (WVSU’s) graduating class of 2025. I came ready with a pep talk, but even then, revisiting the stories of these graduates moved me beyond words.

Take, for example, the story of Rodelyn Cusay. In elementary school, her parents separated, and it was her father who raised her and her sibling single-handedly. A laborer at a fish port, he toiled under the sun and sea, day in and day out, just to put food on the table and give his children a fighting chance at a better future.

When the pandemic hit, Rodelyn faced greater odds. She had no stable internet, no laptop—just a cracked phone, an unbreakable spirit, and a grateful heart determined to one day give back to the man who had given her everything.

Seeing her in person at the university, finishing strong, brought me to tears. Even as she accepted her degree in Education, it was clear her thoughts were with her father, whose sacrifice carried her to that moment.

I believe that the stories of WVSU graduates prove just how much of who we are is shaped by the fathers who stood beside us and helped build the lives we’re proud to live today.

I know this by heart because I’m blessed to have a father like Daddy Olay. He is my anchor, biggest cheerleader, and greatest source of strength.

It’s not the grand gestures or the comforts he worked so hard to provide that stayed with me the most. It’s the everyday love—the gentle ways he shows up, the care he gives without asking, and the assurance that, no matter what, he’s always there.

To this day, he makes my mother and me feel safe, seen, and deeply loved. He remains the calm, constant, and grounding presence I turn to.

While Daddy Olay has been my lifelong foundation, I was also fortunate to have a second father in the late Senate President Edgardo J. Angara (SEJA).

Being mentored by someone of his caliber was both an honor and a challenge. The standards were high, but that’s precisely what makes the experience transformative.

Under his wing, rising wasn’t a choice but the only direction you were allowed to go. He pushed me to pursue excellence, pay close attention to every detail, and approach tasks with clarity, purpose, and dedication.

SEJA, as we fondly called him, instilled in me a deep respect for professionalism and a confidence to stand firm in my principles, especially when the road gets tough. It was through his guidance and the weight of his expectations that I grew into the public servant I humbly continue to become.

Not the least, I am profoundly grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., our country’s father in every sense of the word. Our good President embodies what it means to lead with wisdom, compassion, and vision. He is a guiding force in governance and a nurturing presence for the Filipino people—uplifting lives, cultivating potential, and inspiring a nation to dream bigger and do better.

Because of his trust, I’ve been given the extraordinary opportunity of serving as Budget Secretary. I carry this role with great humility, a strong sense of duty, and a heart devoted to serving our kababayans.

Through his leadership, we continue to foster a Bagong Pilipinas rooted in unity, dignity, and hope. His example teaches us that nation-building begins not with power but with empathy or putting oneself in our people’s shoes, the courage to do what is right, and a commitment to serve with integrity and purpose.

These three men in my life, my Daddy Olay, the late SEJA, and PBBM, each showed me a different kind of fatherhood. One is grounded in unconditional love, another in discipline and excellence, and the last in vision and service to the nation. Together, they remind me that leadership, like fatherhood, is not measured by power or position, but by presence, purpose, and the lives we quietly shape along the way.

Beyond budget, and beyond Father’s Day, may we always celebrate the men in our lives who stayed through the struggles and gave their all without ever asking for anything in return.

We recognize that to build a strong nation, we must first honor the men who built us with their hands, hearts, and unwavering belief in who we could become.

Long before we ever found our strength, it was theirs that carried us.