Let me make this clear at the onset: Congratulations to the graduating class of 2025!

Congratulations to you for reaffirming and renewing your generation's role even amid or despite a pandemic.

Not a few have given up on you, accusing you of laziness, weakness and "wokeness." When they look at you, they condescendingly say the world is over.

Look at yourselves: You did not give up. You did not surrender. You prevailed.

Those of you from the University of the Philippines graduate with Latin honors, I guess I could speak on behalf of the nation in thanking and applauding you for this stellar personal achievement. The "bayan" in "iskolar ng bayan" is always mighty proud of their most outstanding sons and daughters.

I'm also sure you would agree that the university and the government must reward your success.

Such reward should start with higher budgetary allocation for students, faculty, staff, facilities upgrade, and expansion of UP and other state universities and colleges. No more delays in scholarship stipends and benefits.

But perhaps the ultimate reward is to be given a chance to practice your profession in your own country. This could mean a well-compensated, regular, stable job. Or perhaps full freedom and full state support to start and build a business, join a non-profit, and pursue revolution in any and all fields.

For the graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, there are mixed reactions over the President's veto of the "National Polytechnic University" bill. It is now up to the next batches of students, together with faculty and staff, to agree and fight for a new vision and aspiration for the country's biggest state university. You are now alumni, and your voice will be heard so keep on speaking.

I am always surprised when I hear many elders loudly complain about you. They forget they have long changed and destroyed whatever social infrastructures and social guarantees that pampered them in the the past.

But the thing is, the world belongs to you. You are actually beginning to inherit it.

You have fresh eyes, bright minds, courageous hearts, and a psyche shaped in a pandemic and a dystopian national and global situation we, your elders, appear to fail to fully comprehend. Maybe it is our upbringing, our cynicism after so many battles lost, or the system's imposed sense of helplessness crushing our many hearts.

I am actually excited at the kinds of disruption you're bringing to the economy and other fields. Each new generation does something like that. Many of the Gen X and even Millennials have grown to just accept what the Boomers have laid down as law, or consented to today's revisionism and dystopia. Would you bring or demand changes to the workplace? Would you rock our system of politics? Would you change the concept of success? Would you, like others before you, aspire to leave and let "others" take care of the mess?

There are many other questions, issues, concerns, situations, challenges, and other matters that you are bound to encounter. While we don't want to preempt you or give you spoilers, know that the applause and hugs from your parents and others who care for you symbolize our collective trust and confidence in you.

Starting today, people look at you differently. The government sees taxpayers and ayuda beneficiaries. Businesses see cheap or free labor. Artists, TV, radio, and content producers see a new audience. Marketers see a new market segment. Politicians see new voters to buy and to blame. Governments and businesses abroad see new migrant labor, immigrants, and future citizens.

In a fascinating display of the elder lawmakers' shortage of brainpower and of humility to accept responsibility, one of them sees in you the retirement fund for your elders.

The magic happens when you smash these expectations, look and think differently, and map a radically new way forward. The best of the youth of the past have done it, and we know you would surprise us and shock others.

For now, we celebrate your graduation and thank all those who helped, enabled, cheered, and inspired you along the way.

After this celebration, there's a world to inherit and to change.

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To family, friends, colleagues and former students of Mama: please remember Liwayway M. Cruz on her 76th birth anniversary on July 21. We miss her so much.