Jaszon Tapalla, theclass 2014 Magna Cum Laude graduate from the Bachelor in Elementary Education program inspired and brought the audience to tears in his graduation speech. Many knows Jaszon as an active and jolly student but only very few knows THE REAL him. Come, let us discover more about the future teacher and be inspired, too.
1. Who is Jaszon Tapalla?
Answer: A simple person with full of dreams for my family
2. Who is your inspiration in life?
Answer: My family whom I owe my life and my success.
3. What adjective can best describe you? Why?
Answer: “GREAT”, because I believe I can overcome all obstacles that come my way.
4. How did you manage the pressures of schooling?
Answer: I believe that all the pressures and challenges have their own purpose and we just have to face them with all our hearts and always seek the guidance of our Lord and of our family for support.
5. What’s your most memorable experience as a college student?
Answer: Attending the seminar for future teachers in Iloilo where I met new friends and learn a lot on how to manage the classroom and become an effective teacher.
6. How do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Answer: A teacher and a business man as well.
7. Words that you want to leave to your fellow students in S.I.?
Answer: Be yourself and do your part, study hard and reach the star with your own hands
As requested, we are sharing to you the inspiring speech of Jaszon Tapalla, the Magna Cum Laude who inspired many of his stories:
I was filled with nostalgic feelings, gratitude, blissfulness, honor and pride, and momentous flashback when were still new to this school.
Today, as we celebrate the most-awaited moment of being a student- the graduation, I really know to that it’s not me alone having this kind of feelings; a roller coaster ride of emotions; remarkable feeling that only comes once in a lifetime.
If we were to break all these down, happiness should comes first. Why? Because we should be truly happy. There are plenty of reasons to be happy about the gift of life, the gift of wisdom, the gift of education and the gift of every moment we shared with one another. With that, we reached this far. Truly, these are priceless gifts.
Gratefulness should be the next. What are the things that we should be grateful for?
Our Alma Mater. Our Alma Mater provided us a good venue to showcase our talents, skills and abilities to the best that we can be.
Our Mentors. Our mentors who keep inspiring us, building us to boost our self-confidence and self-esteem, unleashing the highest potentials of our career, and honing us holistically for a brighter future with profound prospective towards the realization of life.
Our Family. Our family to whom we owe so much our greatest success, who inspired us in spite of pessimism and strived so hard to fulfill our dreams and aspirations in life and make all these come true.
And most of all our Almighty father, for giving them to us and for guiding us along the journey full of hindrances, challenges, problems and difficulties as we go on with the quest of life.
And sadness should be the last. Sadness in the sense that we will be leaving the portals of our Alma Mater, closing some chapters of our life bounded with memorable and life-changing experiences with our friends and classmates together and parting ways with our best-ever classmates and teachers enveloped with splendid memories built within a brief span of time.
Try to look vividly at the faces of our classmates and of our mentors. Imagine how these faces changed our lives, either for better or for worse, but still they should leave a bright spot in our heart. Are these faces still the same faces we will be facing right after this moment? Probably not.For we will be parting from each other and with different words to trudge on. And there should never be closed doors for we will open the chamber of opportunities waiting for us in order to spread our horizon.
As quoted from the statement of a famous writer, “ If the road you are taking is a bit rough and road bumps and potholes cause a dent on you, never lose hope. Flame up the fuel of determination within you. Wake up your imagination. If you can’t make it through land, you might be able to swim across”. Indeed, this is so much relevant to us.
As I remember my golden moments as being a student here, it was really a “wheel of fortune” one. Ups and downs are just constants of life. For instance, as I entered the gate of this institution behind me were the brilliant dreams and plans for myself and my family.
At first, I enrolled under the BSBA department. Time was so good to me. I was able to meet and be acquainted with different personalities which were really meant to cross into my life. I was hopeful and aspiring at that time to finish the career I have chosen. However, that was not realized.
It led me to a point of desperation and dilemma. My family could no longer sustain my studies for they were just farm workers. “ Sa kampo lang ga obra ang mga ginikanan ko”. And my brilliants dreams and plans were merely unseen. I told myself, “ Business Administration was not really meant for me”. Unfortunately, I quit schooling and decided to work in the farm as well. “ Nag obra man ako sa kampo”.
With God’s grace, I came back to school with the help of my two brothers: Jaszer and Jonibert. Jaszer is my older brother who works in a call center company based in Bacolod City, while Jonibert is my younger brother who stopped schooling in order to send me to school. He worked as a construction worker so he could pay for my tuition fees. Then, I enrolled in the BEED department.
While schooling, I still worked at the farm because I knew for one that it can compensate for my fare. “ Bisan pamplete-plete lang”.
As I recalled what my best-ever classmate told me, “Hala Jazz! Itom-itom ka nagid ya haw? Ga obra ka sa kampo?” I told her, “ Huo Nang, gaobra ko kay ginaplete ko ang akon sweldo.” I really don’t care how I look, what I always bear in mind is to graduate in order to elevate my family from poverty.
And with what I have attained right now, I can proudly tell to everyone that” Ang mga ginikanan ko sa kampo gid gaobra kag bisan ako gaobra man sa kampo”. Life is indeed an echo of what you invest. This is really true.
I know that you have your own story to tell to be a source of inspiration to others. Lucky I am for I have been given privilege to speak before you. And so, let us continue the journey of being a channel of inspiration to every person.
To my Family: Thank you is not enough to express my gratitude to you for my greatest triumph. I will not able to reach where I am right now without you. I owe these all to you. This is not return of investment. I am so proud of you and I hope you are proud of me, too.
To the Parents: We hope that we make you proud. You are really source of pride. We salute you all.
To my Classmates: No word can express how grateful I am to be a part of your life. Our day-to-day bonding moments will truly be missed. You are such a wonderful blessing ever showered upon me. Thank you very much.
To my fellow Graduates: Let us keep the fire burning. We can now reap the fruit of our hard work. A job well-done to all and congratulations.

After being held over-all champion during the Intramural Meet, the BEEd students together with their teachers, Mr. Jocen Angeles and Mrs. Rosie Adelantar, Mrs. Sharon Rose Medez, and Mr. John Rey Piaña, went to Ladlad Resort, Brgy. Patag, Silay City last February 17 and 18, 2014 to celebrate their long overdue victory party. It was indeed a great celebration for our teachers prepared some talks in the evening which truly touched and inspired everyone. The evening program was opened with a prayer by yours truly, followed by an inspirational talk from Mrs. Rosie Adelantar with the topic, “Me, and Myself” which was about knowing ones’ self from inside and out and for which the song, “Who Am I” was made appropriate to be the finale of the said talk. The second topic entitled, “Me and My Family” which made everyone cry was delivered by Mrs. Sharon Rose Medez. A quote from the book of Ephesians 6:2-3 that says, “Honor your father and your mother” which is the first commandment with a promise was exhorted. Ma’am Medz focused on the children’s relationship with their parents considering the fact that there are so many victims of broken family and rejections; that whether we like our parents and family or not we still have to honor them for it is God’s mandate to every child. “Me and Others” was the third topic discussed by Mr. Jocen Angeles, our Religious Studies teacher and SSC adviser. Sir Angeles emphasized that we are all responsible to each. No one lives for itself and no one dies for itself and for which this was inspired by a song “Pananagutan”. Out fourth speaker was Mr. John Rey D. Piaña who is also a Religious Studies teacher and who discussed the topic “Me and My God” which was about out duty towards God, our purpose, who God is and what God can do to us. Pastor Ninfa M. Pasco, a Senior Pastor of Glory Of Zion Christian Assembly was also given a chance to share the Word of God that night. She talked about the Agape love , the unconditional love of Jesus Christ to all mankind quoted from the book of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life and “Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The highlight of the said talks was the symbolic act of casting always of our bad characters for which we were asked to look for an object which symbolizes our bad character and throw them on the fire that we have made.
Everyone looks refreshed, revived and inspired the following morning as we have fun with the recreational games and enjoyed sumptuous pork nilaga for lunch which was prepared by Elaines Rose Quema of BEEd III.
To Ma’am Adelantar, Ma’am Medez, Sir Angeles, Sir Piaña, Pastor Pasco and the musicians, as well as to Richard Panes and Jaszon Tapalla who made this activity special and successful, THANK YOU and TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

By: Nelly