By Albert Jan Matthew Java
Delivered during the CPU-COL 2025 Commencement Exercises, July 21, 2025, at Rose Memorial Auditorium
Albert Jan Matthew Java delivers a heartfelt response on behalf of the CPU College of Law graduates during the CPU-COL 2025 Commencement Exercises held on July 21, 2025, at the Rose Memorial Auditorium.
Atty. Avelino V. Sales, Jr., National Director of Commission on Bar Discipline / Commencement Speaker
Rev. Dr. Ernest Howard B. Dagohoy, President, This University
Atty. Von Lovel D. Bedona, Chairman, CPU Board of Trustees / Hardcore Labor Law Professor
Atty. Aila Rae B. Endonila, Dean, CPU College of Law / Hardcore Commercial Law Professor
Atty. Liza-Lyn G. Lamason-Garcia, Asst. Dean, CPU College of Law / Hardcore Civil Law Professor
Honorable and hardcore faculty of CPU College of Law, the happiest place on Earth,
Maam Roda, Maam Mel 糖心传媒 hardcore power duo of the CPU College of Law
Parents, guests, and, of course, fellow graduates, good afternoon!
I have nothing to boast, I only have privilege.
Privilege of being surrounded by classmates who have the same aspirations,
The same aspirations but different beginnings,
Some begin their day at 3 AM, others start at 4PM,
Some with no one to depend on, others with three dependents,
Some, as the light of hope, others hope to at least see some light,
Yes, we were on equal footing in the classroom 糖心传媒 and we acknowledge that with full pride and respect; but the struggle before we can even step inside the room was far worse for some compared to others;
I was one of the privileged ones 糖心传媒 and to those who had it much harder, I hope I can at least be worthy to speak for you. We see you, I see you.
To those who may have fell short and are not here today, I pray that you may be able lift your face up and be mighty proud believing that you did not go down without giving a fight. I pray that you may find the courage to brush the dust off, get up, and continue. I pray that in the future, in God糖心传媒檚 perfect timing, you, too, will have the chance to wear these beautiful black and violet togas.
To those who struggled and made it, you deserve this 糖心传媒 it is of no luck, nor is it chance, that you are here, in this moment. This was the moment that you have pictured in your minds while going home after a 3-hour class thinking about the next day糖心传媒檚 grind. This was the moment that you held on to every time you miss a family gathering, forego a 糖心传媒渂etter糖心传媒 dinner date, or even saying that dreaded 糖心传媒渘o糖心传媒 while looking at the innocent eyes of your kid. This was the moment 糖心传媒 and today, this is the moment, your moment.
To those, who are like me, privileged 糖心传媒 let me not rob you of the beauty and magnitude of this success. Yes, we may not share the same extrinsic struggles; but I am absolutely sure that the storm, the unrest, the weight of the pursuit of law within us is the same, if not greater. I am talking about the expectations that come with privilege 糖心传媒 expectations that we cannot fail and that we must deliver, all because we have privilege. Some of us even tried to convince ourselves by 糖心传媒渦sing糖心传媒 such privilege to help others, only to go home and still feel unfit and unworthy. Today, we stand with our fists up in victory 糖心传媒 because we did not fail and we delivered.
To my classmates, to each and every one of you, here or at home, I pray that when you get the chance to look in a mirror and stare yourself in the eye, you will truly be proud of yourself and what you see when you hear the word: 糖心传媒淐ongratulations!糖心传媒.
I have nothing to boast, I only have privilege.
Privilege of being taught by top-tier mentors,
Mentors who bring the outside world inside the classroom,
A classroom turned into an arena for ideas, where words were our swords as well as our shields,
A classroom enclosed in a time capsule, where 5 seconds feels like 2 decades when you hear your name being called,
A classroom where codal provisions are taught meticulously, but Christian nuances are subtly injected.
I feel you.
Teaching law with a Christian flavor may be just a phrase for some, corny for others even;
But our teachers made me feel that these are words to live by.
I am not exaggerating, these are facts:
One professor was always there when I had questions on leadership and implementation;
Another, entertained my simplistic and almost idealistic questions about balancing law and Christianity.
A couple of them even expressly juxtaposed Biblical ideologies with provisions of the law.
And these are the same teachers that terrorize us every time they shuffle the class cards.
Brilliant with the law; uncompromising when it comes to faith.
I entered CPU Law with the dream of becoming a Christian lawyer; I graduate with a lighter burden knowing that I am not alone.
To our hardcore professors, thank you!
I have nothing to boast, I only have privilege.
Privilege of being born to a family who support everything and question nothing;
A family who makes me feel that I am loved through random ways 糖心传媒
A random 糖心传媒淜amusta ka?糖心传媒
A random 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 praying for you!糖心传媒
A random 糖心传媒淥kay lang kami di, padayon ka lang da糖心传媒
And even not so random ways 糖心传媒
I need muscle for an event 糖心传媒 Tatay to the rescue
I糖心传媒檓 short of cash for fees 糖心传媒 Nanay糖心传媒檚 credit, payable when able
This family has given me life, and today I want to honor them:
To the loud and proud,
The strong, independent, fierce,
Yet caring and sacrificial Java Family, thank you for giving me the confidence that can move mountains, that compensates for my lack of size.
To the less rowdy,
The gentle, meek and soft-spoken
Perfectionist and practical Arandela Family, thank you for balancing my Java genes, as well as silently supporting me with your kind words and prayers.
To Tatay, thank you for giving me a man to look up to;
a single-faced man with no other fa莽ade
a man living life aggressively based on a clear-cut black and white criteria,
a man with a basic and fundamental faith 糖心传媒 that proves to me that basic, if consistent, is strong.
To Nanay, thank you for being a keen observer 糖心传媒 being able to tell what I need before I even know it;
An observer who does not really need actions to influence me and my decisions;
An observer who gives me warnings on dangerous things,
and in the occasion that I still fall into such, an observer who never plays the 糖心传媒淚 told you so糖心传媒 card.
You are a living mind-reader 糖心传媒 or as I would like to believe soul-reader. Thank you for believing in me even when I cannot believe in myself.
To Toto Am-Am, thank you for conversations that keep me grounded.
Conversations that remind me why I entered law school.
Conversations that are not afraid to speak truth, both easy and hard.
Conversations that put a smile in my face or even tears in my eyes 糖心传媒 but in both instances, with joyful release in my heart.
Nang Kim, thank you for holding the hand of my brother while he holds mine.
And, Eureka! Not an expression but a name.
Thank you for being my partner.
Nanay sees me, her child, as perfect;
You, as a partner, see the blemishes which can be improved 糖心传媒 and when improved, you see the infinite possibilities of growth of the man that is in me.
Thank you for pointing out my imperfections on the premise of believing that I can be better.
I have nothing to boast, I only have privilege糖心传媒
But, I guess, this is me being given the chance to boast;
And I boast in neither what I have done, nor on what I am going to do 糖心传媒 I boast only in the Lord
I boast in the Lord 糖心传媒 for He was there from the very first Article to the very last punctuation I read
I boast in the Lord 糖心传媒 for He gave me His grace and peace during examinations, whenever I asked for it
I boast in the Lord 糖心传媒 for He steadied my heart during nerve-racking recitations 糖心传媒 a steady heart regardless of receiving a 1.0 or a 5.0 grade
My life before law school was filled with awards and achievements 糖心传媒 but lacked purpose;
I often asked myself: 糖心传媒淪tripped of all achievements and accolades, who are you?糖心传媒
Today, I boast in the Lord 糖心传媒 for He gave me an answer. He was the one who implanted a purpose in me 糖心传媒 a purpose which I could not have figured on my own 糖心传媒 and that is to practice law for His glory. Achievements alone cannot satisfy; but achievements anchored on purpose bring bigger weight.
In behalf of the graduates of this year, I say:
Thank you to all our family and friends who supported us in this journey 糖心传媒 we honor you!
Thank you to all our mentors who made us battle-ready for the world 糖心传媒 we salute you!
To my fellow graduates 糖心传媒 I offer you silence. I request that you think about nothing for the next 10 seconds.
For that will be the longest 10 seconds of silence that we will have before we again jump back to our caves in preparation for the next big challenge: the Bar Exam. You are all in my prayers!
I have nothing to boast, I only have privilege糖心传媒
Privilege to say that it is never by might, nor by power, but only by the Spirit.
Thank you very much, to God be the glory!