30/08/2026
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๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ "๐๐!" ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐: ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐
๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐, "๐๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐จ ๐
๐๐ซ."
"To every dreamer who was told they were too late, keep going. To every parent sacrificing for their child, keep believing." This was the inspiring message shared by Ms. Maria Francesca Agustin during her Class Batch Address, 35th Commencement Exercises of Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU)โIsulan Campus, SKSU Gymnasium, June 24, 2026.
Reflecting on the journey behind her academic success, the Latin honors graduate revealed that earning her degree was far from easy. Behind the medals and recognition was a story marked by sacrifice and unwavering faith. "There was a time when pursuing a college degree felt impossible," Agustin said, recalling the years when she set aside her own dreams to prioritize her child's future as a young single mother.
Before returning to school, Agustin took on various jobs to provide for her family. She worked as a server at Halo-Halo Station in Esperanza, a saleslady, an online seller during the pandemic, and even as a house helper. There were days when she had no choice but to bring her child with her while delivering customer orders because no one else could care for her child.
Despite the hardships, she held on to a promise that became her source of strength: "Para sa future sang bata ko, kayahon ko."
After the pandemic, Agustin made the life-changing decision to return to college, carrying not only books and school requirements but also the responsibilities of motherhood and the weight of financial hardship. She embraced the opportunity to pursue the education she once thought was beyond her reach.
Looking back, she recognized that every setback and tear became part of the foundation that led her to the graduation stage. "And through it all, I witnessed God's faithfulness," she said. "When I felt weak, He gave me strength. When doors seemed closed, He made a way. When I was ready to give up, He reminded me to keep moving forward."
Acknowledging that every graduate had their own battles, Agustin reminded her fellow graduates that perseverance united them despite their different stories. "Some of us worked while studying. Some traveled long distances to attend classes. Some faced financial hardships. Some lost loved ones. Some fought battles that nobody else knew about. Yet despite everything, we are here," she said.
She also challenged the graduating class to remain confident as they enter a rapidly evolving world shaped by artificial intelligence, emphasizing that technology can never replace the compassion and determination that define humanity. "Technology may change how we work, but it will never replace why we persevere," she said.
Concluding her speech, Agustin encouraged her fellow graduates never to be ashamed of their struggles and to continue using their experiences as motivation to pursue their dreams. "Let us continue to rise. Let us continue to serve. Let us continue to prove that no dream is ever too far for a heart that refuses to give up," she concluded.
๐๏ธ: Nice Jelaica Romera, Mary Joy Magallanes, Ethanjohn Lastimosa, and Clerk David Aplasca
๐ป: Alexairaine Melonie O. Mosqueda
