MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday graced the graduation ceremonies of his nephew Joshua, and was very thankful to the Multiple Intelligence International School in Quezon City for significantly improving the status of the eldest son of his youngest sister Kris.
“Of course, we are very proud that Josh is graduating. I’m sure my mother is looking so fondly on my nephew’s graduation and I would like to thank all of the faculty; all of the teachers who really helped so much to improve him,” he said.
In an interview with GMA-7, Kris, a popular TV talk show host said Josh, 15 and a special child, graduated at the intermediate level.
Kris told close friend John Lapus that prior to his MI exposure, Josh could not even say a word.
It was only when she enrolled him in this school that Josh finally knew how to communicate, and learned a lot in cooking, including baking.
Aquino didn’t read the speech prepared for him by his staff.
“I hope you don’t mind if I do not read the speech for today, if I just speak directly from the heart,” he said during the graduation ceremonies held at the UP Film Center in UP Diliman.
“Today is really an auspicious day for our graduates, they have worked hard to get here. But I’m sure in the coming days, they will realize that this achievement was not done on their merits alone but on the combined efforts of their parents and also those of their teachers who have dedicated so much to making sure that they achieve their highest potentials,” he said.
“In effect, that is the only message that I would like to impart today, the key to reaching where you would want to go is having a focus on the other rather than the self,” the chief executive added.
“With that focus, nothing is impossible. It’s only a matter of time to achieve all of our dreams, so when our graduates march today and henceforth into higher levels of learning, you’re assured, your government is behind you, ready to support you,” Aquino said.