Dual reality for graduates

On the afternoon of July 21, Friday, Edsel Suhayon Codoy will lead the Class of 2023 of the University of the Philippines Cebu during its 84th Commencement Exercises. Edsel is graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.

With an impressive General Weighted Average of 1.171, nearly perfect on a scale where 1.0 is the highest, Edsel is only the second student to receive the Summa Cum Laude honor since UP Cebu transitioned from a college to a constituent university of the UP System in 2016. The commencement speaker during Edsel’s graduation will be former vice president Leni Robredo.

Like ‘VP Leni’, Edsel is known on campus for being hard-working, dedicated, and fully committed to excellence. While I earnestly hope that, just like a handful of exemplary leaders of our time, Edsel’s life after graduation will bloom into a life of professional success and meaningful servant leadership, I’m concerned about what awaits graduates like him in the real world of our society.

That’s because Edsel’s achievement stands in stark contrast to the social reality outside our academic institutions. Soon after graduation when Edsel applies for a job, he will likely encounter a society steeped in patronage and dynastic family connections that often supersede personal merit and abilities. It is a profound dichotomy between the meritocratic culture within the University of the Philippines and the socio-political reality that pervades much of our society.

A few days ago, I spoke with a former classmate whose son qualified for junior high school admission at UP, which offers free tuition. He expressed his relief, considering how challenging it was to secure a spot in UP with its merit-based admissions system, and mentioned that he knew some of our friends’ children who didn’t make the cut. I confirmed this truth. Over the years, a number of friends have hinted to me about assisting their children in gaining admission to UP, but I have always maintained that not only am I unable to interfere, even if I could, I would never compromise the century-old system of meritocracy that UP’s admissions system upholds.

The same rule applies when it comes to the grades of students who are admitted and are struggling with certain subjects. As a teacher myself, I had gently advised some parents not to intervene in their adult children’s academic issues, and instead let them handle these challenges on their own.

UP continues to emphasize and uphold the principles of meritocracy, rewarding those who, through their personal efforts, demonstrate exceptional performance. In the halls of the academic institution and four walls of its classrooms, the institution encourages healthy competition, promotes equal opportunity, and fosters integrity in one’s achievement. Yet the fact remains that this meritocracy does not extend beyond the confines of the campus.

If you want a spot-on example, just take a look at our Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). The SK was created supposedly as a platform for young leaders. Unfortunately, through the years, it has been tainted by corruption and inefficiency, often mirroring the patronage politics of the larger political system. What was designed with a noble purpose in mind --to foster youth engagement and leadership at the grassroots level-- has, over time, fallen victim to the societal norms that favor dynastic politics, nepotism, and corruption over merit-based governance.

But I’m sure Edsel knows this already --that the Philippines is a country where integrity, hard work, and immense talent are often overlooked. Here, high achievers from working-class backgrounds, like Edsel, are often dismissed as mere cogs in a system predominantly run by the select few who benefit disproportionately from the system.