QUEZON CITY - Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Friday urged graduates of the Ismael Mathay Sr. High School here to face life with pride and optimism despite the challenges in the pursuit of their dreams.

“We will make detours,” she told the 661 graduates at the school’s Commencement Exercises, adding, “We might fall and bruise ourselves. But we should get up, heal ourselves, and face the world with pride, with courage, with optimism, with faith.”

Her message was replete with encouragement for the students — to be prepared for the surprises that life awaits them.

She likened the pursuit of one’s dreams to a garden being cultivated.

“Do not surrender. Cultivate another garden of dreams. You should, and you must. Why? Because it is your life that is at stake here and the life of your future family members,” she said.

When faced with blunders or failures, Duterte encouraged the graduates to look at the brighter side of life — and cultivate another garden.

“Hindi madali ang buhay pero magiging puno ito ng oportunidad kung you look at the brighter side of life,” she said.

Mistakes and failures, she said, are unavoidable as graduates try to pursue their dreams, but stressed that they must not despair but rather take courage and get on with their lives.

She shared how she took her own failure to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor, saying God had a better plan for her.

“I never dreamed of becoming the Philippine Vice President. Politics was not that garden I was cultivating growing up,” she said.

“God had a different plan for me. And God's plan is something we cannot change or defy,” she added.

One of the lessons that she learned from her failure was to “follow the path that leads us to a place that allows us to reach our full potential.”

“This is where we become excellent individuals — a value here in your school, excellently serving others, our communities, and our beloved country,” she said.

Duterte was joined by Mayor Joy Belmonte and Quezon City (Sixth District) Rep. Ma Victoria Co-Pilar.

OVP Media