24/03/2026
๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑโฆ
Today, I had the privilege to be the guest speaker of the Philippine Coconut Authority Region III & IV-B for their National Womenโs Month celebration. But more than the invitation, what made this moment truly special was how deeply personal it felt.
As I stood there, speaking about โNatatanging Kababaihan sa BAYANiyugan 2026,โ I wasnโt just sharing ideas, I was sharing a part of myself.
Because before I became a university president, I was once a child of the niyugan. Lumaki ako sa ganitong mundo. Sa pagkokopra, sa usok ng tapahan, sa paligid ng niyugan. Hindi ito kwento ng hirap lang, kundi kwento ng paghubog. Doon ako natutong mangarap. Doon ako natutong tumatag.
And today, I carry that story with me in every space I enter.
This is why BayaNiyugan is more than a theme, it is a reflection of who we are. A reminder that behind every coconut tree, every harvest, every progress, there is a woman whose strength keeps everything standing.
Receiving the recognition as one of the Natatanging Kababaihan sa BayaNiyugan is not just an award, it is a shared honor. Para ito sa lahat ng kababaihang patuloy na lumalaban, nagsusumikap, at hindi sumusuko, whether in the fields, in our homes, or in leadership.
Our stories may begin in the soil, but they are never meant to stay there. Patuloy tayong aangat. Patuloy tayong magbibigay-liwanag. This moment reminded me that our stories matter. Na ang bawat hirap, bawat pagsusumikap, may patutunguhan. And more importantly, that we are no longer just part of the story, we are shaping it.
Para sa lahat ng kababaihan sa niyugan at sa ibaโt ibang larangan: patuloy tayong tumindig, mangarap, at magbigay-liwanag.
Because beyond every harvest, every success, and every dream, there is a woman who made it possible.