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INVOCATION – CHRISTINE PAROCHA

Let us close our eyes / and feel the presence of God. /
Let’s pray. //

Father God, / we thank You for this wonderful day of our

graduation. // I pray that You continue to bless / our
beloved school, / Tomas Dizon Foundation Institute Inc. /
our teachers and the staff, / our schoolmates and
parents. / Thank you / for the successful year that we
had / in learning and in developing ourselves. //

Today, as we receive our diplomas, medals and awards, /

may we continue to declare Your goodness in our lives. //
Thank You Lord for this day / and thank You for the
wisdom and knowledge that we have received. // May
we enjoy this wonderful day / and guide us to be the best
version that we could ever be / for our dear parents, / for
our school, / for our community, / and for our beloved
country. // We love You Lord, / we ask all these in the
Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. // Amen. //

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OPENING REMARKS – MRS. CAROL B. BRIONES

Thank you Ma’am Princess and a pleasant afternoon to
everyone!

We gather here today for the 4th Commencement

Exercises of Tomas Dizon Foundation Institute Inc.,
following the theme “K to 12 Graduates: Molded through
a Resilient Educational Foundation.”

Vice President Sara Duterte gives a big cheer to the Class

of 2023 on your graduation day. She thanks the families
and schools who helped the students. She believes that
graduates like you will use what you have learned, to do
good things in your lives and your communities. She sees
you as future leaders who can help solve big problems in
our society. She also talks about the importance of being
strong and never giving up, no matter how tough things
get. In the end, she reminds you all to always work
together and keep chasing your dreams for the good of
everyone.

Looking back, I believe that our dear Tomasians have

acquired many experiences that taught them valuable
lessons in life and that all of you are excited as I am as
you turn to another chapter. To officially begin this
momentous event, please help me welcome our dynamic
and hardworking school administrator, Mr. R-Jay S.
Payawal to give his Welcome Message to everyone and
to introduce our Guest of Honor and Speaker for today.
Let us give him a round of applause.

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WELCOME MESSAGE - MR. R-JAY S. PAYAWAL

Good morning to our dear graduates, parents, guardians,
teaching and non-teaching personnel, to our distinguished
guest of honor, and to the Board of Directors. You are
most
welcome as we celebrate our 4th Commencement
Exercises – Class of 2023.

It is such a privilege to bear witness to how these fine

young men and ladies have grown in confidence,
knowledge, kindness and faith and we hope that we have
laid the foundations to them of becoming responsible
and God-fearing young adults.
 
Today is a celebration of all that is good about our dear
students, our teachers, and our institution – the Tomas
Dizon Foundation Institute Inc. I am excited to the future
for each of these graduating students today. 

Seeing all of the Tomasians before me today is a

testament to the love and support over the two years
from our staff, parents and the teachers and academic
coordinator.
Each of you have grown in a way that you should be so
very proud of. You are now ready to transition to the
next exciting chapter in your lives.

To our dear parents and guardians, you are the vital

component in your students’ education. You have helped
them grow. We, the school, value and acknowledge the

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support of the parent community. Without it, we simply

would not have such a marvelous school. 
To the teaching and non-teaching personnel, like any
production, behind the scenes there is huge commitment
going on, especially, in what has been an incredibly
challenging year, both professionally and personally for
the teachers and staff. Their love and dedication to the
students in their care is commendable and it is a privilege
to work with such a strong team here in TDFI.
And to you, our dear Tomasians, you have been a light
and a pleasure for these two years. How proud we are of
you all! Good luck in your new journey. Remember to be
kind, to be a good friend, to look out for others. Follow
your dreams, believe in yourself. Finally, Philippians 4:13
says, “I can do all things through Christ which
strengthened me”, always remember that in everything
we do, the Lord Jesus Christ shall make us strong.
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Continue to aim high and soar high…we will surely miss
you here at TDFI.
God bless us all.

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INTRODUCTION OF THE GUEST OF HONOR - RSP

Today, this task of introducing our guest of honor and
speaker is a great privilege. We are honored to have here
with us Dr. Leonardo D. Zapanta, Department of
Education, Division of City of San Fernando, Schools
Division Superintendent, to join us in this prestigious and
memorable ceremony.

To inspire our Graduates, we shall now hear an

important message from our distinguished guest, so let
us all prepare our hearts and ears as we hear his message
this morning.

Ladies and gentlemen let us all welcome Dr. Leonardo D.

Zapanta. Let us all give him a Tomasian warm – round of
applause.

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PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES
Sir R-Jay: Good afternoon. I have the honor to present to
you the candidates for Graduation of Tomas Dizon
Foundation Institute Inc. for School Year 2022-
2023, composed of 66 males and 76 females with a
total of 142 Senior High School students. I hereby
petition the office of the School President to certify
the completion of the requirements of these
candidates.

CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION
Ma’am Lea: As the School President of Tomas Dizon
Foundation Institute Inc., after careful examination
of the requirements submitted in my office, I have
found that you have completed the requirements
for completion and graduation. I therefore certify
that these 142 candidates for graduation have fully
satisfied the requirements prescribed by the
department. Dr. Zapanta, they now await your
confirmation.

CONFIRMATION OF COMPLETION AND GRADUATION

Dr. Zapanta: By the authority vested in me as the
representative of Vice President Sara Zimmerman
Duterte-Carpio, Secretary of the Department of
Education and having been presented by the
School Administrator and duly certified by the
School President that you have completed the
basic requirements prescribed by the Department
of Education under the Basic Education

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Curriculum. I now confirm you Senior High School

Graduates of Tomas Dizon Foundation Institute
Inc. for School Year 2022-2023. Congratulations!
VALEDICTORY SPEECH – JHUDIEL MANGILIT
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, faculty
members, proud parents, and my fellow graduates, a
pleasant morning to all of us.

Upon reflecting on our two years of experience here at

our beloved institution, Tomas Dizon Foundation
Institute Incorporated, a bucket of joy, excitement, and
nostalgia fills the air. To be honest, I am not used to
speaking in front of a crowd. But today, I chose to
conquer one of my fears and took the risk of standing
here, even though I'm not sure what will happen next.
Maybe I'll stutter or experience a mental block, but it's
okay. This is our moment; minor complications don't
conclude that the whole celebration is ruined.

This day is something we will treasure in life, a memory

to remember. In this phase, we've already met a lot of
people who are now a big part of each other's lives.
Therefore, let's use this opportunity to show our deepest
gratitude to everyone  behind this another milestone in
our lives.

To our institution that became a tool for all of  us to

meet, thank you so much for letting our paths cross. To
our beloved teachers, we thank you for being good role
models for us. Being there to share your knowledge,
even though it is your duty to do so, you all made us feel
a deeper connection. You all became our second parents,

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brothers, and sisters, as well as friends. Also, thank you

for countless considerations and endless patience
especially with our redundant questions like "Ma'am, 1/4
po?" "Sir, yellow paper po?" "Ma'am, answers only?"
Even sometimes you just want to record everything you
said so you can just play it whenever we ask the same
question all over again.

To our friends and classmates, thank you for making this

school year like what we see on TV screens. Thank you
for the rollercoaster ride journey. To all the shared
laughter and tears, doubts and trust, struggles and
successes, these will be forever engraved in our hearts.
Especially to my friends, you don't know how much you
all mean to me right now. Thank you for healing some
parts of me. Thank you for giving me the most soothing
medicine through our daily dose of hugs.

To our families who are always there to support us, for

endless pangaral and sermon, we really appreciate it.
Furthermore, thank you for the non-stop guidance and
for lighting our path.

To my mom, no words can explain the overwhelming

feeling of gratitude that I have towards you.

Also, I want to show my appreciation to this special

person who became my source of constant motivation.
Thank you for being one of my reasons to continue. I'm
thankful for you staying despite the circumstances that
have happened.

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And foremost, to our almighty God, who gave us

strength, guidance, and wisdom to overcome all the
challenges we encountered.
As I reflect on my years in school, there's a common
thread that weaves through each chapter of my story. It's
the idea of surpassing obstacles and embracing the
unknown. Allow me to take you back to a time when my
young self couldn't comprehend the value of grades and
the expectations that came with them. I remember when
I was little, around 7 or 8 years old to be exact. In that
age, I was still unable to read a simple "A BA KA DA",
recite the alphabet or simply count 1-100. Then there
was this one time when my sister did not allow me to
play with my friends because they wanted me to study to
read and count first. This became a really challenging
part of my childhood. Also, I remember having almost a
straight line of 7 that time. But at such a young age, I still
didn't know what grades were for. I really just thought
that having that was already high or something to brag
about because at that time, if you had 70 pesos as a
child, you could buy as many candies as you wanted.
How funny a child's mindset could be.

Then, out of the blue, I became part of the top students.

At first, I couldn't believe it; maybe it was pure luck. I was
happy with this news actually, because I felt like for the
first time, I had done something good for my family. At
least now they would be proud of me. However, little did
I know that this would mark the beginning of a battle
between my own self and others' perceptions of me. 

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As I grew and learned, everything started to make sense,

and I realized that, whether we admit it or not, people
treat you differently when you are smart, which leads to
a lot of misconceptions, like needing to fit into their
standards to be accepted. This also fueled my fear of
failure. Even now, during my senior high journey,
academic validation is everywhere, where expectations
should be fulfilled, or else you will be invalidated or
outcasted. It feels like being boxed in with your success
and only success itself. Where failures and
disappointment are not allowed or don't have room for
it. Especially when others have already labeled you with
predefined roles. This is the main reason why many
students striving so hard. Sleepless nights, loss of
appetite, and declining health become the price we pay
under societal pressure. Sad reality, receiving an award is
both a blessing and a curse in disguise. It will just vary in
what situation and privileged we are in.

Therefore, let us all remember, especially my fellow

graduates, that each of us has an untold story and
reasons behind the choices we have made. Let us be kind
to one another. While we may witness the sweet fruit of
someone's success, we often fail to see the roots it hide.
Also, let's all show who we really are and don't let
ourselves be poisoned by the standard of the society. We
are still young, so let's embrace and cherish every
moment. It's now or never, as time cannot be turned
back. Always choose what helps you grow rather than
what confines you. Exploring your worth as a human is
more precious rather than adopting a robotic mindset
which is just programmed to do what it is just instructed.

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We are created with emotions, so let's all be gentle to

our please selves. Things will not always be perfect as we
want them to be. There's no such thing as perfection in
our world. But at least, we can have each other’s back to
fill each other’s gap. It's important to keep in mind that
success isn't just about material accomplishments or
recognition from society. What truly defines our success
is the difference we make in other people's lives.

As we move forward, let's consistently ask ourselves how

we can contribute to the progress of our society. How
can we be a better foundation of new hope.  With this,
let's start planting ourselves to grow and nourish our
minds with wisdom. So, to our batch school year 2022-
2023, Congratulations and God bless us all!

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PLEDGE OF LOYALTY – MAUREEN REGALA

Please raise your right hand / and repeat after me. //
In gratitude to our Alma Mater, / we pledge our loyalty
to you, / to perpetually uphold the standards and ideals /
of our dear institution. //
We pledge to remain faithful / with our utmost ability, /
mindful that whatever destiny shall bring us, / we shall
live up / to the highest expectation of / Tomas Dizon
Foundation Institute Inc., / and to be a true Tomasian / in
mind, / in heart / and in spirit. //
So help us God. //

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OATH OF THE ALUMNI – MS. BLESING V. NAZARIA

Graduates, raise your right hand and repeat after me. //

I, / (please state your name), / do solemnly pledge my

loyalty / to the Tomas Dizon Foundation Institute Inc.
Alumni Association. // I swear to uphold / the noble
ideals / of my Alma Mater / and to dedicate myself / to
further personal / and intellectual development. // I
promise to commit myself / to the work of serving
humanity, / wherever my life touches, / and to advocate
freedom and justice / as well as to obey / the laws of our
country. //

I will endeavor to win / my own place among alumni /

who, by their devotion to this ideal, / have brought
honor and recognition / to the Tomas Dizon Foundation
Institute Inc. //

I will conduct my life / in a manner worthy of GOD, / of

my country, / and of my family. //

So help us GOD. //

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WELCOME MESSAGE - MR. R-JAY S. PAYAWAL

GRAND RECOGNITION DAY

We gather here today for the 4th Grand Recognition Day

of Tomas Dizon Foundation Institute Inc. Earlier, we have
celebrated the accomplishments of our dear graduates in
their commencement exercises. And now, we are united
in celebrating the fruitful year that has passed for our
Grade 11 Students.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the parents and
guardians of every Grade 11 Students whose trust and
confidence were given to TDFI. Thank you for entrusting
their Senior High School journey with us and rest assured
that we shall do our very best in providing exceptional
quality education for them.
To our dear Grade 11 Students, I have heard so many
good news from our teachers and staff regarding the
different outputs and results that you beautifully
delivered this school year. And, I am excited to see more
of your hard work and perseverance as you all work your
way up to accomplishing Senior High School. My
warmest congratulations also goes to the Grade 11
Students who will be awarded this afternoon. Enjoy the
fruit of your labor, good job!
I would also like to thank the TDFI Teaching and Non-
Teaching Personnel. I know you have labored so much in

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our school for the benefit of our students. Your

dedication is unparalleled. Thank you.
Finally, I would like to officially welcome everyone in our
Grand Recognition Day 2023 here at the Event Center of
SM City Pampanga. Once again, good afternoon to all.
OPENING PRAYER – ALVIN GONZALES
Let us close our eyes / and feel the presence of God. //
Let’s pray. //

Father God, / we thank You for this wonderful day of our

Grand Recognition Day. // I pray that You continue to
bless our beloved school / Tomas Dizon Foundation
Institute Inc., / our teachers and the staff, / our
schoolmates and parents. // Thank you for the successful
year that we had/ in learning and in developing
ourselves. //

Today, as we receive our medals and awards, / may we

continue to declare Your goodness in our lives. // Thank
You Lord for this day / and thank You for the wisdom and
knowledge that we have received. // May we enjoy this
wonderful day / and guide us to be the best version that
we could ever be / for our dear parents, / our school, /
our community / and our beloved country. // We love
You Lord, / we ask all these, / in the Mighty Name of
Jesus Christ. // Amen. //

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INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE – MRS. LEA DIZON-ANGELES

This day, marks another breakthrough in the lives of our
TDFI Students, whom we called Tomasians. And, as we all
know, graduation day is a time that concludes all the
academic requirements needed to be fulfilled, but also it
is a time to celebrate and extend our appreciation to
those who made our success possible.

To our dear graduates, always remember that your

parents or guardians have unselfishly devoted time and
resources to see that you are well provided for and it is
only appropriate that you express your gratitude to them
with your words and actions. Also, never forget to extend
your gratitude to all the teachers and staff for the hard
work and dedication that they have given you. Finally,
give yourselves a tap on the shoulders and say, “You did
a good job!”

And now that you are moving up to another level, we

hope the best for all of you. Kerry Washington, an
American Actress once said, “Your life is your story, and
the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your
purpose and potential.” Graduates, you have a beautiful
narrative waiting to be written. As you unravel the
different potentials that you have within, may you also

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embody your very purpose in this world. Like what Minor

Myers Jr. said, “Go into the world and do well. But more
importantly, go into the world and do good!”

To the TDFI Senior High School Class of 2023,

Congratulations and God bless!

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