To our distinguished President of Western Leyte College of Ormoc City – Pres. Emmanuel A. Fiel, Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Flordeliz Navarette, Corp. Treasurer Maam Nympha Adolfo, Registrar Maam Ana Marie Rañolas, to the Dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Maam Emma Lissa Berino – Ramirez, esteemed members of the school administration, respected clinical instructors and staff, proud family members, honored guests, and, most especially, to our graduates—the future Nurses from Western Leyte College of Ormoc City, Maayong hapon.

This moment, this ceremony, this culmination of years of struggle and sacrifice—it is sacred. Today you are not merely conferred with academic degrees; you are entrusted with the responsibility to heal, to care, and to inspire. This hood we wear, stitched with late-night readings, complex examinations, unceasing prayers, and perhaps a tear or two of exhaustion and joy—this hood is a symbol. It is the cloth of commitment, the garment of grit, and the robe of resilience.

It is both humbling and empowering to address you as someone who once sat where you sit now—navigating the same demanding corridors of Nursing school, feeling the same weight of responsibility, fueled by the same inner calling to make a difference. My journey through college was transformative. Not only did it shape my mind and sharpen my skills—it deepened my purpose.

As the Assistant Chief Nurse of Eastern Visayas Medical Center, I have the honor of leading 468 dedicated nursing staff across numerous clinical areas. Every day, I see how leadership grounded in compassion and informed by science can elevate healthcare delivery and save lives. And it all began with the courage to believe that learning never stops. That growth is infinite. That knowledge, when paired with integrity, can create miracles.

But before leadership came learning. And before learning came the dream. A dream that all of us nurtured quietly while some probably working part-time, tending to our parents and families, handling responsibilities, and, yes, sometimes questioning if we were good enough or strong enough to finish this academic journey.

But look at you now. You are here. You did not just survive Nursing School—you conquered it.

Let me share a principle that has guided me throughout my professional and academic life: Innovation is not an option. It is a duty. As a nurse specializing in endoscopy, I saw a critical gap in the skills training of nurses. Rather than waiting for someone else to act, I created the Basic Endoscopy Skills Training (BEST) program—a pioneering capacity-building initiative that has trained six successful batches and is now recognized as a best practice at EVMC. BEST is not merely a training program. It is a testament to what can happen when knowledge meets passion, when ideas are turned into action.

As future nurses, we are not only expected to understand systems—we are expected to improve them. We are not just experts in our fields—we must now be catalysts of change. Every duty completed, every return demonstration performed, every case presentation defended, every sleepless night during clinical exposure, and every patient cared for with compassion — all of these must now evolve into something greater: impact.

In my doctoral dissertation, I explored the “Occupational Stressors and Coping Strategies Among Nurses in the Context of COVID-19 and SARI Wards.” The findings were not meant to gather dust in a university archive. Instead, it gave birth to “Kamusta ka?,” a mental health initiative at EVMC that has trained 474 nurses in wellness and psychological support. Research must have reach. And knowledge must have heart.

As we step into the world beyond this academic milestone, we are called to wear many hats as future nurses — caregiver, patient advocate, leader, educator, collaborator, and instrument of hope. In my case, I have been blessed with opportunities to grow through programs like the Nurse Leadership Program at Duke University and Heroic Leadership in Healthcare at Santa Clara University, both under the generous support of Dignity Health Global Education. These experiences have taught me that ethical leadership, systems thinking, and institutional transformation are not abstract theories—they are everyday necessities.

Graduating with a nursing degree means entering a new dimension of responsibility. It is not about prestige; it is about purpose. Not about credentials, but contribution. And in a world filled with misinformation, systemic inequality, and crises that challenge the very core of humanity, especially with what is happening in our government, our country needs nurses who are not just brilliant, but brave. Not just accomplished, but authentic. Not just scholars, but servant-leaders.

To your clinical instructors: thank you for shaping their minds and challenging their limits. You have not only taught our graduates how to think critically—you have modeled the integrity and perseverance it takes to be a true academic. To your families: your sacrifices have paved this path. Behind every graduate here is a story of love, late meals, whispered prayers, and unwavering belief.

And to our graduates: your graduation today is not the end of a journey—it is the beginning of a greater one. Being a Registered Nurse is not a destination; it is a launching pad for ideas that must heal, help, and harmonize the world.

Let us not allow our nursing degrees to become silent medals hanging on our walls. Let them be reflected in our compassion, our service, our leadership, and in the lives we will touch as future nurses. Whether we serve at the bedside, in public health, in education, research, or leadership, our knowledge and our voices carry purpose and responsibility.

I urge all of you, as graduating nursing students, to become nurses who will create opportunities for others to grow, learn, and rise. Wherever your nursing journey takes you, may you become instruments of positive change — initiating programs that respond to real healthcare needs, promoting health education, advocating for patients, and extending compassionate care beyond hospital walls. Write, speak, teach, lead—but above all, serve.

Never forget the mentors, clinical instructors, staff nurses, and loved ones who guided you throughout your journey. In the same way that others helped shape the nurse you are becoming today, may you also inspire, encourage, and mentor future generations of nurses with kindness and generosity.

In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose teachings inspired the Heroic Leadership in Healthcare course I was privileged to attend:

“Go forth and set the world on fire.” This is our time. Our opportunity. Our sacred obligation.

As graduates of Western Leyte College of Ormoc City, you are equipped with not just diplomas—but with direction. You are not merely Nurses by degree—you are Nurses by destiny. Let us be the light in dark places, the calm in the storm, and the wisdom in times of confusion especially the people who needs us most.

Let us be known not for our titles, but for our touch. Not for the degrees we have earned, but for the lives we have changed.

I leave you with this final thought: The greatest legacy we can offer is not just the knowledge we’ve acquired, but the courage to use it for others. May our Nursing degrees not be the jewels we wear—but the compass that guides our lives.

The world awaits your brilliance, your compassion, and your leadership. Go forward—and let your impact be louder than your title. Are you ready to become Registered Nurses?! And so, your adventure begins! Again, I am Dr. Alfon Guiller D. Daga from Eastern Visayas Medical Center, greeting you all,

Congratulations, future Nurses of Western Leyte College of Ormoc City! Padayon!!