USM Leaders Join UPLB HELM Fellowship
June 5, 2025
Attention Graduating Students and Job Seekers!
June 8, 2025
It was more than just a recognition ceremony. It was a tribute to perseverance, strength, and the kind of leadership that takes root in real-life struggles.
The University of Southern Mindanao’s Gawad Parangal 2025 did not just celebrate plaques and awards, it highlighted the stories behind. Stories of students who worked hard, who pushed forward despite the odds, and who never let go of their dreams.
The most unforgettable part of the program came from USM President, Dr. Jonald L. Pimentel, who delivered a keynote speech that was deeply personal. He didn’t start with achievements or academic jargon. He started with kangkong.
“Oo, gulay,” Dr. Pimentel said, smiling. “Sa palengke sa bayan ng Cagayan de Oro City. Maagang-maaga pa lang, naglalako na ako ng kangkong sa mga bahay-bahay, nagsha-shine ng sapatos, at nagbebenta ng diyaryo.”
He painted a picture of his youth—waking up before sunrise, carrying baskets of vegetables under the heat of the sun, and doing whatever it took to earn just enough to stay in school. During high school, he cleaned houses and looked after children on weekends while remaining active in student leadership, choir, and Citizenship Advanced Training (C.A.T.) In college, he started a small business selling goods from Zamboanga, always looking for ways to survive and succeed.
“I wasn’t born into comfort,” he said. “I had to work hard just to get by, just to keep studying, just to push forward.”
“That was my first classroom,” he added. “Not the four walls of a school, but the real lessons of life.”
This year’s theme, “Engage, Empower, Excel: Leadership for Accelerated Performance,” came to life through his story. Dr. Pimentel emphasized that true leadership doesn’t always come with a title. Sometimes, it looks like showing up even when things are hard.
To illustrate this point, he brought in an unexpected but relatable example—Po, the unlikely hero from Kung Fu Panda. Po had no skills, no confidence, and didn’t seem destined for greatness. But he chose to show up, to learn, to fight, and to believe.
“He wasn’t the strongest. He wasn’t the smartest. But what did he do? He engaged. He empowered himself through training. And he excelled, not because he was perfect, but because he refused to give up.” The President remarked.
Dr. Pimentel reminded the students that even misfits can become legends. And sometimes, all it takes is one person to believe in you, or for you to believe in yourself.
He also highlighted a thought about leadership to students, “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes, it’s just being the one who’s still standing after everyone else has given up,” he mentioned.
Through all of life’s chaos, late nights, failures, financial burdens, heartbreaks, he found strength in his faith. He shared a verse that has guided him for years:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Not some things. Not only the easy ones. All things.
As the event came to a close, his final message echoed in the hearts of students, teachers, and families alike. “Engage fully with your story. Empower others as you rise. Excel not for applause, but to inspire,” he ended.
The Gawad Parangal 2025 was more than an awards day. It was a celebration of grit, grace, and growth. It honored those who lead not with titles, but with perseverance.
