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Justine Nova Tayabas, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) Class of 2026 Valedictorian, delivered a heartfelt valedictory address during the university’s 80th Commencement Exercises on June 24, 2026, at the University Auditorium in USM, Kabacan, Cotabato.
Tayabas graduated from the USM College of Education with a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics, earning a remarkable 1.257 General Weighted Average. Recently, Tayabas was as well awarded Most Outstanding Academic Achiever by the Office of Students Affairs (OSA) during the 27th Gawad Parangal of the university.
In her address, the Mathematics major reflected on how every person enters the world as a blank slate. She compared life to a bank account with no balance, a wallet without a single coin, sleepless nights filled with uncertainty, and a future yet to be written—circumstances she described as part of life’s beauty. She emphasized that beyond the graduation rites, graduates now face the challenge of discovering their purpose and shaping their own future.
Aside from her academic achievements, Tayabas served as Associate Editor of The Mindanao Tech, the official student publication of USM. Drawing from her experience as a writer, she shared that she struggled to draft a traditional valedictory speech and instead chose to tell a story—something she believed she did best.
In her story, she introduced Tink, an alarm clock that only found value at 5 a.m. It was the one moment each day when Tink could express herself, sing a note, and capture people’s attention. As time passed, however, Tink grew impatient and longed only for 5 a.m., neglecting the value of every other hour.
Through Tink’s story, Tayabas connected the character’s experience to her own journey and to that of her fellow graduates. She likened their struggles to the impatience that often arises when goals remain out of reach.
“Sometimes, we are all like Tink. We want something. We set [it as a] goal. And when we are deprived of the goal we coveted, our melodies end and all of a sudden we have nowhere to be,” she reflected.
As she continued, Tayabas openly shared the denial, bitterness, and grief she felt upon learning that she would deliver the valedictory speech.
“Why? Because I was a few decimal points away from claiming the highest honor—almost. Being this close and falling short came with a heaviness that slowly consumed me. I allowed that tiny decimal point to eclipse years of hard work, sleepless nights, and sacrifices—not just mine, but also those of the people who were my fortress, especially my parents,” she explained.
She later realized that her fixation on the perfect ending she did not receive prevented her from appreciating the blessings and answered prayers already before her.
Making her message more relatable, she said:
“I know that a lot of us here, if not all, have had our fair share of ‘almosts’ that we mourn to this day. Some of us here ‘almost’ pursued their dream careers if not hindered by financial constraints or grade requirements. Some of us here ‘almost’ graduated last year if only they could have. And some of us ‘almost’ felt entirely content with what we had achieved if not for the heavy weight of comparison and expectations.”
Before concluding her reflections, Tayabas expressed that the pain of standing only a step away from what people desire often blinds them to where they are and the journey they have already completed. While acknowledging that people have every right to grieve what could have been, she encouraged her fellow graduates to extend grace to themselves and celebrate every step that brought them to the present moment.
“I may be behind the microphone today, but let’s be honest: brilliance and success can’t be measured by a single grade or ranking,” she noted. “I am not the sole author of today’s victory. I share this with you, my fellow graduates,” the valedictorian gladly spoke.
She also took the opportunity to recognize her fellow graduates who carried different burdens and overcame countless challenges before reaching the commencement stage.
“Someone in this crowd is already their family’s breadwinner before they could even graduate. Someone in this crowd has lost a loved one before they could even repay them with their diploma. Someone in this crowd is fighting a silent battle with their own mind every single day. Someone survived on nothing but a pack of noodles and pastil every single meal. Someone took a detour, delayed their own timeline, or had to start over after experiencing setbacks. Someone in this crowd never thought they could wear this black toga one day—yet here we all are,” Justine highlighted.
After thanking their parents and professors, Tayabas also recognized the university staff, canteen vendors, security guards, tricycle drivers, juniors, seniors, and even those whose names and faces often went unnoticed. She credited them for making life at USM easier, more meaningful, and more comfortable throughout the years.
As she delivered her final message, she reminded her fellow graduates to carry kindness and compassion wherever life leads them.
“…wherever life may take us, let us always remember that the world does not need only brilliant minds—it needs kind hearts, honest hands, and compassionate souls. May we be remembered not only for what we achieved but for how we treated others along the way,” she underscored.
She ended her address on a hopeful note, returning to the symbolism of Tink’s long-awaited moment.
“Cheers to our 5 AM, my fellow graduates. Again, congratulations, and, guys, we are all going to be just fine,” the valedictorian ended.
