Response on behalf of the retirees (106th Founding Anniversary of UP Cebu)
By Jesus C. Cinco, Jr.
3 May 2024
Chancellor Leo Malagar, VCAA Patricia Anne Nazareno, VCA Hazel Trapero, Deans, Heads of Offices, fellow faculty members, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
Last Monday, our HRDO requested that I craft a response, not exceeding five minutes, on behalf of today’s retirees. While I accepted the request without hesitation, I went to the HRDO the next day to ask Jae about the list of retirees and the criteria for selecting the retiree’s representative. I was informed that they used the next best criterion, the alphabetical sequence of our last names (i.e., Cinco, Galapate, Yap), after Dr. Galapate politely declined an earlier similar request.
Thus, I stand before you today with all humility, representing Dr. Ritchelita Galapate and former Assistant Professor Ernesto Yap, whose academic qualifications and experiences far surpass my own.
Two days ago, one of the BSM students asked me what my legacy was, now that I was retiring. My quick answer was that I would rather have others tell me what my legacy was than what I thought it was. As we all know, the word “legacy” is usually strongly associated with important events or achievements of monumental and long-term significance. But as I stand here today, I realize that the word “legacy” is not something we create for ourselves. Instead, it is crafted in the hearts and minds of those we have touched along our journey.
As faculty members and support staff, we have played diverse but equally important roles within this institution, each one essential to the fabric of this academic community. Yet, beyond the titles, responsibilities, and achievements, it is the relationships that we have established and nurtured that genuinely define our legacy. Our colleagues, particularly our past and present students, hold within them fond memories of our interactions, the impact of our dealings with them, and the warmth of our camaraderie.
We will be judged not by the accolades we have amassed or the positions we have held but by the sincerity with which we have treated those around us. Our legacy resides in the bonds we have forged, the kindness we have shown, and the support we have offered.
So, as we close this chapter of our lives and embark on new journeys, let us not dwell solely on the achievements we have attained or the projects we have overseen successfully. Instead, let us reflect on the human connections we have made, the lives we have touched, and the hearts we have enriched–for it is in these intangible treasures that our true legacy resides.
To my esteemed colleagues, both those retiring alongside me and those who will continue to carry the torch of UP Cebu forward, I offer my profound gratitude. Thank you for the memories shared, the lessons learned, and most of all, the laughter shared. May our legacy endure in the halls of this esteemed institution, a testament to the power of human connection and the impact of a well-lived life.
Thank you.