Gianna Georgette Roldan

College Class Valedictorian 2025
St Ignatius Gold Medallion

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To our honored guest, Mayor-elect Atty. Leni Robredo, to our University President, Fr. Aristotle C. Dy, S.J, Jesuit formators, Board of Trustees, administrators, esteemed faculty and staff, dear parents and families, and most especially, to my fellow graduates, the Ateneo de Naga Class of 2025. Dios marhay na hapon!

Today, we gather not just to celebrate a milestone, but to pay tribute to the journey that led us here, a journey paved not only with sleepless nights and tight deadlines, but with something far more powerful: pagtubod – the Bikol word for belief.

I stand here before you today, not only because I worked hard. I stand here because someone believed in me, even before I could believe in myself.

My mother, the strongest woman I know and a single mother, once made a decision that would change the course of both our lives. She left to work abroad so I could study, dream, and become someone more. Her sacrifice is not just a tale of absence. It is a living, breathing act of pagtubod. She believed in me, even if it meant facing oceans, silence, and solitude. In times of adversity, she would always say “aram kong kaya mo ‘yan, magtubod ka lang!”

Back home, my lolo and my aunt, Tata as I call her, raised me with the same quiet faith. When my lolo passed, Tata remained, carrying the weight of love left behind. I stayed in the city alone, and I had to grow up quickly. And yet, even in the loneliness, I found strength, because there was pagtubod all around me. Even in their absence, I felt it, the belief that I could make it. And so, I tried. Every single day, I tried.

And as I look out at all of you, I carry with me one word – a quiet, enduring word that has followed me from my earliest steps to this very stage: Pagtubod.

It has always been, and will always be, pagtubod – the quiet force that carried me through.

In our four or five years in Ateneo, we have faced our own cannonball moments – disruptions that shattered what we thought we knew.

For me, it was navigating life alone in the city. Being separated from my mother, from Tata. Losing my grandfather. These weren’t just events. They were transformations. Moments that broke me and built me.

St. Ignatius of Loyola had his cannonball moment on the battlefield. Mine came in silence, in sacrifice, and in loss. And perhaps yours did too; in a heartbreak, in a failure, in a rejection, or in a season of doubt.

But just like St. Ignatius, we didn’t stop there. We allowed the pain to shape us, not define us. We chose to find God in all things, even the hard things. That is the spirit of the Atenean education: forming not just competent professionals, but compassionate, reflective leaders committed to excellence, justice, and faith.

And just like the four pillars of Ateneo, I have also come to realize that my journey has been shaped by my own four pillars anchored in pagtubod.

First, pagtubod kan iba: belief from others.

Before I ever fully believed in myself, others did.

From teachers who saw my potential and nurtured it. From mentors who opened doors I never knew I could walk through. From friends who reminded me that I wasn’t alone. And from professionals, volunteers, and students I met along the way, who taught me that leadership is not only about striving for excellence, it is also about showing up, being present, and lifting others.

And at this very moment, I can proudly say: I am Ateneo’s product of pagtubod.

I started my Ateneo education six years ago when the University, through its Academic Scholarship Program and Consuelo Giminez Foundation Scholarship Fund, granted me a full scholarship, one that carried me all the way through college. The scholarships I received were not just financial aid; they were acts of deep belief. They were a testament to the confidence others placed in me, a recognition of my worth, even when all I had to offer were dreams and determination.

That belief transformed me. I knew I had to honor that trust, not only by succeeding, but by becoming a gift to others as well.

But long before Ateneo’s belief in me, there was one person whose faith laid the foundation for everything, my mama.

Her belief in me became my anchor. When I doubted, she reminded me of my strength. When I fell, she lifted me with her words and unwavering care. Her love is my first experience of pagtubod, a belief so selfless, so full of grace, that it carried me through every difficult step.

Second, pagtubod sa sadiri: belief in oneself.

There were moments I wanted to give up – when the weight of my course felt too much, when I questioned if I truly belonged here. But I held on. Slowly, belief took root. Every recitation I needed to brave through, every accounting exam I had to quota, every leadership role I was afraid to take – all of it became proof that I could push through.

I may have doubted myself, but the belief others had in me gave me the courage to rise. To show up. To keep going. And that’s the power of pagtubod. When it is shared, it multiplies.

Hence, going to my third pillar: pagtubod sa iba; belief in others.

As a student leader, I have seen what happens when we believe in people; when we listen, mentor, and simply show up. I’ve seen shy students become confident tutors. I’ve watched timid classmates slowly raise their hands, and eventually take the mic. I have witnessed the quiet transformation that begins when someone is told, “I believe in you.”

And that, for me, is the miracle of pagtubod: the kind of belief that doesn’t just support, it shapes. It turns quiet potential into loud purpose.

Because I was believed in, I learned to believe in others too, of paying it forward.

And because of that belief, I found myself stepping up and serving in different offices and organizations such as the Accountancy Department, College of Business and Accountancy, University Student Recruitment Office, the Office of Student Affairs, the College Guidance Center, and College Campus Ministry Office which have nurtured not only my skills, but my character. Beyond the halls of the university, I was also called to serve in the Bicolano Young Leaders Initiative, a movement that empowers 40 promising youth leaders in the region every year.

Each role was more than just a task; it was a continuation of that mission: To believe in others just as I have been believed in. Because every time we choose to believe in someone, we help them believe in themselves too.

Finally, pagtubod sa Diyos: belief in something greater.

A belief that there is purpose in pain. That even when life doesn’t make sense, grace is still unfolding. That every “no” is just leading us to a better “yes.”

My faith sustained me. In the silence of my struggles, when my hands were empty, when I had nothing left to offer but my tired, anxious heart, I still chose to believe. And I was held.

Siya an nagkupkop. When I was far from home, grieving loss, balancing responsibilities, and almost letting go of my dreams; pagtubod sa Diyos kept me grounded. It was this quiet trust, this constant surrender, that reminded me I never walked alone. That behind every sleepless night and silent prayer was a God who saw, who listened, and who stayed.

And so, as I look back now, I know – it has always been, and will always be, pagtubod;
the quiet force that carried me through.

Fellow graduates, look back for a moment. Think of all those who carried you here: the parent who worked two jobs, the mentor who encouraged you, the classmate who stayed up late helping you review, the friend who believed in you when you had nothing left to give.

That is what brought us here. Not just grades. Not medals. Not recognition. But love and pagtubod.

My fellow graduates, if there’s one message, I hope you take with you today, it’s this:

Carry pagtubod with you. Every day. In all things.

Believe in people, even when they do not believe in themselves.
Believe in causes, even when the world tells you they are impossible.
Believe in hope, even when your heart feels broken.
And most importantly, believe in yourself, especially when it is hardest thing to do.

But belief alone is not enough. Let your pagtubod be rooted in integrity; choosing what is right even when no one is watching. Let it be lived out in transparency, where honesty builds trust and truth guides every choice. Let it shine through in the way you lead, as ethical Ignatian professionals: persons for and with others, grounded in purpose, justice, and compassion.

In a world that constantly shifts, let pagtubod be your steady ground. Let it be your quiet courage. Let it be your call to do good – always.

Because we now carry more than just the name “Atenean.” We carry stories of grit, of grace, of growth. We carry the dreams of our communities, the prayers of our parents, the hopes of those who came before us.

And now, we owe it to the next generation, to believe in them, the way someone believed in us. As an Accountancy student, I have learned how to calculate costs and measure value. But the most important things I have learned in Ateneo are beyond numbers:

I have learned that leadership is not about titles. It is about service. That faith is not about perfection. It is about trust. That success is not measured by applause, but by impact. And most importantly, being an Ignatian graduate is not only a privilege, but a responsibility to always choose the most loving option.

And if you ask me what success looks like after today, it is this:

To be Ignatian professionals who bring justice with compassion.
To advocate for communities and causes, especially the unheard and unseen.
To live not just for ourselves, but to be men and women for others.

So, to the Ateneo community, thank you. For the classrooms that became spaces of growth.
For the organizations and projects that challenged us. For the Jesuit mentors who reminded us to find God, not just in prayer, but in people.

To our professors, thank you for choosing to believe in us, especially when stumble in fear of failure and uncertainties. To our parents and families, this honor is as much yours as it is ours. And to my fellow graduates, my fellow dreamers, we may be going separate ways, but let us never forget what bound us here: pagtubod.

Let me end with this:

We entered Ateneo with dreams in our pockets and doubts in our hearts. Today, we leave with courage in our steps and pagtubod in our souls.

And as we take this next step, may we carry with us what truly matters:
Magis. the restless pursuit of excellence with purpose.
Cura personalis. a love that sees the whole person, and walks with them.
Finding God in all things. especially in the quiet, the broken, and the in-between.
And the service of the faith that does justice. because loving God means standing with the poor, lifting the unheard, and fighting for what is right.

This is what Ateneo has taught us, to live with depth, to serve with conviction, and to believe that even in a world of uncertainty, our light, guided by pagtubod, can still break through the dark.

Dios mabalos, Ateneo. Padagos kita sa pagtubod. Patuloy na maniwala at magtiwala.

Thank you. Congratulations, Class of 2025!