Fr. Bobby Yap's Final Remarks during the 2022 Commencement Exercises of the Ateneo School of Government

Father Roberto C. Yap, SJ

Final Remarks

Ateneo School of Government Commencement Exercises 2022

In seven days, we will celebrate Christmas. I’m sure the festivities will be different; this is, after all, the first Christmas we will mark after being in lockdown and quarantine for two years. But today is also a celebration—the culmination of your hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and fortitude. And I must say, it is gratifying to see you, our class of 2022, for the first in-person Commencement Exercises of the Ateneo School of Government since 2019.

So before we set you out to transform communities and lead in nation-building, please allow your University President to tell you a Christmas story.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, it was deemed an insult to Queen Elizabeth to attend mass. People avoiding punishment turned to use coded language. To communicate with recusants—English Roman Catholics who refused to participate in services of the church of England—Jesuits were said to rely on that same coded language. The story goes that the traditional English carol ‘the twelve days of Christmas’ is full of symbolism.

On first hearing, the song talks about giving 12 gifts on the 12 days of Christmas, from December 25 to January 6. But according to a theory, my true love in verse one does not refer to one’s great love but God’s, and the partridge in a pear tree is the blessed Eucharist.

Let’s break down the rest:

2 turtle doves = the old and new testaments 

3 french hens = faith, hope, and charity

4 calling birds = 4 evangelists with their gospels

5 golden rings = the pentateuch, or the first five books of the bible, giving the history of man’s fall from grace

6 geese a’laying = six days of creation

7 swans a’swimming = seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 maids a’milking = 8 beatitudes

9 ladies dancing = the nine fruits of the holy spirit

10 lords a’leaping = the ten commandments

11 pipers piping = the eleven faithful apostles

12 drummers drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed

Five hundred years later, coded language still exists, contributing to confusion, misunderstanding, misinformation, and disinformation. And so, my dear ASOG graduates, I hope that whatever you do and wherever you go, you will prize accuracy, fairness, transparency, contextuality, independence, and accountability as the pillars of your practice. You've spent the last 18 months exploring, learning, and developing technical excellence and competencies in ethical leadership and good governance. In the face of corrupt politics, take a more proactive role in ensuring that society's public interest is prioritized. Use this as an opportunity to deepen your civic leadership. Engage, teach, and practice to help strengthen our shared communities and participate meaningfully in a democratic society.

Since 1996 when the school was created as the public sector arm of the graduate school of business, the school of government has stayed faithful to its mission to “produce effective and ethical public servants who shall build prosperous and just communities throughout the Philippines.”

I am proud of all of you, class of 2022. Ateneo is here to support you in your journeys as servant leaders.

Now, please rise, bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing:

God be in your head

And in your understanding

God be in your eyes

And in your looking

God be in your mouth

And in your speaking

God be in your heart

And in your thinking

God be at your end

And at your departing

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

May He look upon you with kindness and give you His peace.

Amen.

Godspeed, ASOG class of 2022! And may you savor your 12 days of Christmas!