Good evening, ladies and gentlemen
I’m standing here today to carry out my task of delivering
our class prophecy. As I recite the colorful and successful futures I painted
for my classmates, I hope that I can inspire them to realize their individual
dreams and though these may not be their actual futures, I still hope that I
can somehow provide an insight for them on what paths they will take on with
their lives.
So as I start, please sit back and relax,
Are you ready?
So through the time machine of our imagination, let’s jump
forward to 10 years from now
I was riding a Mercedez-Benz limo on the bright streets of
Manhattan, New York where my office in the UN headquarters was located, my
assistant handed me 1 of the 10 IPAD Tablets that Stephanie Castañeda gave me
for christmas. She graduated first in her batch at Harvard University and is
now the CEO of Advanced Technologies Inc.
I scheduled a vacation right after receiving my promotion. A
stack of “pasalubongs” for my family are piled at the seat beside me. It
included a:
- A new make-up set for my mom from Arpon Cosmetics, the
most expensive cosmetic line by the most sought-after make-up artist Marjorie
Arpon.
- A dress for my sister from one of top fashion designer
Ghia Balankig’s latest summer collection
- And the latest gaming console for my brother. A new game
set called Playboy, a fusion of playstation and gameboy that uses holographic
technology, is manufactured by Mendoza Corporation, largest gaming company in
the world owned by a fellow named Gio Niño Mendoza who miraculously grew 10
inches taller and is happily married to Audrey Mae Tarrosa, who was crowned
“Ms. Universe 2020”
My phone rang and I turned to answer it. It was the
president of the UN Security Council greeting me, “Congratulations Ms. Agramon
for being appointed as the new secretary-general of the United Nations”. It
happened over a week ago and I was so happy after being declared as the new
secretary-general that I immediately called 2 of my friends, Lea Carla
Pesquira, a renowned pediatrician and chairman of the pediatric Association of
the Philippines and Joahnna Jessica Digal, top neurologist and head of the
Philippine Neurological Society, and told them before it was announced to the
public. They were both happy for me but had to go back to work as soon as
possible.
The limo arrived at John F. Kennedy Int’l Airport. I was
overwhelmed to see so many people waiting to have a glimpse not of me but
rather of popular Hollywood actor Ryan Makiling and hot Actress Stephanie Silva
who just arrived for a scheduled shoot for the next installment of their hit
movie Tu-ay Light. It was directed by playwright/songwriter Edelquinn
Paracuelles who won Academy awards best director 3 times. One of her movies
entitled “Who let the Dogs out?” won best picture and starred Jodel Marie
Gonzales, another prominent figure in Hollywood, lead role where she won best
actress.
A 20-feet billboard of the movie will replace a former
billboard showing underwear model Kelvin Reyes in his most courageous pose
ever. I waited 15 minutes until the crowd evaporated to follow the two actors.
My scheduled flight to Cebu finally came and I was very
excited especially since I’m boarding the plane and flying First Class. As I
sat on my seat, a flight attendant approached and I immediately recognize her
as Daryl Anne Climaco. She called 2 other flight attendants and they turn out
to be Willy Angelie Nuez and Kaye Shelle Tan. They told me that they loved
traveling the world together and that’s why they decided to become flight
attendants. They were even happier to be working on the plane piloted by a very
remarkable aviator. Luckily, I was seated next to the pilot’s cabin so I tried
to read the nameplate. OMG! It’s actually Melvin Baracol, recorded in the
Guiness’ Book of World Records as the first and only pilot to ever fly past the
Bermuda Triangle 37 times and lived.
A lady sat at the seat across me and I recognized her from
her thin figure. It was fashion runway model Ces Marie Empuerto now known all
over the world as Lady S. She just came from London to watch broadway musical
performer Francine Louise Flores’ show, she’s the second Filipina to take on
the role as Miss Saigon. Ces and I chatted all throughout the trip. I learned
from her that Rowena Ramirez opened up her very own dancing studio after
winning an international dance competition where only famous celebrities take
up classes there. She is now married to Jamil Khaven Miñoza, who is now a
famous actor of the Philippine Fiml-making Industry after being discovered as
Christian’s look alike (character in Mara Clara) but twice as handsome. Donya
Ericka Tanya Java is now a TV personality with her hit show, “Complain to Ease
the Pain”. Her famous motto “If you Java complain, Ericka Java will stop your
pain” became the standard punch line of the program. Janica Mary Cartalla has
her own school now where Christy Jane Arcay, a newly graduated doctor, teaches
basic biology. Dane Fatima Cañete is also a teacher there who teaches special
education for the deaf, mute, and blind students of the school. Meanwhile,
MAPEH is taught by an interesting combination of two teachers, Jun Pogoy, an
artist/violinist, teaches music and arts while Peter Navarro, a former football
player for the Azkals, teaches P.E and Health.
I finally arrived at Mactan Int’l Airport and another limo
fetched me. On the drive home, I observed Cebu City from the car window and I
realized so much has changed since the last time I saw it. It has become highly
industrialized and tall skyscrapers are now crowding the once barren lands of
SRP.
I was welcomed home by brother who was watching a basketball
game. I looked at the TV screen and saw Ramon Maurillo, first ever Filipino to
join the NBA League and highest paid player after winnng the dunk contest 3
times.
After the game, my father arrived and switched the TV to a
news program. The headline for the day was President John Delo Salgado,
youngest president of the Republic of the Philippines, passing a law that would
grant life saving OFWs a chance to have a vacation from their goodwill work. I
realized that I should organize a class reunion for my classmates abroad like
med techs Tricia Tambago and Karjane Mayol and the one and only nurse of our
batch, Junice Iane Casals who will be coming back. This may be the only time our
class could be together again. I made a mental note to invite one particular
classmate named Francis Abellaneda , an OB/GYNE who has his very own clinic
exclusive for celebrity moms and A-list women. Kimberly Pu-od is one of the med
techs on his medical staff.
The TV screen flicked and a commercial ad replaced the news
program. Lemuel Anthony Avila, a well-respected nutritionist who won Nobel
Prize for his “eat your vegetable” movement is endorsing vegetable-fueled cars.
Yes, that’s how far he has gone with vegetables. Together with Adrien Solon,
one of the top patisseries in the world, they opened the LA Bakeshop, a famous
pastry shop with branches nationwide. Lemeul reminded me of another classmate,
Scientist John Matthew Flores who won Nobel Prize in Physics for completely
disproving Einstein’s e=mc2 equation and devising his own which is J=mF3.
Melbina King also became a scientist in NASA who specializes in
extraterrestrial life forms. Recently, her team discovered the existence of an
alien life form in a planet 13.3 billion miles from the earth. One of the
people genetically-matched to man an avatar, genetically,-engineered hybrid
body following the alien’s genetic code, was Arvin Matthew Paculaba, head of
NASA’s Austronautic Corps. It’s amazing how many geniuses 4th-m class of 2011
housed.
The next commercial didn’t interest me much so I grabbed the
latest album of korean pop singer Janel Iris Veloso and played it from my Ipad.
She’s now a korean pop singing sensation touring with no less than justine
bieber and akon. Recently, she’s facing a controversy about her rumored
relationship with a non-showbiz boyfriend. The guy linked to her was in fact
big-time architect Theodore Joshua Vergara who designed one of the most complex
structures in the world, a 107 storey building that’s shaped like the American
Dragon Jake Long.
There are still others who made it big in the showbiz
industry. Gil Marie Pocong and Janry Estela became the Kris Aquino and Boy
Abunda of this era for their uncanny ability to sense the latest showbiz news
faster than paparazzis. The dynamic duo is now the main hosts for the top-rated
showbiz talk show “The Buzzer”
Meanwhile, the computer geek/chessmaster Bon Joseph Lazaga
teamed up with Franz Jovi Enanoza to form the “The Bon Jovi II”. Together, they
sold over 230 million records worldwide making them legends in the anals of
hard rock history.
An hour later, I went on a walk to explore the city and a
few meters later, I passed by bookstore displaying New York Times Bestselling
author Earl Jon Rallos’ latest book entitled “My Breaking Point of Insanity”.
His previous book entitled “The Life of Earl Jon Rallos” sold over 100 million
copies woldwide.
I bought a copy of his book and strolled back into the sunny
pavement. I gazed up the bright sky and thought to myself, “We have all reached
greater heights”
These may all seem outrageously impossible for us now and
quite unattainable because of our limited perceptions of our abilities but 1
Tim. 4:12 says “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young” and
that includes yourself. Let us all believe that each and every one of us is
destined to our own personal greatness that God appointed. Never fear because
your fears like your limitations are often just illusions. May the dreams our
past become the realities of our future. Good evening.
