“…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’…” –Hebrews 13:5-6
The Philippines literally and figuratively stole the limelight at the Columbia University Law School commencement last Monday in New York City. This year, a total six individuals who received their masters of law and juris doctorate were of Filipino descent. They also received citations and awards on international and comparative law.
The occasion was also more meaningful and poignant due to the presence of Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Teresita De Castro, Sandiganbayan Justice Theresa Mendoza Arcega, and Supreme Court Project Management Office Chief Ella Del Rosario, all of whom had family graduating from the Ivy League school.
I took photos with them (available at facebook.com/attybatas) as they displayed the Philippine flag – an act of patriotism unduplicated by others.
Among those to earn their law degree included Grace Lazaro, Chief Justice De Castro’s daughter Christine De Castro Lejano, Alexandria Custodio, Lorenzo Martinez IV, and my daughter Maria Luisa Domingo Mauricio. Lejano is currently a high-ranking official at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; my daughter is the incumbent associate solicitor for the Office of the Solicitor General; and Lazaro, Custodio, and Martinez either have their own law firms or are partners with other offices.
It cannot be denied that it was God who allowed them to realize their dream. This was particularly true for my daughter as it was God who provided benefits to my family, which allowed Maria Luisa to obtain her education.
The first of these benefits compelled those at the Office of the Solicitor General to allow her time to pursue her studies without having to take time off. The second are the benefits that came from nowhere—literally.
When my daughter began entertaining the notion of taking up her master’s degree in the US, I knocked on God’s door. In return, He send love, healing, and power.
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