Local News: 19 Year old Teen Wonder, breaks UP academic record

John Gabriel Pelias, 19 years old is already holding a degree in Mathematics, nothing unusual there but wait til you read this...He graduated SUMMA CUM LAUDE at the University of the Philippines. Plus, he got a general weighted average (GWA) of 1.016 which is the highest ever GWA garnered in UP history after World War II or make that around 63 years.
Such a remarkable feat from this 19 year old teenager. He is the epitome of what the University of the Philippines is all about.

Pelias, never considered poverty as a hindrance to reaching his goal and fulfilling his dream to study in one of the premier university in the country and with hardwork, his good study habits and some help from scholarships, he not only fulfilled his dream but eventually set up an academic record which to me would take another half a century to be broken or possibly even more.

In one of his interviews, Pelias mentioned that his immediate plans after graduation would be to teach and serve the University that gave him the opportunity to learn and achieve his dreams. Teaching is his passion according to Pelias and it is where he finds fulfillment, also he added that it is his own way of giving back.

A very humble and noble intention considering that with what He achieved, He can opt to go out of the country and work there, but this teen wonder, doesn't have to go far to do that, he already found a place where he can contribute his knowledge, that is his alma mater, his home.

Graduation High

My recollection of the day I graduated from kinder way back in the 80's was all about how I looked, clad in a white polo with matching bowtie and black pants and that is all of it. Today, my oldest son, graduated from Junior Kinder and when I saw how he looked like, felt like I was transported back during my kinder years. My mom and dad were saying, I looked exactly like him...only darker. :)

It was fun to see my oldest son marching down to the beat of "pomp and circumstance" (I think that's the title of the hymn being played). I can see the smile from his face and brimming with excitement and full of energy. I just wish that he would carry the same passion until the time that he graduate from college.

Graduation really is a high (I know it was for me when I graduated college), however for some it signals the start of something unknown, graduating was yet another question that needs to be answered,not knowing how will they move forward since they don't even know what's life outside the 4 corners of the walled classroom. Though for my son, well, graduation signals the end of school season, just another ordinary day.


rye(left) with his friend before the ceremonies


during their presentation


too darn tired


finally my own diploma

Arrgh! Headache...

Having a terrible headache right now, it was probably because of the rain earlier this morning when I got out from work,who would have thought that it was going to rain, darn! it's the friggin summer season and summers' supposed to be... well... hot! Good thing it's my VL (again) today, Friday and I think I just need to sleep this over and hopefully tomorrow I'm okay. T'was quite a busy day for me, after work I met up with my friend who just came back from the states last night and got a small "pasalubong", a new pair of shoes... ;). Also I am a bit excited since I would get to see my oldest son, graduate from junior prep this Saturday, gee I can't wait! Later my wife would buy him stuff that he needs to use for tomorrows' event, well as for me, I need to sleep :) Hopefully though I can post some pictures just to share, but I would still think about it.

Well I guess thats' about it. Things that I did today and things that I'll be doing over the weekend and like what previously mentioned, I need some catching up to do with my fatherhood skills coz I am a bit rusty already and this graduation wouldn't have come any sooner... :)