Umaapaw ang kasiyahan ng TV host na si Boy Abunda nang i-announce niya sa The Buzz noong Linggo, March 29, na nakatapos na siya sa kursong Communication Arts, at ang masteral degree niya in International Relations on Public Diplomacy, sa Philippine Women's University.

"I want to explain that, kasi yung kalokahan ko talaga ito sa buhay, pinagsabay ko. Kahapon [March 28], I took one of the hardest days in my life, pero one of the most fulfilling.  Wala akong diploma for my undergrad course. I didn't graduate from the Ateneo [University]. Bakit? Dahil pumanaw ang tatay ko. Tapos nagdesisyon akong magtrabaho na," bungad ni Boy sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) nang makausap namin siya pagkatapos ng show.

Anong course ang naiwan niya noon sa Ateneo?

"Business Management," sagot ni Boy. "Last year, I got into the ETEEAP [Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program]. It's an equivalency program.

"Anyway, what is it? It is a program that evaluates your work experience and evaluates it very, very carefully and sees how many of which can be turned into academic units. Kasi marami akong kulang bago grumadweyt. Wala akong Math, wala akong ROTC. Undergraduate ako noon, pero ngayon graduate na. Pero yung mga major units, nakuha ko yun.

"So, last year, I went into that program. So, nag-submit ako. Lahat, lahat ginawa ko. Ang hirap. I went through all the requirements of the ETEEAP program and then I took some subjects to complete the undergrad, kasi kumukuha na ako ng Masteral. Bawal nga 'yan, e. Pinagsabay ko yun. Kaya it was really tough. 

"Kahapon [Saturday], I took my validating exams for ComArts. I submitted my thesis. I did my thesis for the undergrad. Tinapos ko lahat 'yan kahapon. Nagpalitrato ako nang may toga. At the same time, doon naman sa aking International Relations on Public Diplomacy, natapos ko yung aking second term kahapon din. 'Yan yung Masteral. Natapos ko yung second term. Natapos ko 'yung thesis nung International Relations and Pubic Diplomacy, lahat!" pagmamalaki ng TV host.

Patuloy niya, "Pero pinaghirapan ko talaga ng ilang buwan. Ngayon, ang mangayayari, April 4, I'm graduating. Alam mo kung sino ang kasabay ko? Si Cory Quirino, sa Philippine Women's University.

"Gusto ko lang iklaro, ayaw ko naman hindi rin i-credit ang  Ateneo. Kasi lahat ng academic units ko sa Ateneo ko kinuha. Pero yung equivalency program sa Philippine Women's at saka yung Public Diplomacy course na may mga masteral units is with the Philippine Women's University.

"Ateneo cooperated here, ha," sabi niya. "Kasi nung nag-e-equivalency program ako, kinailangan ko lahat ng officially certified units from the Ateneo. So, Ateneo Registrar, maraming, maraming salamat talaga. Sila yung nagpadala ng lahat ng units na nakuha ko, blah-blah-blah. Lahat, etc. So, I don't want to deny that kasi I'm very close to the Ateneo community. But I'm also very grateful to PWU for making this possible. Kaya ako nagpasalamat. Ngayon, April 4, I'm officially  graduating."

THE GRADUATE. A-attend ba siya ng graduation niya?

"Wala ako rito, e. I'm out of town. I'm officially graduating from my undergrad course of ComArts. Ngayon, ang choice ko, dalawa. I can continue  with my masteral on International Relations on Public Diplomacy or, ang balak ko, makipag-usap sa Ateneo if I can take my masteral studies on Communication Arts, ganun. Gusto ko mag-aral lang. Gusto ko talaga.

"Iba, e. Iba yung na-realize ko na ang dami-dami kong alam dahil sa mga pinagdaanan ko. I work on a lot of jobs. I went through a lot of shows. I went through a lot of experiences in life and I thought I learned so much. But I realized that the scholastic discipline of going to school is different. Iba pa rin.

"Maganda yung pagtagpuin at paghaluin. Nag-e-enjoy ako kahit puyat ako kapag Sabado 'pag pumapasok ako, kapag nakikinig ako sa mga lectures."

Ano ang feeling ng nakapagtapos?