Joebert Padata

Seek God. Seek Life. Seek 2026.

Where there is darkness, may we bring Light!

Social scientist leading and living the way in 2025.

DEAR 2024: A YEAR-END MESSAGE IN THE TONE OF THE CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Dear 2024,

Three years has been too long to make a difference.

Nothing's changed in me except the background and my quarantine hair—and I really missed it.

So before you brag anything—your family names, connections, degrees, publications, money, position, rank, title, awards, work experience, or whatever—make sure that they can change my world (or at least my hairstyle) for the better.

Otherwise, you will never be enough.

You're just an employed slave.

I am a free politician and I am loved.

And if you really cannot take that, then this is a great place to meditate until you become a hermit.

Anyway, thank you for the memories.

But let's be clear: the problem with us is not because of my family's money, my credentials, my attitude, my mental health, or whatever. The problem is you; you're a coward; you gave up on me. But I want you to know: It is not my job to make you feel that you're very good. I can't make you something you're not.

I'm not leaving because I think I am scared or I am not good enough. I just loved my country so much; I don't want her to lose her peace again. So I just wanted you to know that one day—when you choose another lucky teacher who is enough for you and you're playing with your grandkids while the Tan Huas are blooming and the birds are chirping—it was because of me—a poor, raised by a single mother, low-class, immigrant nobody.

Peace✌️,

As we conclude our Centennial International Convention in Philadelphia, let me express my heartfelt gratitude to our Pi Gamma Mu Convention Committee for their dedication and tireless efforts in making this Centennial celebration a memorable and historical occasion.

Pi Gamma Mu has been instrumental in changing and shaping me as an academic, a politician, and, above all, a human being. I am forever grateful to have been inducted into the oldest, preeminent, and only interdisciplinary social science honor society through the Philippine Alpha Chapter.

I may not have been given the privilege to travel and be with my colleagues in America, but my thoughts and prayers are with them. It is already a great joy for me to be identified with these esteemed and wonderful human beings, a privilege that should make me humble yet thankful until my dying day.

I will always be proud of what our society has accomplished over the last 100 years and am looking forward to seeing greater achievements in the years ahead.

Being a member of this society is a lifetime honor and privilege.

To many more years of changing our world:

𝗠𝗔𝗕𝗨𝗛𝗔𝗬 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗶 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗠𝘂! 🎉🎊💙🤍🎓

𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 "𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐭" 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐉𝐫.

𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 (𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭), 2020

𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳

Greeting all my peers across the world, especially in Philadelphia:

Greeting all my peers across the world, especially in Philadelphia:

I wish all people were more sensitive to the feelings of God than to their own feelings.

Throughout history, nations that have forgotten God end up killing their best men and women.

Dying for one's country happens only once. That may be easy.

But living for one's country while fighting for the cause of love, peace, and human dignity happens daily. That may be difficult.

May we love our country, but not so much as to forget God, who is our ultimate hero.

To all our men and women who fought and are fighting for a good cause: We remember you all!

𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮 🎂🥰❤️🤍🎉🥳🎂 Baby Xinen!

To my adopted son, Xinen: 𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙙𝙖𝙮 🎂🥰❤️🤍🎉🥳🎂

We're so blessed to have you, baby boy. 👶🍼 Know that we are working hard to give you a bright future ahead.

PS: Please don't grow up so fast. You look old when you're not in the mood. 😂

Grandma Celit Flores wants to greet you a "Happy Birthday" as well. 🥰 ❤️🤍👼🍼🥳🎂🎊🎉

Love love,

Can't help but take a photo of this beautiful sunset. 🌇

Foreigners did not betray us, we betray each other.

Maybe, this present issue of "secret agreements" is just another history repeated.

Gₒₒd ₘₒᵣₙᵢₙg 🌞

Let's worship the Lord in the splendor of His Majesty. 🥰❤️🤍✝️

Feels like Japan 🇯🇵🎌🎍🐼