VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte rallied graduates of the Philippine Science High School in Zamboanga Peninsula to hold on to their dreams but to find purpose if their dreams slip away.

“Dream has the power to build a person’s confidence and strengthen their courage and resolve to pursue something that may not be within the sphere of their realities, but allows them to embrace the limitless possibilities offered by life in the future,” she said on Tuesday.

“Dreams may come true. And it may come true for those who will work hard for them to come true,” she said.

However, she said dreams may also slip away and she urged the graduates to strive to find happiness in their unfulfilled dreams.

“As adults, we may start looking at the deeper reason behind the failure rather than spending our energy sulking in self-defeat,” she added.

Duterte told the graduates that success “is not defined by fame, power, or material wealth.”

“It is about finding fulfillment and making a positive impact on the world around you,” the Vice President said.

Instead of aspiring for the impossible, people should “follow the path that leads to a place that allows them to reach their full potential.”

“This is where we become excellent individuals excellently serving others, our communities, and our nation,” Duterte said.

She shared her story about her unfulfilled dream of becoming a doctor.

Instead, she took up law and passed the bar, but later found herself in politics.

“I also did not plan to become Vice President of the Philippines. But here I am. And maybe, this is part of the Almighty’s plan,” Duterte said.

“Follow your dreams. But also find your happiness in unfulfilled dreams,” she added.

“My dream may not have happened, but something else happened to me. It unraveled a special purpose in life that comes with great responsibility.”