Time to allow in-person graduation ceremonies — Gatchalian

MANILA, Philippines – It is time to allow in-person graduation ceremonies, just as political rallies are permitted, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Monday as Metro Manila and 38 other areas shifted to Alert Level 1.

In a statement on Monday, the senator said that with the most relaxed alert level status imposed in some areas, “parents and students should be able to fully relish their moments of pride” as having a school graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both parents and students.

“Kung nakakapagsagawa na tayo ng mga aktibidad na dinudumog ng maraming tao tulad ng election campaigns, dapat bigyan din natin ng pagkakataon ang mga magulang at mga mag-aaral na magkaroon na ng face-to-face graduation,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture.

(If we can already do crowded activities such as election campaigns, we should also allow parents and students to have face-to-face graduation.)

However, the lawmaker noted that the public should still observe minimum health standards to prevent these ceremonies from causing the spread of the virus.

“Ang kasiyahang dulot ng pagtatapos ng mga mag-aaral ay nag-uudyok pa sa maraming mga magulang na nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa na umuwi ng Pilipinas para lamang makadalo sa graduation ng kanilang mga anak,” he added.

(The joy of students graduating motivates many parents who work abroad to return to the Philippines just to attend their children’s graduation.)

Amid the continuing decline of COVID-19 cases in the country, Gatchalian emphasized that it’s high time to allow this opportunity to parents and their children.

The Department of Education indefinitely postponed graduation and moving up ceremonies in April 2020 due to the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in the country as a result of the rising cases of COVID-19. Jericho Zafra, INQUIRER.net trainee

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