Mayor Rama goes back to school, sits on his old desk

It was a trip down memory lane for Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama when he visited his elementary alma mater during yesterday’s opening of public school classes.

He first visited Tejero Elementary School where he spent Grades One and Two.

“Every time I am invited here, I always announce that I am a part of this school,” he said.

Rama left no stone unturned during his inspection. He went to the back-most part of the school’s campus where he noted fences and blockades separating the school from the adjacent community.

“I don’t want the surroundings blocked. Kinahanglan accessible ang school sa mga bata (The school should be accessible to the children),” he said.

Students and parents excitedly greeted the mayor during his visit. Parents rushed to the mayor to shake his hand while the kids did a “mano po” gesture to the mayor.

A group of parents were also overheard by CDN chatting about the mayor.

“Kugihan jud kaayo siya naglibot-libot gyud sa suok-suok sa eskwelahan,” a parent said.

(He is really taking the effort of going around every noon and corner of the school.)

The mayor also visited Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School where he studied from Grades 3  to 6.

There, he also noted the different fences and partitions inside the campus. One that caught his attention was a fence around the school’s garden.

“It’s a garden, it should be open to the students,” he said to the school’s principal Rizalinda Cairo who reasoned that the fence was to prevent people from stealing the vegetables in the garden.

To this, the mayor said: “A school is a place to learn what’s right and to punish what’s wrong.”

Rama also showed reporters and students where his classrooms used to be.

He added that he is very particular in the schools’ housekeeping. He also requested school officials to look out for the welfare of their students.

“Teachers, principals, supervisors, including the PTA are close to my heart. That is why, I am appealing to all of you to take care of the school children. Let us set-aside whatever political differences, anyway the election is over,” Rama appealed. /Jose Santino S. Bunachita, Correspondentwith reports from CNU Intern Jeanymae Ardiente