Teachers in Antique set up mobile stage pulled by carabao for graduating elementary students

Teachers in Tobias Fornier, Antique, set up a mobile stage pulled by a carabao so their students could experience a proper graduation ceremony.

According to a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode, the teachers of Lawigan Elementary School built the mobile stage that would be brought to the students’ houses because a virtual graduation wasn’t possible.

“Ang mga estudyante ko ay walang cellphone dahil mga mahihirap lang po sila. Kung mag-virtual graduation po kami useless lang po talaga ito dahil hindi naman nila makikita at hindi naman nila maririnig,” said Teacher Rosalina.

[My students don’t have cell phones because they’re poor. Even if we have a virtual graduation, it will be useless because they will not be able to see nor hear it.]

For students like Reymar, getting on stage was an impossible dream because he lived in a remote area.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Reymar woke up at 6 a.m. so he could start his long walk to school.

His mother is a domestic helper in Saudi, while his father is a farm laborer.

Reymar said it would have been a great culmination of his six years of travelling down muddy and dangerous paths if he could attend his graduation.

Because of Reymar and other students who worked hard to attend their classes and study remotely amid the pandemic, their teachers made it their mission for their students to have a graduation ceremony.

The teachers gave their own contributions for the mobile stage setup. Teacher Rosalina even went to the town proper to buy medals and ribbons. She also lent her own carabao, while her husband drove the cart.

“Minsan lang ito sa kanilang buhay. Hindi na ito mauulit pa kailan pa man,” she said, teary-eyed.

[They only graduate from elementary school once in their lives.]

Even though it rained on the day of their mobile graduation, the teachers began walking at 8 a.m. on Friday last week for 1.5 kilometers to get to the homes of 13 graduating students.

“Mahirap po talaga dahil ang daan ay malalim ang putik. Nakabota pa po kami at mabigat talaga sa paa. Lahat kami ay may dalang kapote at tsaka yung payong,” Rosalina said.

[It was really hard because the path was filled with thick mud. We wore boots and they were heavy. We also had to bring raincoats and umbrellas.]

Reymar was surprised when he saw his teachers bringing the mobile stage to his home. Like his other classmates, he expressed his glee that was able to go up the stage and receive his diploma.

After two hours, the teachers were able to give a memorable graduation experience to nine Grade 6 students and four kindergarten students that day.

It’s not easy for both teachers and students that Lawigan Elementary School was located in a remote area near a mountain that lacked proper roads and mobile network signal.

The teachers reached out to the public and government authorities for help to improve their infrastructure.

According to Tobias Fornier’s Municipal Engineer and Information Officer Mamerto Portillo, there is an ongoing road project in the area.

“Yung pinaka-road ng Brgy Lawigan, isa po siya sa pinaka-priority namin na roads. Bibigyan talaga ng project. May mga mahigit pa isang kilometro na hindi pa concrete but by 2022 yata, magtutuluy-tuloy na.”

[To finish the road in Brgy. Lawigan is one of our priorities. It’s an ongoing project. But hopefully, by 2022, we can continue with the project.]

Engr. Portillo also shared that the Local Government Unit plans to coordinate with different service providers to increase the number of cell sites in the area.

For the teachers’ efforts, the local government awarded them with a certificate of commendation and gave school supplies.

The teachers also received heartfelt thank-you letters from their students.

The Department of Education, meanwhile, applauded the efforts of Lawigan Elementary School.

“Nakaka-proud na ang lahat ay may kanya-kanyang pakulo, sang-ayon sa kanilang mga kakayahan at mga sitwasyon,” it said.

[We’re proud that everyone has their own activities in line with their capability and situation.]

It added that it would not object to “any activity that complies with the IATF standards and protocols.” – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News