By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff Reporter
Laoag
City—32 persons deprived of liberty (PDL)
currently detained at the Laoag City Jail recently graduated through the Alternative
Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepED).
The graduates—five from
elementary and 27 from secondary level—officially received their certificates
of completion on July 2, 2019 at the BJMP-Laoag court from Laoag City Schools
Division Superintendent Dr. Joel Lopez.
In his speech, Dr. Lopez said
the graduates’ accomplishments have inspired him.
“‘PDL’ means deprived of
liberty but I would like to stress that you are deprived of just the physical
liberty but you cannot deprive the liberty of the soul,” Dr. Lopez said.
He added that there are
reasons in all things that happen in life.
“Nagradwar kayo ngata no awan
kayo ditoy [BJMP],” Dr. Lopez later kidded the graduates.
DepEd’s ALS aims to improve
the socio-economic status of the out-of-school youths (OSYs) and the poor by
enhancing their basic educational capability through functional education and
literacy, and continuing education programs which enable them to become more
self-reliant and more effective.
Florentino Camaquin
Integrated School master teacher II Mrs. Carlota A. Acacio also congratulated
all the PDL graduates.
Mrs. Acacio, who served as
guest of honor and speaker, said the graduates are “very lucky considering that
despite they are inside the jail, they had still the wisdom to pursue their
studies”.
Mrs. Acacio also saluted the
BJMP Laoag headed by officer-in-charge J/Sr. Insp. Frederick Pang-ag for a “job
well done in giving importance to the PDLs’ education.
She also urged these
graduates to continue studies to college upon their release from jail as she
stressed that education is a continuous process without age limit.
Graduates Joshua T. Patoc and
Remarton A. Ocampo also gave their words of gratitude.
Messrs. Patoc and Ocampo
thanked their parents and families for their support despite of their present
situation.
Likewise, they also thanked
the DepEd for this program and Mr. Pang-ag for allowing them to enroll in ALS
to finish their studies.
Mr. Pang-ag likewise
congratulated the graduates as he hopes this will serve as a challenge to the
others to study well as enrollees of ALS in this community are increasing.
He added that despite the
graduate’s present situation, they never gave up. Instead, these motivated them
to become a better person in the future.
Mr. Pang-ag believes that the
graduate’s strong determination would lead them to reach their goals in life.
“Kahit nandito kayo sa
loob ng komunidad na ito, naipakita niyo pa rin ang mga tungkulin ninyo para sa
inyo, sa mga mahal niyo sa buhay, at higit sa lahat para sa komunidad patungo
sa pagbabago,” Mr. Pang-ag stressed.
The graduates’ families also
witnessed their graduation exercises.
Meanwhile Mr. Lopez also
lauded the PDL choir for their performance during the event. He said the Laoag
DepEd is willing to help them perform for a larger crowd for a mini-concert.
BJMP-Laoag currently houses 249
PDLs.
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