Lingayen, Pangasinan—“All we pray for is that you reach your dreams, so you can help your families.”
Pangasinan Gov. Amado I. Espino III said this as he commended the graduates of the Accreditation and Equivalency (A & E) Program of Alternative Learning System of Schools Division Office of Pangasinan II during their Completion and Moving-Up Ceremony held at the Sison Auditorium.
Espino said the joy of the parents during graduation is the same with local leaders’ elation, knowing that the youth today “are headed to a better future.”
The provincial government remains keen on its objective in sustaining education thrusts that will empower the future generations, he added.
“We do everything in the provincial government as local leaders to prepare your future and your family,” said Espino in laying the foundation of good governance.
As such, he urged all the graduates to stay firm on their dreams and keep their mind focused despite the setbacks they have faced through their journey.
He also exhorted those graduates who are married to make their families as inspiration in finishing their studies with flying colors.
The provincial chief executive also extolled parents and teachers who took a huge part in the success of the ALS graduates.
Ely S. Ubaldo, OIC Assistant Schools Division superintendent, said that this graduation ceremony is a reflection of each graduate’s victory in life as she disclosed the core objective of the ALS program.
“The purpose of ALS is to provide Filipinos who drop out of the formal education system the opportunity to study through various programs,” Ubaldo said, noting that the ALS program is open to all and is continuously developed by the provincial government through Department of Education.
Following the passage of the free tuition in state universities in the country, Ubaldo said that education today becomes more accessible and hence, she urged the graduates to enroll in state universities for college education.
The A&E is one of the component of ALS programs for drop-outs of formal education aimed at providing an alternative pathway of learning for out-of-school children, youth and adults who are basically literate but who have not completed the 10 years of basic education mandated by the Philippine Constitution.
