Senator Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino on Sunday welcomed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) decision to allow the conduct of limited face-to-face graduation ceremonies in low-risk areas amid the declining number of Covid-19 infections in the country.

The DepEd recently announced that in-person end-of-school-year rites would be allowed in schools in those areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2.

“Minsan lamang po ito sa talambuhay ng isang estudyante kaya pinaghahandaan ito ng husto ng hindi lamang ng mga estudyante kundi ng kanila ring mga butihing magulang (Graduation rites is a once iin a lifetime achievement for a student that is why this not only students anticipate it, but also their parents),” Tolentino said.

“Hindi po matatawaran ang kanilang sakripisyo, mapagtapos po lamang at mabigyan ng mas magandang kinabukasan ang kanilang mga anak (One cannot ignore the sacrifices rendered by the parents just to give their children a brighter future),” the senator said.

Tolentino raised the idea of having a limited face-to-face graduation or recognition ceremony for students as early as February.

The senator suggested that the rites be done per batch to prevent possible gathering of huge crowds that may lead to another round of Covid-19 surge.

“As former US Senator Orrin Hatch once said, ‘Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning.’ Kaya nararapat lamang na bigyan ng magandang simula ang ating mga mag-aaral sa panibagong hamon sa kanilang mga buhay (That’s why it is only fitting for us to give our students a good start to face the new challenges in their life),” he added.

Based on the DepEd calendar, school year 2021-2022 will culminate on June 24 and graduation rites in low-risk areas may be held between June 27 to July 2.

The DepEd assured the ceremonies would be held in accordance with the existing minimum health protocols being imposed by the government.