A 74-year-old woman achieved her dream when she completed her elementary education under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in Taguig.
Dominga Balderrama, 74, of Barangay Calzada, was one of the more than 1,400 students who finished their elementary, and junior and senior high school education in Taguig during ceremonies held at Taguig Lakeshore Hall and Taguig City University Auditorium.
Dominga Balderrama, 74, achieved her dream of finishing elementary through the Alternative Learning System (Photo, screenshot from the Taguig City government)
Among them are senior citizens who fulfilled their dreams of finishing their education.
Balderrama said she stopped her education because she had to help her parents to earn money.
“Naisipan ko pong mag-aral sa ALS dahil po sa wala na po akong kasama sa buhay at wala na rin po naman akong iniintinding pag-aaralin pa (I thought of enrolling in ALS because I’m alone and I no longer have anyone to support in their studies),” she said, according to the Taguig City government.
She added, “Kaya po naisipan ko yung sarili ko naman po ang aking asikasuhin. Yung pangarap ko na makatapos ng pag-aaral ng elementary, makatapos ako (That is why I thought that I should take care of myself. That is to fulfill my dream of finishing elementary).”
According to the Department of Education, the ALS “is a parallel learning system in the Philippines that provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adult (OSYA) learners to develop basic and functional literacy skills, and to access equivalent pathways to complete basic education.”
At 72, Verna Bermudo is the oldest ALS junior high school completer from Bagong Tanyag Integrated School in Taguig,
“Pangarap ko talaga noon pa na makapagtapos po pero dahil sa wala pong sumuporta, nagtrabaho po ako. Fourteen years old pa lang po ako, nagtatrabaho na ako - nagtatahi na po ako. Para din po ito sa mga anak ko, parehas ko na po silang napagtapos at parehas nang engineers. Dahil sa ALS, natupad po pangarap ko (I have long dreamed of finishing my studies but because I didn’t have someone to support me, I took a job as a seamstress. I was already working when I was just 14 years old. This is also for my children. I was able to help them graduate and they are both engineers. Because of ALS, I fulfilled my dream),” said Bermudo.
Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano with Verna Bermudo (3rd from right) (Photo from the Taguig City government)
The top 1 student for this year’s ALS batch is Juan De Dios, a 47-year-old ALS senior high graduate from Maria Asuncion Rodriguez Tinga High School.
“Never underestimate the power of education to change lives. Let us use the knowledge and skills we have acquired to make a positive impact in the world, to inspire others, and to forge a brighter future for generations to come,” said De Dios during his speech.
Mayor Lani Cayetano attended the ceremonies and talked about achieving one’s dream.
“Meron hong kasabihan, 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' Maraming aspeto ng buhay po natin, minsan, kapag may mga nais tayong abutin, may mga pangarap tayong gustong tupdin, sa dami ng mga balakid, iginigive up nalang natin (There is a saying, 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' There are many aspects of our lives and sometimes, if we want to achieve something, if we want to achieve our dreams, because of so many obstacles, we just give up),” she said.
She told the graduates and completers that the ceremony is a testament that if one sets and acts to achieve their dreams, it is possible that it will happen.
The graduation and completion ceremonies under the Alternative Learning System in Taguig (Photo from the Taguig City government)