Friday, April 04, 2008 534 children graduate, face future with renewed hope By Linette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
WITH their crisp diplomas and recognition from the Cebu City Government, 534 children in need of special protection face their future with renewed hope for better opportunities.
Former street children, children in conflict with the law, abused and disadvantaged children were recognized yesterday for completing their elementary, secondary and college education.
Among those recognized were 22 honor students, three of them valedictorians, a salutatorian and 18 other students with honors.
Basilio Concrenio Jr. graduated from Tiltilan Elementary School last week. He said he is proud of finishing grade school despite his family’s hardships in Leyte, and prouder still for graduating as class valedictorian.
“This is what I have been waiting for, the time when I would finish grade school and hopefully I would also be able to finish high school and college. But my family cannot afford it so I hope my medal and award would serve as proof that I am good and that I can get a degree, and that it would encourage more benefactors to help other children like me,” he told Sun.Star Cebu in Cebuano.
Concrenio is under the care of the Don Bosco Boys Home in Liloan town.
During the recognition rites organized by the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children yesterday afternoon, Concrenio and the other honor students received a wristwatch each as graduation gift.
The graduates stay in the different non-government agencies that have raised and taken care of them, but attend regular schools during the day.
Among the 534 graduates, 255 graduated from elementary, 184 graduated from high school, 90 from college and five others finished vocational and short-term courses.
CCTFSC co-chairperson and Cebu City First Lady Margot Osmeña said she is especially proud this year because of the 90 students who got a college degree.
“Before, our only purpose was to keep you safe. I did not imagine there would come a time that we would see 90 of you graduating from college. This is a source of so much pride for us,” she told the graduates and their house parents during the recognition ceremony.
The graduates are under the care of Share-A-Child Movement, Asilo dela Milagrosa, Children of Cebu Foundation, SOS Children’s Village, Cebu Hope Center and 18 other agencies that are members of the task force.
