TEN Negrense scholars have completed their two-year Electro-Mechanical Technology course and were among the 80 students who graduated at Dualtech Training Center in Canlubang, Calamba City in Laguna Saturday, November 27.
The Electro-Mechanical Technology course is a dual technology training program that provides students a six-month classroom-based instruction and an 18-month in-plant training in various manufacturing and service companies in Luzon.
The program is intended to help male high school graduates between aged 18 and 22, who are single and non-smokers, and whose parents do not have the resources to fund their college education.
The Negrense graduates are Angelo Belo and Gabril Navales of Cadiz City; Radin Celeste Jr., Mark Joseph Sudayan and Joren Pido of Victorias City; Jerson Pillones, Choniel Palasuelo and Loisel Del Rosario from Sipalay City; Ronalde Dumdum from Sagay City; and Nielmar Calipayan from La Carlota City.
Belo got the Outstanding in Basic Stage Training Program (BSTP) and Merit awards.
Pillones, Palasuelo, and Navales received the Merit and Best in In-plant awards while Celeste and Del Rosario each got Merit awards.
Most of the graduates were absorbed by their respective companies even before their graduation, the provincial government said.
Belo was chosen from among the 80 graduates to deliver the “Pasalamat Speech.”
In his message, Belo said that he is the fifth child among 10 siblings with farmer parents.
He said that Dualtech Training Center brought out the best in him because he was honed to be a better person not just his skills in electrical, mechanical, electronics and drafting but also his attitude towards his family, friends, colleagues, instructors and supervisors.
“Dito hinubog at binuo ang aking pagkatao”, he said, thanking Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for continuing this program.
“Taos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa patuloy mong pagsuporta, marami ka pang matutulongan na katulad naming daan-daang mahihirap dahil sa iyong ginintuang puso,” Belo said.
He also thanked the late governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. for trusting him to be part of the first batch of the program representing Negros Occidental.
Lacson was the keynote speaker during the commencement exercises.
The governor, in a pre-recorded video, congratulated the graduates for overcoming the challenges.
“Your class has the distinction of graduating during a global health pandemic, a task not easily surmountable, and yet every one of you stepped up and emerged successful, with this day as a testament,” Lacson said.
He added that “Today, we are celebrating you, how you have developed, how you were able to overcome your challenges and how you have grown during your time in Dualtech.”
“Always remember that life is a mixture of success and defeat. Success is easy to handle, use it to encourage yourself and others, failure on the other hand is difficult, use your challenges as lessons, as means to get better. Do well in your chosen field,” the governor also said.
The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental continues to collaborate with Dualtech Training Center and Buglas Foundation Inc. on this program through the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division Office. (PR)