Capitol honors HS valedictorians

CEBU, Philippines - Some 311 valedictorians from public and private high schools were given recognitions by the provincial government of Cebu during the “Pasidungog Alang sa mga Valedictorians of batch 2010” at capitol.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia encouraged the students to continue their best performances citing them as the next leaders of the province. “We can never settle for anything less because we are Cebuanos, and we are proud to be Cebuanos,” she added.

Aside from the honor, the government of Cebu together with the Department of Education and Department of Labor and Employment is also giving incentives to these students.

Dr. Ester Velasquez, former president of the Cebu Normal University and current consultant for external affairs of the governor, said that they are offering programs such as summer jobs in the town halls of their respective places, summer workshops and full scholarship in college in either of the two institutions in the province, CNU and Cebu Technological University.

Velasquez said that the workshop aims to develop and enhance the management and leadership skills and values of the students, who are potential leaders of the country.  

She said that the workshop allows the student to actually experience meeting at both the executive and legislative level of the provincial government with the governor and vice governor, presiding the discussions.

Velasquez said that interactive and team building activities will help the students prepare for college education and make them informed citizens by tightening their awareness of social responsibilities, duties and roles in the community and in the country.

She clarified that this program is capped with summer job for all the participants, coordinated by the Provincial Employment Services Office and DOLE.    

Moreover, Velasquez is proud to report that only Cebu province has these programs for the valedictorians. “Only Cebu has this and I hope this program will continue and be adopted by the national government,” she added.   The consultant said that the projects give the students the excellent opportunities in building their leadership skills while earning at the same time.

According to her, 60 percent of the budget for this project came from the provincial government while the remaining 40 percent comes from DOLE.

Maria Grace Diaz of DOLE said that the project was envisioned to help the poor but deserving students to earn during summer.

Jan Niño Wasquin, valedictorian student of Balirong National High School, Naga City Cebu, said that the project is good because it enables them to help their parents financially. He added that it also serves as the right avenue for training to prepare them for their future jobs.

“Happy ko kay naa gyoy program para namo ug reward pud ni siya sa among pag-eskwela. Hinaot mahimo kining inspirasyon sa mga istudyante,” Wasquin stressed. — Ericson E. Catalan and Dorothy Mae E. Acabo, NORSU Interns/FPL (THE FREEMAN)