Seventy-one year old Ellen Rivera is proud to say she has completed her elementary school at the Maharlika Integrated School in Taguig City.
Rivera received her Primary School Leaving Certificate during the graduation ceremony on July 12 attended by Mayor Laarni Cayetano.
Mayor Laarni Cayetano, who attended the graduation and completion rites, praised Lola Ellen and the other graduates for their grit and determination.
“Congratulations, Grandma Ellen. I’m proud of your determination. With the care of those who sheltered Lola Ellen, she was able to leave the poor status of life and continue her education,” said Cayetano.
Cayetano said Rivera finished elementary school with her perseverance.
“She is proof that education knows no age. She also encourages fellow senior citizens who want to study again or finish any level of education and not ashamed to go back to school to study,” she said.
For her part, Lola Ellen thanked Mayor Cayetano for the free education program she had initiated in the city. She was also grateful for the free school supplies and other things the students needed for their education such as shoes, uniform, and socks, among others.
As a Transformative, Lively, and Caring City, the Taguig City government promised to continue to extend opportunities and help reach every “Taguigueño, regardless of their age, to achieve their dreams in life.”
Last year, three other senior citizens in Taguig also finished elementary and high school through the city government’s alternative education system.
The three — Mwusews Anthony Mari Diaz, 82; Luvisminda Fajardo, 73; and 63-year-old Erlinda Dejumo — were among the 1,285 students who graduated in 2022 under the city’s Alternative Learning System program.
