These words are just part of the spoken inspirational message made by Muntinlupa City Vice-Mayor Artemio A. Simundac to the one hundred seventy-seven (177) Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) graduates during the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Passers’ Recognition and Graduation Ceremony held last May 26, 2023, at the Barangay Nagkakaisa Covered Court, Maximum Security Compound (MaxSeCom).
The Education and Training Section (ETS) of the Reformation Office (RO) at the Maximum Security Compound (MaxSeCom), New Bilibid Prison (NBP) through its Chief, CO1 Limbas S Dacquel with the guidance of CO1 Analyn A Montecalvo, Chief, RO, MaxSeCom, and C/SINSP ARLENE I CASILIHAN, Deputy Superintendent for Reformation, NBP held its 9th A&E Passers’ Recognition and Graduation Ceremony with the theme, “K-12 Learners: Ready to Face Life’s Challenges.” “Mag-aaral ng K-12: Handa sa Hamon ng Buhay.” having a total of one hundred seventy-seven (177) PDL who were able to graduate from elementary and secondary level gained a 100% Passing Rate on the Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd).
The Guest Speaker of the said event was Honorable Artemio A Simundac, Vice-Mayor of Muntinlupa City on which one of his notable remarks is that, “Graduates, nakakaproud kayo” because they were able to gain new knowledge and wisdom through the ALS Program being offered by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). Moreover, the graduates are “nakakaproud” because according to the Vice-Mayor “sa inyong (graduates) pagbabalik (sa malayang lipunan) ay may bago na kayong buhay dahil naging magandang daan ang BuCor sa inyong pagbabago at ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay ay nakangiting naghihintay sa inyong pagbabalik”. On the other hand, the Vice-Mayor gave a challenge to the graduates saying, “Bigyan ninyo ng halaga ang natutunan ninyo sa ALS Program. Payabungin niyo ang kaalamang iyong natamo sa pamamagitan ng pagbabahagi sa mga ito (gained knowledge).
Likewise, a special message was given by CT/SSUPT MA. CECILIA VILLANUEVA, Deputy Director Generel for Reformation and Director, Directorate for Health and Welfare Services being the representative of GENERAL GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG, JR., AFP (Ret.), CESE, BuCor Director General, on which she stated that, “Ang edukasyon ay mahalagang parte ng pagbabagong buhay. Nagdilim man ang langit at lupa noong pumasok kayo (graduates) dito sa kulungan or kung saan mang kolonya pero nakita niyo ang liwanag sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon.”
Everyone expressed their congratulatory message to the graduates as they sang their graduation song.
The event was attended by important BuCor officials namely: CT/SSUPT MA. CECILIA VILLANUEVA, Deputy Director General for Reformation and Director, Directorate for Health and Services, CT/SINSP CARMENCITA B BRAVO, Chief, Education and Training Division, CISINSP PURIFICACION P HARI, Camp Commander, MaxSeCom, NBP, C/SINSP ARLENE | CASILIHAN, Deputy Superintendent for Reformation, NBP, and some BuCor employees together with distinguished guests and visitors from the DepEd Muntinlupa in the person of Ms. Madeline Ann L. Diaz, Chief, Curriculum and Implementation Division, Dr. Marissa D. Andanza, ALS Coordinator, Ms. Lerma Galang, Education Program Specialist, and Ms. Nery E. Ann Lorenzo, Education Program Specialist. DepEd personnel of Caloocan were also present during the event together with the former Chief of ALS and retired BuCor official, C/INSP EDUARDO M CABUHAT.
Truly, education is essential to one’s life and is interrelated and interdependent to society, thus, both mutually influence each other without education how can we build an ideal society and without society how can we organize an education system systematically, hence, both are needed. Thus, through the leadership of the BuCor Director General, GENERAL GREGORIO PIO P CATAPANG, JR., AFP (Ret.), CESE, and with the full support of J/SINSP ANGELINA L BAUTISTA (Ret.), Head Executive Assistant of the Office of the Director General, OIC – Deputy Director General for Operations, and Acting Superintendent, New Bilibid Prison, and C/SINSP PURIFICACION P HARI, Camp Commander, MaxSeCom, NBP, the ETS of MaxSeCom will continue to cater to its client so that in the end, together we REFORM BUCOR.
CO1 Fatima L Waclin
Contributor
“REFORM BUCOR”
