Taguig holds “e-Graduation” two years in a row

Mayor Lani Cayetano today announced that the Taguig City government would hold for the second year, its ground-breaking e-Graduation program which makes possible the live video streaming of all commencement exercises of local public elementary and high schools for 2013.

“In line with the city’s pioneering spirit, all graduation rites of public elementary and high schools can again be viewed online this year through the city’s Facebook page,” said Mayor Lani Cayetano.

“As with the first e-Graduation in 2012, the purpose is to bridge that geographical divide and allow parents as well as relatives watch their loved ones take center stage during graduation.”

For this year, a total of 18,085 elementary and high school students in 34 Taguig public schools will march during their respective graduation rites from March 16 to 19.

“This is a special occasion for the families of those who will graduate this year. Through the e-Graduation program, we hope to make it more memorable for all of them, including those who are far away or abroad and cannot be physically present during the ceremonies,” said the Taguig Chief Executive.

Mayor Lani introduced e-Graduation last year so that friends and family members who cannot join the students’ graduation could still watch the ceremonies using the Internet.

“Facebook enhances the experience of any event or activity through sheer connectivity with others. The place to be seen is on Facebook. That’s why, through this very popular social networking site, graduation rites in Taguig can be as fun and techie as ever especially for the viewer,” Mayor Lani said.

Meanwhile, Atty. Darwin B. Icay, spokesperson for Mayor Lani Cayetano, reminded constituents in Taguig to click the “like” button on “I love Taguig” (www.facebook.com/taguigcity) – the official Facebook page of the city government – so they may access links of the live broadcasts or live streaming of the graduation rites.

“We anticipate a surge of ‘likes’ on our Facebook page this March, particularly from the parents who toil in different countries abroad just so they could provide their children and family with a brighter future,” he said.

Currently, the “I love Taguig” Facebook page has over 16,000 likes.

The family of 15-year-old Julius Niño Parrone Doctor, who last year was named valedictorian of Taguig Science High School (TSHS), attests to the success of the said project.

Julius’ father, Juancho, works as a pest control agent in Saudi Arabia and was unable to return to the country in time for his son’s graduation rites.

“He was very happy and very proud to see all the awards that Julius received,” Rosalie, the valedictorian’s mother, said of her husband. “He watched the entire graduation (online).”

So far, only the Taguig City government has this innovation when it comes to graduations.

Taguig Information Technology (IT) department head John Rudolf Villegas, for his part, assured a better overall viewing experience this year.

“We treated last year as a learning experience for us so that we could improve our live video streaming this year,” he said, noting that the IT department would be using better equipment and deploying more teams to schools to cover and broadcast graduations this 2013.

TAGALOG VERSION:

Inianunsiyo ngayon ni Mayor Lani Cayetano na ipatutupad ng Taguig City Government sa ikalawang sunod na taon ang e-Graduation program ngayong taon  na magbibigay daan para mapanood sa pamamagitan ng live video streaming ang araw ng pagtatapos sa lahat ng pampublikong paaralan sa elementarya at high school.

“Lahat ng graduation sa public elementary at high school ay muling mapapanood sa internet sa pamamagitan ng Facebook page ng lungsod,” pahayag ni Mayor Lani.

“Katulad ng unang e-graduation noong 2012, layon nitong bigyan ng oportunidad ang mga magulang gayundin ang kanilang mga kaanak na nasa malayong lugar na masaksihan ang espesyal na araw ng pagtatapos ng kanilang mahal sa buhay.”

Sa taong ito, 18,805 na estudyante sa elementarya at high school mula sa 34 na pampublikong paaralan sa Taguig ang kukuha ng kanilang mga diploma sa mula March 16 hanggang 19.

“Isa itong espesyal na okasyon para sa pamilya ng mga magsisipagtapos ng kanilang pag-aaral sa taong ito. Sa pamamagitan ng e-graduation program, umaasa kaminang mas lalo itong magiging memorable para sa kanilang lahat, kasama yaong mga nasa malayong lugar o nasa labas ng bansa at walang kakayahang masaksihan ng personal ang mga seremonya,” sabi pa ng alkalde ng Taguig.

Sinimulan ni Mayor Lani ang e-graduation noong nagdaang taon upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga kamag-anak na nasa malalayong lugar na masaksihan ang mga seremonya sa pamamagitan ng internet.

“Anumang aktibidad ay napabubuti ng Facebook dahil nagagawa nitong kumonekta sa iba. Sa pamamagitan ng popular na social networking site na ito, ang graduation sa Taguig ay kasing saya at kasing techie ng nagdaang e-graduation lalo na sa mga manonood,” saad ni Mayor Lani.

Pinaalalahanan naman ni Atty. Darwin Icay, tagapagsalita ni Mayor Lani, ang mga taga-lungsod na i-like ang “I love Taguig” (www.facebook.com/taguigcity) na siyang opisyal na Facebook page ng lungsod para mahanap ang link ng mga live broadcast o live streaming ng graduation ceremonies.

“Inaasahan nating lalong dadami ang ‘likes’ ng ating Facebook page ngayong Marso na manggagaling sa mga magulang na nagtatrabaho malayo sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya sa ibang bansa,” aniya.

Sa kasalukuyan, mahigit 16,000 like na ang I Love Taguig Facebook page.

Ang pamilya ng 15 anyos na si Julius Niño Parrone Doctor na siyang naging valedictorian ng Taguig cience High School (TSHS) ang makapagpapatunay sa tagumpay ng proyekto.

Dahil nagtatrabaho bilang pest control agent sa Saudi Arabia ay hindi nakadalo ang padre de pamilyang si Juancho sa pagtatapos ng anak niyang si Julius.

“Napakasaya niya nung makita niya ang mga napanalunang award ni Julius!” wika ni Rosalie, ina ni Julius na nagkwento tungkol sa kanyang asawa. “Pinanood niya ang buong graduation sa Internet.”

Sa ngayon, tanging Taguig ang may ganitong programa sa graduation.

Samantala, tiniyak naman ni John Rudolf Villegas, hepe ng Taguig Information Technology (IT) department, na magiging mas maganda ngayon ang panonood sa e-Graduation kumpara noong nagdaang taon.

“Itinuring namin na learning experience ang e-Graduation noong nakaraang taon upang lalo pang mapagbuti ang aming live video streaming sa taong ito,” wika nito, sabay bunyag na gagamit sila ng  mas mahuhusay na aparato bukod pa sa daragdagan nila ang mga tauhan na ilalagay sa mga paaralan para mag-broadcast ng mga graduation ngayong 2013.