“Determination and hard work, keys to success” – Luistro to Pantawid Pamilya graduates

“Kapag tinitignan nila sa pag-aaral kung sino ang talagang nagiging tunay na successful sa buhay, sabi nila iyong mga nagpupursigi, iyong may pangmatagalan na lakas at patuloy na nangangarap at hindi sumusuko,” Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said to more than 4,000 Pantawid Pamilya high school graduates who attended the post-graduation celebration at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on April 9, 2015.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households, primarily of children aged 0-18, has produced its first batch of high school graduates this year.

The education chief told the graduates that their lives do not stop at graduation saying, “Pwede pa kayong matulungan na mabigyan ng scholarship ng TESDA para may choice kayo. 

Pwede pa kayong mangarap at pumasok sa pamantasan. Merong mga scholarships, kung kayo'y magpupursigi at magpapatupad ng inyong mga pangarap.”

“Sa ating pagtatapos, mahaba pa ang ating lakbayin sa buhay, marami pa tayong mga paghamon, at maraming mga pagkakamali, marami tayong makalilimutan. Kung ang kasama natin ay tatawanan tayo, baka mahirapan tayong tumawid; pero kung sama-sama tayo at sabihin sa ating sarili, “Kaya natin yan, hindi tayo susuko!” At kung may mga panahon na binabatikos tayo, makipagtulungan tayo sa isa't-isa. Kayang-kaya iyan ng Pilipino,” he added.

Luistro said that 4Ps has helped DepEd to reach out to more Filipino children and deliver to them quality basic education.

“Ang enrollment sa high school sa buong Pilipinas sa public schools ngayon ay 5.9 million. Malapit na tayo sa six million. Pero noong nakalipas na panahon, ang enrollment lang natin sa high school ay 5.4 million. Dumami ang ating enrollment sa high school ng half a million. At dahil dyan, kailangan natin mag-hire ng mga panibagong teachers, magtayo ng mga panibagong classroom, at siguraduhing ang programa ay makausad,” said Luistro.

This year, DepEd will build more than 40,000 classrooms and create over 39,000 teacher items as it continues to gear up for the K to 12 full implementation in 2016.

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