GRADUATION CEREMONIES are dreadful days for him.

It has been four years since he last attended one but he still cannot forget the pain.

When he graduated in elementary, not even his achievement as valedictorian, was able to erase the agony as he went home and saw his father already lying in a coffin. His father died of cardiac arrest.

The same scenario seemed to have been replayed in his mind in April this year, even though time has passed so fast.

Ernie John Paul Baylon, 17 years old, son of Jocelyn of Brgy. San Florentino, San Rafael, Iloilo, said he will always miss his father and what he remembers of him has since been his strength.
He graduated as class valedictorian in the Special Science Class (SSC) of San Rafael National High School in San Rafael, Iloilo.

CCT AS AN ANGEL
Ernie and his two other siblings have been covered by the government’s Conditional Cash Tranfer (CCT), also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, implemented by the national government.
“This is already the answer to our problem especially for education. There were so many questions in my mind. I asked questions like how do we go on? How could we continue our studies?” he said.
Ernie said that Pantawid Pamilya provided them the support they needed just when the time required it.
“We are thankful to the government for implementing the program which has reached us,” he said.

AN ENGINEER
Ernie is now enrolled at Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISATU) formerly Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST) taking up Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineer.
“I promised myself to study hard so that someday I could help my mother and other siblings. I know I will encounter problems but I will face them full of determination,” he said.
Under the Pantawid Pamilya program, both elementary and high school students are given P300 and P500 respectively, as their educational allowances while another P500 for their heath as long as they are following the conditions.
The program aims to send children to school and keep them healthy.
Apart from being a class valedictorian, Baylon also got awardeds as Best in Science and Best in Mathematics. His two other younger brothers and sister were also top honor students in their respective class.
“I know with God, I can be a successful Engineer someday. We just entrust everything to Him because He knows what is best for us,” he said./dswd6/Montesa Grino-Caoyonan