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No face-to-face graduation ceremony; UPang not saying NO on bonding virtual and future graduates
No face-to-face graduation ceremony; UPang not saying NO on bonding virtual and future graduates
Kristine Joy S. Nool
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The PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang) was met by inquisitive graduating students hoping to have their dream graduation ceremony set up-- even in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. Unfortunately, the management still does not see any possibility of conducting a commencement in person. Thus, virtual graduation is regulated for batches September 2020 and January 2021.
Tertiary graduates of AY. 2019-2020 second semester was finally considered graduates of September 2020. They were supposed to do their rites last summer but because of the pandemic, the date was moved. Although virtual graduation is obviously the best thing to do for the batch of January 2021, all PHINMA Education schools will still deliberate the final plan tentatively by March 2021 and see how things progress. Ms. Liberty Soriano, Registrar, indicated that hardcopy documents that are submitted before will be reprocessed. Otherwise, it should still candidly be passed by the student, by also following the safety protocols, for the office to prepare certain records for special directives.
The graduation fee also disregards the venue cost. "There is no face-to-face ceremony, but the portion of the fee is as is," the Registrar pointed out.
The Flames are very much excited to see their names in the final list of degree holders. She also added, "The frustration about not walking on the red carpet is just a natural reaction. Sa pictorial pa nga lang, excited na magpamakeup, graduation pa kaya. I believe it's more of a ceremonial excitement and emphasis of achievements when you get physically-conducted graduation. Nevertheless, the current situation is not something that we can control."
The management said that they are not saying no to join future graduates and virtual graduates in one physical ceremony when the Covid-19 is gone, but they still have to modulate the number of attendees to accommodate them in the venue. "We'll try to adjust. We'll find a way." But for now, they believe that the safety of attendees should be the priority.
