Catanduanes college's 2012 graduates biggest in 41 years

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, April 4 (PIA) -- The gymnasium was filled to the rafters as the Catanduanes State Colleges Main Campus mounted its 41st Commencement Exercises recently with the biggest recorded number of graduates at 1,212, according to the school’s Registration and Admission office.

The traditional graduation highlights—investiture of hood and cap, presentation of candidates for graduation, recommendation and conferment of degrees and titles, commencement address, awarding of medals to honor graduates, and distribution of diploma—took over four hours.

The graduates relished their proverbial 15 minutes of fame as they strode onstage to get their diplomas to the tune of Verdi’s “Triumphal March,” a staple musical score in graduation ceremonies.

Honor Graduates

Forty-five graduates finished with honors — two Magna Cum Laude, 42 Cum Laude, and one with Academic Distinction.

John Michael T. Bernal, BS in Civil Engineering, led the honor roll as Magna Cum Laude with an average of 1.38, followed by Ian D. Lopez, Bachelor of Elementary Education, also a Magna Cum Laude, with an average of 1.42.

The Cum Laude graduates were Michele M. Candelaria, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.6); Jimylen P. Garnica, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.6); Ma. Rona S. Guerrero, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.74); Sally B. Morales, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.66); Mariecris A. Sarmiento, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.73); Cindy S. Tapel, BS in Accountancy, Cum Laude (1.74);

Ma. Karla T. Avila, BS in Civil Engineering, Cum Laude (1.60); William V. Belmonte, BS in Civil Engineering, Cum Laude (1.63); Raymund M. Garcia, BS in Civil Engineering, Cum Laude, (1.72); John Aldren C. Molina, BS in Civil Engineering, Cum Laude (1.64); Jonathan V. Tulod, BS in Civil Engineering, Cum Laude (1.61);

Julius S. Antonio, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude, (1.66); Aileen T. Bajaro, Bachelor of Secondary Education – English, Cum Laude (1.51); Jomar Cervantes, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Social Studies, Cum Laude (1.53); Carlito T. Gelito, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.5); Jecel S. Magdahong, Bachelor of Secondary Education - Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.73); Elizabeth T. Rances, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.63); Ma. Gherlyn S. Rebuya, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.65); Joan T. Talan, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.70); Ariel R. Tanael, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.73); Francis G. Timbal, Bachelor of Secondary Education – English, Cum Laude (1.48); Anjo G. Tugay, Bachelor of Secondary Education – English, Cum Laude (1.54); Cynthia T. Tuibeo, Bachelor of Secondary Education – English, Cum Laude (1.51); Rey P. Vargas, Bachelor of Secondary Education – Mathematics, Cum Laude (1.70);

Charmaine Kaye C. Abrasaldo, Cum Laude, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.64); Aizel A. Cerillo, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.57); Joan S. Guerrero, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.57); Donna Nerisse S. Sapico, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude ((1.72); Jinky Lou T. Sarmiento, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.59); Jocele S. Sarmiento, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.70); Lucy Lyn T. Tapia, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.67); Rhea R. Tating, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.68); Rotchen D.Teves, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.58); Jamir A. Toledana, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.75); Yoly V. Tolod, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.67); Irene S. Torres, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude, (1.64); Claire T. Tribiana, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Cum Laude (1.72).

Mark Anthony S. Flores, BS in Nursing, Cum Laude (1.73); Elaine Gay R. Molina, BS in Nursing, Cum Laude (1.67); Johnson M. Turado, BS in Nursing, Cum Laude (1.70); Kristel Mae V. Cervantes, BS in Nursing, Cum Laude (1.73), and James Andrew B. Bernal, BS in Information Technology, Cum Laude (1.69). Emlyn M. Lanon, Bachelor of Elementary Education finished with Academic Distinction award (1.58).

Villar’s exhortation

Cynthia A. Villar, former congresswoman and trustee of the CSC Governing Board, was the Commencement Speaker. She exhorted the graduates to “use (their) education to help others.”

“We believe that when we are able to provide them good education, we leave them valuable inheritance—something that can never by taken away from them, that cannot be diminished and something that they can enhance for personal advancement and for the betterment of society,” she told the families and teachers of the graduates. “That is the beauty of the gift of education,” she emphasized.

Increasing trend

The CSC Registration and Admission Office has noted an increasing trend in the number of graduates per year, with its respective in-charge of scholastic records recently handling above the normal ratio of students being served.

The Advanced Education program produced 15 graduates, comprised of: Doctor of Education – 3; Master in Business Administration – 2; Master of Public Administration – 1; Master of Arts in Education – 4; Master of Arts in Industrial Education – 1; Master of Arts in Teaching Biology – 1; Diploma in Educational Management – 2; Diploma in College Teaching – 1.

Moreover, the biggest number of graduates came from the Bachelor of Elementary Education at 122, followed by Bachelor of Science in Nursing – 97; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – 92; Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology – 92; Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering – 77; Bachelor of Secondary Education – 68; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology – 64; Bachelor of Science in Office Administration – 63; Bachelor of Science in Information Management – 59; Bachelor of Science in Agriculture – 45;

Bachelor of Science of Arts – 32; Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship – 24; Bachelor of Science in Biology – 21; Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics – 21; Bachelor of Science in Mathematics – 15; Bachelor of Science in Accountancy – 15; Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education – 1.

The Two Year Trade Technical Education produced 187 graduates, while the Certificate in Agricultural Science had 57, and the Diploma in Midwifery program with 45 graduates.

Likewise, the CSC Panganiban Campus had their graduation ceremonies on March 19, 2012 with Dr. Minerva I. Morales, CSC SUC President III, as its Commencement Speaker. It had 160 graduates -- 46 finished with the degree Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education, 43 earned Bachelor of Elementary Education, 31 with Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and 40 graduating with Certificate in Agricultural Science. (MAL/EAB/GSR - PIA 5/CSC)