JEDDAH, 24 March 2004 — “Do I have a choice?” was teary eyed Irish Gilen M. Gomez’ gloomy response on leaving the Kingdom by “force” due to the supposed lack of opportunities for Filipino college students.
“”It’s very depressing to be relocated away from my parents. They brought me here, and now they are sending me back home, alone, for my college studies,” she said in an interview.
Gomez placed No. 2 among the fresh high school graduates of the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ).
Like most of her 80 classmates and other high school graduates of Filipino schools in the Kingdom, she is facing the pain of separating with her parents.
With her future in mind, however, she believes she would “finally overcome the depressing agony of being alone.”
And like her parents, she also has her mind focused on working abroad soon.
She was one of the passers college admission test of the prestigious University of the Philippines (UPCAT), and she would be taking up nursing, which is in great demand in North America and Britain.
Sultan Mapandi, another IPSJ graduate, says he is considering skipping school for a year to continue to live with his parents.
“I’ve studied here in Saudi Arabia from elementary to high school and it’s really very difficult to leave what I consider my second home,” he said. “It’s really tough to be away from my parents and colleagues out here.”
No so with Marie Kris D. Rodriguez, another UPCAT passer, who will be enrolling in business economics at UP Diliman, in Quezon City.
“Kahit na siguro may college dito uuwi pa rin ako para mag-aral sa UP. Mataas ang standard at quality of education so I prefer nothing else (Perhaps, even if there’s a college for Filipinos here, I would still go and study at UP because of the high standard of education there),” she said.
Rodriguez was the valedictorian of the graduating class, with Gomez as salutatorian. Honorable mentions went to Jennifer Canoza, Girolamo Gascon, Loriza Samsin, Kaye Marnelli Navarro, Fatima Abduljalil, Nathaniel Mounayer, Judy Ann Ceniza, Ruby Anne Calantog, Jheddah Rondila, and Dana Mae Tocoyo.
Graduating students and their parents showed mix emotions in the solemn 3-day 23rd Commencement Exercises and Recognition ceremonies last week at the IPSJ campus on Ghornatah district.
Many cried as the graduates exchange pleasantries, hugs and kisses.
“This is the happiest graduation the IPSJ have ever had,” said school principal Ameerah S. Ali, in apparent reference to the recent resolution of the school’s perennial power struggle.
As if to celebrate the end of its troubles, the school held a three-day graduation and recognition exercises with Vice Consul Jose V. Jacob, outgoing head of the Philippine Consulate; Dr. Ahmed Mohammad Ali, president of Islamic Development Bank; and engineer Nhazrudin Dianalan, chairman of Kasapi Congress, as guest speakers.
The ceremonies included the graduation of 101 pupils in the elementary level and 127 from pre-elementary level.
The other awardees were; Siham Victor, best in Arabic; Nathaniel Mounayer, debater of the year; Sarah Khayat, best in public speaking; Ahmed Barre, Aliah Abbas and Nurhaida Pagador, best in Islamic; Sultan Mapandi and Czarina Simene, athlete of the year; Sultan Mapandi, leadership award; Patrick Cayetano, artist of the year; and Katrina Pabico, (Filipino) writer of the year.
For the Grade VI graduates, the honorees were: Kathleen Nava, valedictorian, and Jintana Yantakosol, salutatorian. Honorable mentions went to Florence Leonio, Andrea Arriesgade, Edward Marcelo, Aisha Bantuas, Ebenezer Gavieres, Sarah Marcelino, Shantelle Salanga and James Gonzaga, Kevin Ismael, Christine Nalzaro and Redelene Legaspi.
