71-yr-old grandma is oldest and proudest elementary graduate
URDANETA CITY–No one is too old to go to school, and graduate!
A living testimony to this is 71-year old Filomena Zamora of Sitio Tabuyoc, Barangay Cayambanan here, who recently received her diploma for completing her elementary education.
Lola Filomena, mother of five with 11 grandchildren, proudly marched Monday during the school’s commencement exercises at the Tabuyoc Elementary School.
Lola Filomena narrates that she used to accompany her grade one granddaughter Joana to the Tabuyoc Elementary School and it was then that she felt the excitement about going to school. Soon after, they walked to school together as schoolmates.
“Pakiramdam ko masarap ang mag-aral,” she told The PUNCH, adding that she must be the proudest graduate ever.
The school readily gave her approval when she asked if she would still be allowed to join the classes given her old age.
Her young classmates, who called her Lola, readily helped her learn to read and write to catch up with the lessons. Joana was her tutor at home.
The biggest challenge to Lola Filomena’s education, however, was the strong opposition from her children.
“Di ka na nahiya mga bata kasama mo,” one of her daughters told her.
But she refused to be discouraged and pursued her education even as she continued to tend her small vegetable garden and raise chicken and goats.
Dr. Cresencio Alejo, the school principal, said in a separate interview that the jolly grandma easily adjusted to school life despite physical limitations such as stiff hands while learning to write and slow reading.
Lola Filomena said mathematics was her weakness. “I know how to add, subtract but when it’s multiplication and division carry one, borrow one oh that made me crazy,” she said in Filipino laughing.
It was smooth-sailing for her till she finished grade 4 but again one of her daughters who felt the family was being embarrassed by her schooling again told her to stop schooling. But Lola stood her ground.
Alejo said the grandmother-pupil was cited “Most Helpful” in her class during their graduation.
During the graduation, Lola Filomena was asked to read the Pledge of the Graduates, a privilege normally given to a salutatorian.
“Pwede na akong makipag penpal sa Amerikano,” she said with a hearty laugh.
Lola Filomena, who proudly wore her white toga on graduation day, didn’t say, however, if she would pursue a high school diploma. #
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