IN PHOTOS: Robots represent graduating high school students in Taguig

MANILA, Philippines – Four robots represented 179 graduating students of the Senator Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School (SRCC) during commencement exercises in Taguig City on Friday, May 22.

The headless robots were made of recycled materials salvaged from previous projects and from a junkshop. They were remotely controlled by the former SRCC robotics team to receive the diploma on behalf the graduate.

Attached to each robot’s “neck” is a tablet that shows the face of the student being called to the stage. As the robot rolls on to the stage, the graduate’s face and name, as well as a footage of the his or her family, are displayed on a giant LED screen.

The virtual graduation was attended by Dr. George Tizon, DepEd chief of Taguig City and school officials. Taguig City mayor Lino Cayetano, the commencement speaker made his speech to the graduating class online.

“We know how deeply symbolic a graduation ceremony is for graduates and their parents,” Tizon said. “This is why we came up with a technology that can help them celebrate their accomplishment while respecting minimum health standards and without breaking policies that prohibit mass gatherings.”

Such kind of ceremony has been done in other countries due to the lockdowns and requirements of physical distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

In April, the Department of Education announced that conduct of graduation and other end-of-school-year activities wouldn’t be allowed during the quarantine period to adhere to the “no mass gathering” policy of the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Here are some highlights of SRCC’s virtual graduation: