One of the first community colleges established and operationalized in 2019, the Governor Mariano E. Villafuerte Community College Tinambac now celebrated its 3rd Commencement Exercises, recognizing the momentous achievement of its graduates on July 28, 2025, at the Tinambac Sports Complex.
With the theme, “Batch 2025 Graduates: Life Champions and Future-Ready Professionals of the 21st Century,” over 170 graduates earned their degrees in Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.
“Ten years ko pong hinalat bago magkaigwang diploma, bago ulit makasakat sa stage. Nagklase po ako sa ibang school before, then nagkahelang kaya nag-stop po ako ning almost six years. Then, nagtrabaho na po. [Pero ngunyan], very proud po ako ta tinawan akong pribelihiyo kan GMVCC na makapagtapos. Mayo pong pinipiling edad digdi, maski pirang taon kang nagpundo, ang importante pursigidong magklase,” shared 26-year-old Arieann Serrano from Antipolo, Tinambac, one 0f the graduates.
Asked about what motivated her to pursue Entrepreneurship, Serrano detailed, “When I was in elementary, grade 4 pa lang po ako, nagtitinda na talaga ako arog kang mga mani and kakanin. Sabi ko kadto, nagkikita na ako piso-piso kaya gusto ko talagang maging businesswoman in the future. Kaya tig-grab ko ang course digdi, mayong duwa-duwa. Sabi ko para sakuya ining course.”
What started as a simple invitation from a friend and a teacher at GMVCC during its school opening became the catalyst for Serrano's dreams. She pursued her education and ultimately became one of the 104 proud graduates of the BS Entrepreneurship program.
Another BS Entrepreneurship graduate is 50-year-old Lydia Corod from Olag Pequeño, Tinambac who proudly shared, “Naoogma po ako ngunyan ta napatunayan ko sa mga kajovenan na dai mapahuri ang mga gurang sa laban kang pag-adal. Nag-take na po akong 2-year course sa Naga City pero dai pa ako satisfied that’s why, [nagklase ako utro]. Sabi ngani kayan, never stop learning, never stop dreaming.”
During her academic journey, Corod faced an additional challenge when she was diagnosed with diabetes last year. However, instead of letting it hold her back, she used it as motivation to push forward and complete her studies.
“Isa po yun sa nagpalakas ng loob ko na kailangan kong tapusin ang nasimulan ko. Imagine, nasa ospital ako, nasa banig ng karamdaman pero tinawagan ko yung administrator namin na sabi ko gusto kong matapos ang pag-aaral ko. Very big challenge po yun sakin. Hanggang ngayon, nagu-undergo pa po ako ng treatment, at the same time, pinagsabay ang pag-aaral at pagiging ina sa dalawa kong anak,” she shared.
Corod now plans to put up her own business, such as a ticketing office in Tinambac, to pursue her entrepreneurial endeavor, and to hopefully help both her neighborhood and the community as a whole.
Under the leadership of Governor Lray Villafuerte, the Provincial Government remains committed to expanding educational opportunities for Camarinenses by establishing more community colleges. CamSur currently boasts the highest number of community colleges established and operated by a local government unit in the whole country, all recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as accredited Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
