Tension ensued at the graduation rites of a school in the Province of Antique after the principal announced that senior high school graduating students have to remove their toga.

The tension on April 15, 2025 at Col. Ruperto Abellon National School in the Municipality of Laua-an was caught on video.

In the video, the graduating students were supposed to go up the stage after conferment upon them of a diploma. However, the principal announced that graduating students are not supposed to wear toga based on Department of Education (DepEd) guidelines on austerity.

She ordered that the toga be removed which startled students, parents, and guardians.

A few students heeded the order, though, but the rest complained and started yelling.  

“Nag-expect talaga ang parents na mag-toga ang mga bata. Sa part namin, ang sakripisyo, ang hirap, lahat nagbunga. Hindi naman nakalagay doon na bawal ang toga,” Gilmore Nunieza, a parent, said.

Nunieza is among excited parents especially that his child is a recipient for highest honors.

But because of the incident, he said he is very upset, along with other parents.

“Very disappointed talaga kami as parents,” Nunieza added.

In an initial investigation of the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Antique, teachers and parents agreed reportedly in a meeting to have the graduating students wear their school uniform and a “sablay” (sash) to make the ceremony simple.

However, it is possible that the meeting attendees did not come up with a specific agreement, which led to the wearing of togas.

“According kay ma'am (principal), nag-a-ano (comply) lang siya sa issuances ng DepEd na maging simple lang at walang extravagant na mga bagay-bagay. Gusto rin ito ng parents na i-raise ang concern nila na magsuot ng toga, yet, I think hindi ito naipasok sa kanilang agenda. Hanggang siguro natapos ang meeting na hindi naplanuhan o nadesisyunan kung magsusuot ng toga ang students or hindi,” according to Eric Cortejo, information officer of SDO Antique.

SDO Antique has requested a copy of the minutes of the said meeting to check on the details.

Moreover, the graduation ceremony pushed through. There were students who went up the stage, but there were a few who went home, instead, dismayed at the principal’s announcement, according to SDO Antique.

“They are all graduates. Those who have attended, those na umuwi ng maaga, they are graduates. Actually, na-confirm sila ng ating official. Ang DepEd, nag-a-assure sa inyo na pinu-protektahan ang rights ng kabataan,” Cortejo emphasized.

SDO Antique, as of posting time, is waiting for an explanation from the principal, identified as Venus Divinia Nietes, through a fact-finding committee formed in relation to the incident.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas tried to reach for a statement from the principal, but Nietes has not responded yet to the news team’s messages.

To recall, the principal figured in an incident at Laua-an National High School in 2023 where students staged a protest against her for alleged bullying and abuse of position, particularly the banning of a few student organizations, and the failure to have dilapidated classrooms and broken school equipment repaired.