THE PAMANTASAN ng Lungsod ng Maynila drew the ire of several individuals, including students of the school, after technical difficulties were experienced during its virtual graduation rites for Batch 2020 last June 30.

Aside from its delayed airing time, students’ photos were also posted per course and not individually.

Engineering graduate Ferlyn Porcalla (Batch 2020) shared with The POST her displeasure with the way the ceremony went.

“Ang unang announcement is 10 a.m. (ang graduation), then na-move ng 5 p.m. May mga plan na ‘yung iba sa hapon, tapos ‘yung iba nakapaghanda na dahil maaga nga ang graduation rites, tapos biglang delayed pala,” said Porcalla.

Porcalla also aired her dismay with how pictures of graduating students were shown.

“Tapos ‘yung presentation ng names per student, ‘di nila ginawang individually, parang ini-earn ‘yun ng student tapos ang liit pa ng picture and hindi mabasa name. Need pa i-zoom which is ‘di naman pwede dahil naka-live,” Porcalla added.

But PLM President Emmanuel Layco already apologized to the graduates and their family and friends regarding the issue through a statement on the school’s Facebook account.

“I am watching the airing of PLM’s virtual commencement exercises and I fully understand the disappointment of many of our graduates and their parents and friends,” the statement read.

Layco assured affected people that the school will make some adjustments and re-do the program to give justice to the commencement ceremony.

“We will work with our outsourced production crew to re-do this project to show the individual graduates on the screen ALONE, with their earned degree and honors, if any,” Layco added.

Universities around the country decided to hold online graduations due to the threat of Covid19.

Also, PLM decided to go the same way behind the theme ‘Solidarity and Hope: Living beyond the Covid19 Pandemic.’ The school noted it was its first-ever virtual graduation.

Aside from the 1,033 graduates; 674 undergraduates and 354 masters and doctorate, the PLM also conferred a Doctorate Degree in Public Health to President and Chief Operating Officer of San Miguel Corporation, Ramon S Ang.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno delivered the commencement address to the students.

“In the face of adversity, find the strength to be persistent, to keep on learning, and to stick to your morals. Most of all, maintain a close relationship with God, and you shall never lose your way,” the mayor said as posted on PLM’s Facebook page.