Filipino father, daughter graduate from high school at the same time

Inspiring stories have cropped up as the academic recognition season began in the Philippines — but none moved hearts as much as the story of a father-daughter tandem who graduated from senior high school at the same time.

Eleazar 'Elly' Begornia worked as a janitor at the school of his daughter Jenalyn. Knowing that Elly wasn't able to complete his studies, the school — located in the Philippine province of Bulacan — encouraged him to take up classes together with his daughter.

Elly and Jenalyn were more than father-and-daughter. They were batchmates and friends who had lunch together at the school cafeteria, too. They supported each other throughout the school year, according to local media reports.

"Since I got a bit rusty after so many years of not studying, there had been times when I got confused with the lessons," Elly told reporters. And this is when Jenalyn would gladly step in, patiently tutoring her dad.

"He wasn't only my father. He also became my friend in school. Whenever we see each other on campus, we would ask each other how we were. I would ask him for free lunch, of course because he's my dad. And then we would eat together at he canteen," Jenalyn told reporters.

The girl completed high school with honours and now plans to take up hospitality tourism in college. Her father, however, wasn't sure if he could still continue studying —until the institute offered him a scholarship.

Now, he is on his way to studying physical education so he can become a PE teacher.

"I wanted my life to get better. I wanted to become more than a utility worker," the teary-eyed father had said.

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