WHAT should have been a joyful milestone turned into an ordeal for a graduate of West Visayas State University (WVSU) after she was repeatedly stopped from going on stage because of her shoes.
In a viral Facebook post, Cybelle Rio Jhane Hembra, a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Science graduate, shared how she was nearly barred from receiving her diploma during the university’s commencement exercises at the Iloilo Convention Center.
Hembra said a marshal stopped her at the venue lobby, pointing out that her shoes with straps allegedly did not follow the dress code. This left her confused, she said, as the only guideline given was to wear “closed black shoes” with heels at least 1.5 inches high.
She added that other students were also blocked from entering for wearing shoes with open backs, ribbon details, or silver embellishments.
“Paano ‘yan kung ito lang ang pinakamagandang sapatos na kaya namin bilhin? Paano ‘yun, wala kaming extra para sa hinihingi n’yo? Wala man lang bang konsiderasyon?” she wrote.
“Naiiyak ako. Pinalabas kami. Pinili ng mga magulang ng mga kaibigan ko na patatagin ang loob ko. Hanggang sa nakapasok ako ng ICON ulit, kaso si nanay hindi na pinapasok kasi napabilang na kami sa latecomers,” she added.
To comply, a classmate lent her a pair of shoes, but they didn’t fit. She decided to remove the straps from her original pair instead. Still, she was stopped again just before lining up for the stage. Another marshal insisted she wear different shoes.
Fortunately, another classmate who had already crossed the stage lent her a pair, finally allowing her to participate in the ceremony.
Hembra said other graduates from different colleges also had to find last-minute solutions to comply with the rules.
She shared that she had worked and saved to buy new shoes for the occasion, only to face unexpected setbacks over a policy she believes lacked clear implementation.
“Buong durasyon ng seremonya nakatulala lang ako. Naiiyak, nanghihina, pinagdadasal na sana panaginip lang lahat ng ‘to,” she wrote.
“Hindi ko naman alam na yung dapat ay masaya kong graduation ay masisira pala ng sapatos na pinaghirapan ko.”
(Cybelle Rio Jhane Hembra/Facebook)
