Our parents are an integral part of our lives, especially moments that are dearly important, such as, a graduation ceremony. 

However, every now and then, fate deals some of us a hard blow and makes a person realise that as much as one wants, parents won’t always be around. 

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A student of Philippines University, named Paulo John Alinsog, earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and celebrated at a graduation ceremony. However, Alinsog who lost his mother back in 2016, and could not share the one moment she had wished for her son all along. 

And so, to mark her presence at his graduation ceremony, he got a cut-out of his mother made to take along with him. 

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Even in her absence, he found a way to have his mother’s presence on one of the most important days of his life. 

He did that exactly, by creating a life-sized standee of her for the graduation day, reports the Inquirer

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In a conversation with the Inquirer, he explained the idea behind this: 

I just really wanted to feel my mom’s presence during graduation day. I wanted to take pictures with her like other graduates who are proud to be with their parents during their graduation. 

He later tweeted and said:  

To my most beautiful mother! Ma, your eldest has graduated. I hope you’re happy in the presence of God. I finished school because this is what you wanted. I love you very much. 
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According to Paulo, Carmen was a single mother who provided for him for many years.

 
Paulo paid $29.12 or ₹2,010 for a life size standee of her mother, which made him believe that he was indeed with his mother during his special day.