This Student Brought A Standee Cutout Of His Late Mum To His Graduation Ceremony

20-year-old Filipino Paulo John Alinsog graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the Lyceum of the Philippines University on 16 July.

According to Coconuts Manila, Paulo attended the graduation ceremony together with a standee cutout of his mother, Carmen at the Philippine International Convention Centre (PICC) in Pasay City.

"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," Paulo wrote in his tweet, as translated by Coconuts Manila. 

The 20-year-old also shared photos he had taken with his late mother's standee at the graduation ceremony. 

The tweet has since gathered over 4,700 retweets and 47,900 likes. 

According to Paulo, Carmen was a single mother who provided for him for many years.

“She was a single parent [for a few years]. She sent me to private schools. And we were very close to each other,” said Paulo.

“My mother didn’t ask my stepfather to send me to college. All of the money came from her and my aunts who helped out," the graduate added. 

According to Mothership.sg, Paulo also asked the company to ensure that the standee was his mother's height, 5'2 tall.

"When the standee was delivered to me, I cried because I thought it was real. I thought it was beautiful and creepy at the same time,” said the 20-year-old graduate.

“When I brought it to my graduation, I was so happy because I really felt I was with my mum,” he added.