Another special project of the Office of City Councilor LEX Tupas is the LEX ACP or the Labor Employment eXperience Alternative Career Program, now on its 4th year.

It all started in year 2008 as a joint project of my office and DepEd Iloilo City Schools Division. I thought of this project as a way of guiding young students particularly graduating 4th year high school students and graduating college students to choose the right and best fit course in college and career after their schooling. In short, it was a career guidance program. Who would be best to guide them I felt were those already enjoying and thriving in their chosen alternative careers. These are jobs that are not confined to the 8am-5pm regular working schedule.

For this year's LEX ACP yr 4, it was held in the Socials Hall of DepED Iloilo City Schools Division Compound last July 25. Even if it is already on its fourth year so many firsts for the project happened. It was the first time we held the project just barely a month from the start of the new school year. Usually, it was held before the graduation season. The reason why we started it early this year is because we wanted the students to have ample time to decide well and properly for their future. Another first was that the venue was standing room as the ground level and upper level of the socials hall were jam packed and full of about a thousand students in just one time for one event from the various public schools and some from private schools. For the past years, we had about four hundred to five hundred students per year but this time it was double the number. Furthermore, we limited the number of alternative careers and resource speakers to make sure that we had more time for the speakers and for a more fruitful seminar. The topics were about working in Theater by Mr. Kevin Piamonte, Business in the Information Technology Communication industry by Mr. Francis of Acclaim Internet Cafe and Broadcast Journalism by Carol Velagio of GMA TV Iloilo (also the media partner since LEX ACP started). Moreover, it was the very first time we had a lot of snacks, raffle and prizes for our guests and students courtesy of Mayor Jed Mabilog, Acclaim Internet Cafe, Deocampos Barquillos, Zip-O, Fruit Magic, AMA Computer College Jaro Branch and Tibia Fish Spa SM City Branch.

I am very thankful, blessed and happy of everyone's growing support for the project. We hope we have guided our young generation in making well thought of and well informed decisions that is critical in their success in school, career and their lives. We look forward to having thousands and thousands more of students next year as we continue this annual special project and it will be LEX ACP yr 5.