CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – “Insulting and unacceptable.”
Thus, the supreme student council of the City College of San Fernando, Pampanga called a legislative measure seeking the school’s conversion into a state college and its integration as a regular campus of the Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor town.
The student council is among stakeholders that raised their opposition to House Bill 4079 filed by Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales last Aug. 24. The CCSFP alumni association, faculty and employees’ association, and the school’s board of trustees also came out with separate position papers objecting to the bill that were collated and transmitted by Mayor Vilma B. Caluag to the office of Baguio Rep. Mark Go, chair of the House committee on higher and technical education on Sept. 27.
The position papers were uploaded on the Facebook page of the CSFP-City Information Office only on Nov. 12.
“The proponent of the bill, and the government in general, is detached from the school’s overall goal, the achievements of its administration, faculty, and students…done with neither the need of integration, upgrade into state college, nor greater budget,” read the student council’s position paper, citing numerous dialogs it conducted among students and even alumni.
For the alumni association, “the CCSFP’s identity must remain as it always has been committed to the Fernandino’s best interest – accessible to those who deserve it…its quality education top-notch, as evidenced by its LET and civil service passing rates.”
“Forcibly converting the school that the alumni and their families deeply love and support will not be taken lightly,” it warned. “Any attempt to distort the school’s identity is a slap to everyone’s face.”
It further called HB4079 as “absurd” and making the CCSFP an extension of DHVSU “out of line (as it) will obliterate its reputation as well as its culture and the pride of all the graduates.”
The faculty and employees’ association shared the same sentiments: “Integration to another institution is similar to eradicating CCSFP’s history, brand, culture and achievements.”
“CCSFP does not need any fixing at all as it is not broken,” it declared in its position paper.
Board objection
The conversion proposed by HB4079 for the CCSFP into a state college and its integration as mere campus of DHVSU “will not only divest the city a platform to offer free quality education (which seeks to alleviate the poor condition of Fernandinos through formal education) but will also veer away from the spirit of devolution which empowers local governments and ensures that decisions are made closer to the constituents, thereby improving the delivery of services.”
So read the position paper of the CCSFP board of trustees, even as it lamented that “no public consultations, or at the very least, consultations with the stakeholders (i.e. students, faculty, alumni, etc.) were held.”
In an apparent rebuke of HB4079 sponsor Gonzales, the board wrote: “Had there been consultations, the proposing body will (sic): (i) better understand and realize the value and contributions of the CCSFP to the City of San Fernando and its constituents; (ii) better understand the needs of the constituents; (111) and be able to shed light on the purpose of this legislation.”
Declaring that they hold nothing against Gonzales and expressing their admiration “for his desire to improve the educational system in Pampanga,” the board nonetheless wrote: “We truly cannot fathom why there is a need for the CCSFP to be converted and integrated to DHVSU, considering the success, stability, and ongoing developments of the CCSFP.”
The board of trustees’ position paper was signed by chair Mayor Vilma B. Caluag; vice chair Atty. Gloria Victorio-Banes, college administrator and president; Dr. Richard Daenos, Association of Local Colleges and Universities of the Philippines, president; Ma. Corazon Basilio, faculty and employees’ association president; Lawrence Pangilinan, alumni association president; Adrian Tumang, supreme student council president; and Atty. Oscar S. Rodriguez, private sector representative.
No signature was affixed above the name of city councilor Aurelio Brenz Gonzales, chair of the SP committee on education, and son of the HB4079 proponent.
Rodriguez was city mayor when the CCSFP college was established in 2009. Punto News Team
