For 1,300 students of the City College of Angeles, the completion and blessing of the school is also the fulflilment of their dreams and would definitely make them proud to be in it for most of the school day.
But more than just an edifice, for Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan the CCA is a realization of his dream to provide the city’s youth with education to help better their lives and those of succeeding generations of youth.
With this new school, both the youth from marginalized families and those who lack the drive to pursue undergraduate degrees will be encouraged to do so, if only for the pride to be among its first “occupants.”
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The inauguration of CCA saw the attendance of local officials, business leaders, academic leaders and the school’s staff and students and their parents, the judiciary, the police and other guests.
CCA Board of Trustee, businessman Reghis Romero II, emphasized the value of good education citing national hero Jose Rizal’s words: “the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow.”
Keynote speaker Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President/ CEO Arthur Tugade congratulated Mayor Pamintuan for giving reality to the truism that there is no substitute for a good education. “If you want a chance in life be educated. If you want to progress be educated.”
Tugade, who confided his lowly past as coming from a squatters’ area in Manila, told students to face head-on their poverty as they strive for a good education. “My friends don’t let go,” he said.
He also challenged city officials: “Fo so long as there is one child that is out of school we have not done our job.”
At this point, let me also congratulate the leadership of Mayor EDPAM for completing this school and providing another reason to keep on striving for a better tomorrow.
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There is one hitch to the CCA though. I wish Mayor EDPAM was more discriminating and thorough in screening the person to head the CCA. He must have tasked his chief of staff or his trusted men to research on the background of his choice of president for CCA. He must have set qualities like moral ascendancy, leadership and organizational excellence and intellect in choosing the president of CCA.
His selection of Averell Laquindanum, who has pending charge of child abuse filed by his former female student with the Department of Justice in Manila since last year, will definitely compromise the security of college girls.
The case is still pending for resolution at the sala of Prosecutor Alejo of DOJ. This case definitely does not speak well of his moral uprightness.
Maybe the Mayor and the City Council should review the appointments of officials to the CCA so that only those deserving and capable of meeting the responsibilities of the office will be put in the right place.
Being a government post, one of the criteria in filling up positions of trust is that the person does not have any pending criminal or administrative cases in any court or office.
If anyone asks me, I would say Dr. Marietta Gaddi, now vice president of CCA for academic affairs, deserves and is qualified for the presidency of CCA.
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Previously, the CCA was located at the City Library along Sto. Entierro St. in Barangay Sto. Rosario until its transfer to the new site. The CCA now has 1,300 enrollees and 37 full-time instructors and 10 part-time teachers.
Of the 1,300 enrollees 450 are full scholars of the city government.
The new courses offered at CCA include Bachelor of Sciences (BS) in Computer Science, Information Systems, Tourism Management, Physical Education and Bachelor of Technical Teacher Education major in Food and Service Management.
The CCA also has an authority from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to offer bachelor degree courses since 2012.
