Proposed city college to get foreign help

CEBU, Philippines — Foreign consulates have already expressed interest in providing training assistance to the soon to be established Cebu City College.

This prompted Mayor Edgardo Labella to ask the City Council to fast track the passage of an ordinance required in the establishment of the learning institution.

Labella revealed that foreign consulates will offer trainings for solid waste, water and traffic management as soon as the city college is established.

These programs are apart from the degree programs that will be offered in the city college which would include information technology and hotel and restaurant management as well as technical and vocational courses.

As president of the League of Cities in the Philippines, Labella learned that some small cities in the country even in Cebu Province have their own community or public college while Cebu City, a highly urbanized city, has none.

Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia assured that an ordinance required would be passed before the year ends.

Labella asked Garcia to let opposition Councilor Joy Augustus Young co-author the ordinance in recognition of the latter’s effort in sponsoring City Ordinance 2320, which created a supposed Cebu City College years ago.

Young’s ordinance, however, was more of a consortium with the Cebu Technological University since the city doesn’t have a facility.

“We want to stand alone,” said Garcia in proposing an amendment to the existing ordinance. 

Garcia accepted Labella’s request, saying that even other opposition councilors are welcome to co-author his proposed ordinance for the welfare of the Cebu City residents.

Garcia added that the proposed ordinance has already gone through a public hearing. The proposed ordinance creating the Cebu City College seeks to promote the right of all Cebuanos to quality education at all levels.

The proposed measure is now pending before the City Council’s committee on laws, ordinances, and styling for comments and recommendations.

Garcia’s proposal is among the 10 priorities of Labella. The old Ramos public market is eyed to temporarily house the city college.  FPL (FREEMAN)