Trouble in the TRAC

The Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College (TRAC) has a long history of leadership issues. Its quality of education has also been problematic.

For decades, the institution struggled with instability and weak governance. It is an SUC Level 1 institution, the lowest classification for state universities and colleges.

This is the reason why I decided to take over as chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of all public universities in the BASULTA region in 2022. I wanted to help the Sulu State College and Basilan State College become full-fledged state universities. I also wanted to contribute to improving the quality of education in TRAC.

The realities on the ground shocked me. Faculty members were teaching agriculture subjects even if they did not pass the PRC Agriculture Licensure Examination (ALE). Not surprisingly, the TRAC passing rate for the ALE over the past years has been very low.

The recruitment and promotion of faculty were also suspect. Many professors became permanent without vertically aligned academic credentials or lacked research publications.

As a result, all of its degree programs had no Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC). The deadline of COPC compliance under the PRC-CHED Joint Circular No. 1 has passed, and the students may be unable to take their licensure examinations.

But things were starting to turn around. For the first time, TRAC had a president who retired honorably and with a clean slate – a rare milestone in its institutional history. The BOT initiated a serious review of the appointment of new faculty members in compliance with CHED and civil service rules. The UPLB College of Agriculture included TRAC in its PHASE II ALE Review project and will explore a capacity-building project for the TRAC faculty.

Unfortunately, that momentum now appears to be stalling as the college finds itself once again entangled in allegations of nepotism, unethical leadership practices and questionable governance procedures.

I have been informed that several stakeholders have already lodged complaints before the Ombudsman for Mindanao seeking accountability on these issues.

The complainants reportedly accuse the newly-elected president of grave misconduct, dishonesty, malversation of public funds and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

At the heart of the controversy are appointments allegedly made by the president. Instead of selecting faculty who meet the standards of the CHED, relatives were reportedly appointed to positions for which they lacked the necessary qualifications.

The complainants claim that these appointees were installed despite the existence of more qualified faculty members with advanced degrees and professional eligibility. These acts, according to the complaints, not only show blatant nepotism but also put TRAC’s acquisition of the COPC in jeopardy. Students were further dismayed to discover that some classes were being handled by stand-ins, with appointed instructors failing to attend sessions.

Equally troubling are allegations that the Office of the President had been converted into a private residence. Photographs showing the president and the vice president for academic affairs in sleeping attire inside the office are now circulating. The complaints allege that this misuse of government property inflated electricity and water bills, turning a public office into a private convenience.

There were also complaints of students being compelled to pay an additional P800 during enrolment, with only P600 accounted for as the cost of a school shirt for the school’s founding anniversary. No official receipts were issued, contrary to government requirements on the collection of funds.

The complaints claim that this collection was not authorized or discussed in the BOT meetings, but was imposed solely upon the instruction of the college president through the VP for academic affairs.

The complaints also point to a drainage project beside the gymnasium that was constructed without Board approval or compliance with procurement laws. Instead of a transparent bidding process under RA 9184, a Memorandum of Agreement was supposedly entered into with a favored contractor. Stakeholders allege that this amounted to misuse of public funds, malversation and violations of anti-graft statutes.

Equally troubling is the contention that the president unilaterally replaced the TRAC Board secretary without complying with CHED guidelines. The Board secretary was reappointed during the first quarter TRAC Board meeting. Under CHED rules, Board secretaries serve the Board, not the president, and are coterminous with the newly elected president.

The recent events highlight the fragility of public trust when leaders are perceived, rightly or wrongly, as poor stewards of education and resources. For the students, faculty and parents who invested their hopes in the college, these accusations, if not resolved, will cast a long shadow that will affect the credibility of TRAC as an educational institution.

The public expectation is always simple: accountability, transparency, compliance with government rules and a return to the values that make higher education a public trust.

These grievances must be investigated with dispatch by the ombudsman, the TRAC Board of Trustees and CHED. The president’s side on the accusations must be heard to ensure that due process is observed.

Until these matters are resolved, the story of TRAC will not be one of improving academic quality but of more troubles – troubles that undermine its mission and jeopardize the dreams of students to complete their education and have a better life.