RAFI opens ICT Center of Excellence in Liloan

CEBU, Philippines — Aiming to enhance the competitiveness of Senior High School learners, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Education Development Unit (RAFI-EDU) officially launched Cebu’s first public Information and Computer Technology (ICT) Center of Excellence.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Liloan National High School Annex- Don Bosco Campus on Nov. 12 this year.

It was graced by DepEd 7 Director Juliet Jeruta, Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco, and Cebu Port Authority (CPA) Commissioner Duke Frasco.

Also present were Fr. Ronel Vilbar and Fr. Marco Bollozos, school administrator, and Liloan National High School Principal Hipolito Pegarido, RAFI Vice President for Social Development Atty. James Abadia and RAFI-EDU Executive Director Ernesto Alix.

The ICT Center for Excellence will be a fully-equipped facility of learning designed for senior high school learners taking up Technical Vocational Track (TVL) in Information Computer Technology programming.

The project is expected to be finished in May 2019 just in time for school year 2019-2020 and the first batch of senior high school students can avail of the facilities of the project.

Mayor Frasco said in her speech that the center will offer the senior high school students of Liloan “a world-class learning facility with the highest degree of instruction in ICT, with participation from the ICT industry itself.”

She also said that the facility reaffirms the local government’s commitment to education and fulfills their goal of making Liloan a “dynamic hub” for the ICT industry where students and professionals thrive.

“The fulfillment of this dream is the product of years of cooperation and collaboration between Liloan, RAFI, DepEd VII, and Don Bosco,” she added.

Jeruta highlighted that the project is an outstanding example of a public-private project collaboration where everyone contributes.

RAFI-EDU’s Ernesto Alix said that this project will provide senior high school students an edge on employment or entrepreneurship in the ICT industry. 

The school building and technology solutions will be provided by RAFI, who will co-chair the ICT Center Governing Council with DepEd.

The council will be responsible in creating policies which includes Research and Development to retain a relevant and industry-aligned curriculum, development of teachers, industry linkages, and provision of subject-matter experts.  — MBG (FREEMAN)