Cebu City Council Rejects Scholarship Plan for ACTIEF-Pit-os Campus in Narrow Vote
The Cebu City Council has officially rejected a proposal to include the Asian College of Technology International Education Foundation (ACTIEF) Pit-os Campus in its city scholarship program. The decision came after a narrow 8–7 vote, concluding months of intense debate and leaving hundreds of students from mountain barangays searching for alternative ways to finance their college education.
A Plan to Assist Upland Students
The rejected proposal, authored by Councilor Alvin Arcilla, aimed to provide significant financial support to students from northern mountain barangays. Under the plan, eligible students would have received up to P10,000 per semester for tuition fees, along with an annual travel allowance of P10,000.
Supporters of the proposal argued that including the Pit-os campus would offer substantial benefits to upland students. Given its proximity to mountain areas, the campus would reduce the high costs and lengthy travel times associated with commuting to downtown universities. This would make higher education more accessible and affordable for students from remote communities.
The City Government would have managed the scholarship funds, while ACTIEF-Pit-os was expected to admit the scholars and provide regular academic progress reports. This structure aimed to ensure accountability and support for student success.
Legal and Ethical Concerns Lead to Rejection
Despite the potential benefits, the council's majority bloc opposed the proposal due to serious legal and ethical issues. Councilor Mikel Rama, who led the review process, highlighted a significant conflict of interest. ACTIEF is owned by the family of Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa, and under existing laws, the government faces restrictions on entering into agreements with businesses connected to sitting officials.
The review committee also identified critical gaps in the required documentation. The school had not demonstrated full accreditation by the city's scholarship committee, and it lacked records proving that its graduates passed board exams at rates above the national average. These omissions raised questions about the institution's eligibility and academic standards.
Past corruption issues further influenced the decision. Although a previous criminal case involving the school was dismissed, council members emphasized the need for caution with taxpayer money. They noted that a dismissed case does not necessarily eliminate ethical concerns, underscoring the importance of maintaining transparency and integrity in public spending.
High Emotions and Political Tensions
The council meeting was marked by high emotions and political tensions. Students from the ACTIEF-Pit-os campus attended to show their support, and some were visibly distraught, crying after the council voted against the proposal.
Councilor Rama described the situation as "heartbreaking" and expressed concern that the students might have been brought to the meeting to pressure the council for political reasons. In response, Councilor Arcilla defended the students, stating that they were present to advocate for their education due to limited school options in their area.
Approval of 22 Other Schools
While the ACTIEF-Pit-os campus was rejected, the city's scholarship program remains operational. In a separate action, the council unanimously approved 22 other partner schools for the program.
Upland students who had hoped to attend ACTIEF-Pit-os will now need to choose from among these 22 approved institutions. The council's decision, made to uphold ethical standards, means that many mountain-area students will face the challenging reality of traveling greater distances and incurring higher costs to pursue their degrees.
