Cebu Mayor Urges School to Reapply for Scholarship Accreditation After Council Rejection
In a significant development for education in Cebu City, Mayor Nestor Archival has called on the Asian College of Technology International Educational Foundation (ACTIEF) Pit-os Campus to resubmit its application for accreditation following a recent legislative setback. This move comes after the City Council narrowly rejected a proposal to include the campus in the city's scholarship program, citing missing documents and compliance issues as key reasons for the decision.
Close Vote Highlights Administrative Hurdles
The City Council voted 8–7 to reject a resolution that would have allowed the ACTIEF Pit-os Campus to join the city's scholarship network. Mayor Archival emphasized that the rejection was not due to a lack of merit in the school's educational programs but rather stemmed from deficiencies in documentation. He clarified that his office remains supportive of the school's entry into the program, provided it meets all legal and administrative standards.
Archival suggested that proponents of the measure refile the application once the necessary paperwork is gathered to avoid further disputes. This approach aims to streamline the process and ensure that all requirements are satisfied before moving forward with accreditation.
Strategic Importance for Upland Communities
The Pit-os campus is considered a vital location for residents of upland barangays, who often face high transportation costs when traveling to downtown universities. Mayor Archival highlighted that the strategic location makes tertiary education more affordable and accessible for students from the mountain areas of the city.
Including the campus in the scholarship program would directly benefit over 1,600 graduating senior high school students in these communities. By providing financial aid closer to home, the City aims to reduce the economic burden on families living far from the city center, thereby promoting educational equity and opportunity.
Site Inspection as a Crucial Step
One of the primary hurdles remaining for the school is a required site inspection by the Cebu City Scholarship Office (CCSO). Councilor Winston Pepito requested that the office expedite this process to finalize the memorandum of agreement between the City and the institution. In a letter to CCSO Executive Director Shirly Otadoy, Pepito stated that the inspection is a crucial step in the accreditation procedure.
Without a formal verification of the facilities and campus standards, the City Council remains hesitant to authorize the partnership. This underscores the importance of thorough administrative checks in ensuring that educational institutions meet the necessary criteria for public funding and support.
Legislative Path for Re-submission
The rejection of the initial resolution does not prevent the school from seeking accreditation again in the future. Mayor Archival urged Councilor Alvin Arcilla, sponsor of the original proposal, to revisit the measure and ensure that all concerns raised by the majority bloc are addressed.
These concerns included student welfare safeguards and conflict of interest issues that the council felt were not sufficiently documented. Once these administrative hurdles are cleared, the measure can be refiled for a new round of deliberations within the City Council, offering a pathway for the school to eventually gain inclusion in the scholarship program.
