School under Dr. Cabahug: One of two MCCs gets CHED's okay

CEBU, Philippines – The order of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) granting authority to the Mandaue City Government to operate the college under Dr. Susana Cabahug still would not stop the other college with the same name from operating.

Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete, director of the Mandaue City College based in barangay Tipolo assured their graduates and students that they have nothing to worry.

He said that the Mandaue City College under him was created based on a city ordinance.

Last September 14, the CHED granted authority to the MCC under Dr. Cabahug after it complied with all the requirements set by the commission.

There are two schools with the same name operating after Cañete continued to operate the college under him when Mayor Jonas Cortes assumed office in 2007. Cañete was installed as head of the MCC by former mayor Thadeo Ouano.

Cañete said that the authority granted by CHED does not really legalize the college under Cabahug.

"A memo is not higher than ordinance unless proven by law nga illegal mi or else we will file a case of contemptuous act sa CHED kay ang balaod ra gyud maoy makapa-legal ug illegal," he told The FREEMAN.

He added that he did not even receive any letter or call from the CHED Director requesting them to comply with the requirements.

"I don't even know her since from the start wa gani mi niya gi-recognized (sic) unya nganong mo-comply man mi?"

The school under Cabahug is based at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

Mayor Cortes, who is also Chairman of the School Board, said the legitimate college would have a one school, one campus policy.

"Pwede na ma-announce that city college under Dra. Cabahug is legitimate under CHED Memo 32 S. 2006… Ang pikas college is deception where parents and students kay nangailad," he said.

But Cañete retorted that their graduates have to comply with the requirements of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) in order for them to be allowed to take the Nursing Licensure Examinations.

He said that CHED should first resolve the similar names of the two schools before asking for requirements.

The controversy of both colleges started when Cañete filed an injunction case against Cabahug, Mayor Cortes and education officials but was dismissed by Regional Trial Court Judge Marilyn Yap, in an order issued December 28.

The petition sought to relieve him as president of the school pending investigation into several anomalies at the college, and later due to the expiry of his appointment as president of the school on December 31, 2006.

Yap validated several resolutions and memorandums issued by the board of trustees, one of which directed Cañete to cease and desist from exercising his function as president of the college and designating Cabahug as the officer-in-charge.

Cañete was relieved pending investigation into the school's failure to release the salaries of the school's faculty.

Cortes said that both colleges were given a time frame to comply with the requirements, but only the college under Cabahug complied and that the other could be considered as illegitimate.

He added that officials of MCC of Cañete should be members of the council and he also does not have the right to construct an extension of the establishment since it does not have a consent and authority from the council.

The official city college has 429 students enrolled for first semester this year while the Tipolo MCC has 1000 students.

It also covers eights degree programs except engineering courses, nursing and graduate school programs.

Cabahug further said that they will accept students who want to transfer from the "illegitimate" city college to the official city college but they must choose from available courses.

Atty. Briccio Boholst, the Mandaue City administrator, is now checking on the pertinent documents to see the grounds on how to officially close the other city college. - /NLQ (FREEMAN)