CEBU, Philippines - Graduating students of Talisay City College have nothing to worry about if they cannot attend the graduation exercises scheduled by appointed officer-in-charge Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete on Monday.
This according to acting TCC president Ritchel Bacaltos, who already submitted to the Commission on Higher Education yesterday afternoon the list of 718 students confirmed graduates during last Wednesday's commencement rites.
Bacaltos said the endorsement to CHED is important in the students' processing of documents for the purpose of taking Professional Regulation Commission board examinations.
"I strongly believe CHED will acknowledge this official list of graduates of TCC by virtue of the authority given to me by the TCC Board of Trustees," Bacaltos said in an interview with The FREEMAN.
According to Bacaltos, based on the minutes of the closed-door meeting of the BOT last week, CHED regional director Freddie Bernal, sitting as a board member, asked Bacaltos if he was duly appointed by the board as college president, to which Bacaltos answered "yes."
Bacaltos confirmed that Bernal asked him to submit his appointment papers to the board.
"Regional Director Bernal asked my papers during the meeting, which I submitted and showed to him. These are all legal documents," Bacaltos said.
Under BOT Resolution Nos. 21 and 24, the members of the board approved the appointment of Bacaltos as acting college president.
Bacaltos said parents and students, especially those planning to take the Licensure Examinations for Teachers this July, have nothing to worry about the diplomas in the event that Mayor Johnny De los Reyes, who appointed Cañete, chooses not to affix his signature thereon.
He said the diplomas can be signed by the college president, school registrar and a college consortium. The consortium will be composed of Cebu Normal University for education courses and Cebu Technological University for industrial degrees.
Regional Director Bernal earlier pointed out that he will abide by what has been stipulated in the city ordinance.
"I will explain it to the mayor if he will come to my office," Bernal said. (FREEMAN)