THE Ramos Public Market could be the temporary location of the Cebu City College (CCC).
Mayor Edgardo Labella said the City has enough funds to remodel and renovate the market.
The City Government has yet to decide whether to construct the school at the South Road Properties or on a two-hectare lot in Barangay Lorega-San Miguel.
These will push through if the City Council approves the ordinance authored by Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who seeks the creation of the CCC.
In an earlier interview, Garcia said vendors at the Ramos market would be transferred to other markets within the city.
Garcia said the transfer would not be difficult as there are only few vendors at the market.
He said the City eyed to put up the temporary CCC at the Ramos Public Market as there is a space inside the market unoccupied by the vendors.
Considering Cebu City is a highly urbanized area, Labella said there is a need to fast-track the realization of the CCC. Other big cities in the country, he said, already have a college of their own.
During the 12th Cebu City Council, then councilor Joy Young authored City Ordinance 2320 establishing the CCC but with only a nursing degree program. However, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) asked the Council to repeal the measure as it contains provisions that are now inapplicable and violate the Ched’s present standards and guidelines.
The City Legal Office (CLO) agreed with the findings.
“It is our considered view that the City Ordinance 2320 is no longer applicable nor consistent to the present intention and thrust of the City Council and policy of Mayor Edgardo Labella to establish and operate a regular college, not only limited to technical and vocational programs or courses through consortium. There are also provisions in the existing ordinance that are no longer in conformity with the present Ched policies, standards, and guidelines on the establishment and operation of local colleges,” read a portion of CLO’s opinion.
City Ordinance 2320 only created a nursing degree program. It has a provision on the CCC absorbing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing offered by the Cebu City Medical Center-College of Nursing.
Labella has been seeking foreign experts through their consular offices to help the City design its courses that would address its pressing problems—solid waste, flood and traffic.
The mayor would also want the CCC to offer courses that deal with environmental management, water systems, nutrition science, hospital administration, caregiving, welding, hotel and service industry, sustainable farming and robotics.
Labella wants the college to cater to less privileged students.
Before Garcia started to draft the new CCC ordinance, Labella said they had series of discussions with Ched Commissioner Prospero de Vera III and the Ched 7 director.
The Garcia-authored ordinance is awaiting approval by the Council, and Labella is appealing to the councilors to “take a very objective look” on the matter.
Councilor Young had opposed Garcia’s measure as he wanted City Ordinance 2320, which he authored, to be the basis for the creation of the college.
“I hope that the Council will understand our sincere effort that, once and for all, by all means, we shall have a Cebu City College,” Labella said. “Let us set aside partisan posturing so we can provide education to our poor (constituents).” (JJL)