THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) has officially confirmed Dr. Joey Rivamonte as administrator of Mandaue City College (MCC), marking a major step forward for the City’s bid to secure Institutional Recognition (IR) from the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
City Administrator Gonzalo “Sally” Malig-on said the City took extra care in conducting the search process to ensure due diligence and compliance with all legal and procedural requirements.
“We really made sure to do the search process properly and with full due diligence,” Malig-on said. “We’re happy to share that the Civil Service Commission issued the confirmation approval for Dr. Joey Rivamonte last Monday.”
Following the confirmation, Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano signed a letter addressed to Ched Central Visayas Director Dr. Maura Consolacion, informing the agency of the appointment and submitting the confirmation document, one of the last requirements needed for MCC’s IR.
“This letter to Ched completes the final requirement for Institutional Recognition, which the city needs to reapply for the Unifast program,” Malig-on said.
“Once we successfully complete this process, Mandaue City College will qualify again for Unifast, which covers free tuition for students,” he added.
Malig-on said the City Government has prioritized the Unifast application because it would save the local government around P40 million in education costs, with Ched covering tuition expenses.
Two acting college administrators appointed by the previous administration were not confirmed by the CSC due to issues in publication and procedural violations.
Dr. Rivamonte, who had also served as acting administrator before the new administration assumed office, was among those whose earlier appointment lapsed after one year.
“His first appointment was disapproved because of a publication error and a rule that restricted his appointment within a year after serving in Ched,” Malig-on said. “That appointment expired in July. Based on the recommendation of the mayor’s legal team, it was not extended because of those defects.”
The City then reopened the search process, where Rivamonte again emerged as the most qualified candidate.
“He was already serving as officer-in-charge at MCC, and the previous issues were not his fault. Now that all the defects have been corrected, the mayor reappointed him based on the recommendation of the Board of Trustees and this time, he was finally confirmed by the CSC,” Malig-on added.
Malig-on also said that the search process was fast-tracked because of the tight deadline.
The City has until October 17 to complete all requirements for MCC’s IR, which is also necessary to qualify for Unifast.
“Remember that MCC was almost ordered to close last year,” he said.
“They applied for program accreditation and a Certificate of Program Compliance, and the only thing missing now is the Institutional Recognition, which is crucial for the Unifast grant,” he added.
‘Long wait is over’
Dr. Rivamonte, now officially recognized as college administrator, expressed his happiness and relief after the long wait for approval.
“I’m so happy that after everything, it’s finally done. We received the CSC approval, and we immediately forwarded it to Ched because that was the last missing requirement for our Institutional Recognition,” he said.
He confirmed that the requirement was submitted to Ched 7 on October 15, 2025, and that it has already been forwarded to the Ched Central Office for processing.
“They will now review everything again and check if there are still any missing documents. Once they approve it, we can proceed with our Unifast application,” he said.
Rivamonte said MCC’s Unifast application will be based on the number of enrolled students and will likely take effect by the next semester starting January 2026.
“The National Government will shoulder the tuition fees. Once approved, we’ll process the billing per student, and Ched will pay the corresponding amount,” he explained.
Plans for MCC
As the newly confirmed administrator, Rivamonte shared his plans for MCC, focusing on strengthening administrative processes and preparing for future developments.
“My first goal is to follow the direction and mandate of the local government,” he said. “We’ll streamline our payroll processes, finalize the Institutional Recognition, complete the Unifast application, and coordinate with the LGU for the construction of the new Mandaue City College building.”
He added that MCC currently has around 2,700 students and that new academic programs will be introduced once the new college building is completed.
“This is an important milestone not only for MCC but for all our students,” Rivamonte said.
“We’ll continue to work hard to make sure Mandaue City College becomes stronger and more sustainable in the years ahead,” he added. (ABC)