Talisay college appoints new prexy

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City College Board of Trustees announced a new acting president with the temporarily appointment of Dr. Joseph Sol Galleon, the associate dean of Cebu Normal University.

In the recent BOT meeting held at the Commission on Higher Education main office in Lahug, CHED-7 Regional Director Freddie Bernal informed the members that their request to let him takes over as acting president of the school was denied by CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan.

Bernal temporarily took over the management of TCC last May after the city college was into limelight when there are two personalities claiming to be the legitimate president.

The TCC Board of Trustees is supporting then acting president Ritchel Bacaltos but Talisay Mayor Johnny De los Reyes appointed Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete to the post. Since then, the college has been caught in the middle of a tug of war, including its graduation rites and enrollment.

The BOT members, however, decided unanimously to let CHED take over. The body believes the current dilemma can only be resolved if CHED takes over the affairs of the school.

In effect, CHED Regional Director Freddie Bernal will sit as officer-in-charge of the college.

But Bernal said he could not continue to sit as the acting president because their main office will not allow him to take the position.

Instead, Bernal temporarily appointed Galleon as officer-in-charge, which the BOT approved his appointment.

City Councilor Richard Francis "Choy" Aznar, the city council chairman of the committee on education and one of the BOT, said that a full-time officer-in-charge should sit at the city college.

"We understand that Director Bernal is handling more than 100 school colleges and universities in the whole Central Visayas and we believe that the denial of our request was valid," Aznar said.

The TCC board has 11 members with the mayor as chairman, the college president as vice chairman, Cebu first district Representative Gerald Anthony Gullas as honorary member and Talisay City District Superintendent Woodrow Denuyo as board secretary.

Other members include the chairman of the committee on education, the chairman of the committee on budget and finance, the president of Cebu Normal University, the president of Cebu Technological University, the regional director of CHED, the city treasurer, and the president of the Talisay Chamber of Commerce. (FREEMAN)