180 students march as Carcar college’s pioneer grads

CEBU, Philippines – Four years after its inception, the Carcar City College has produced 180 pioneering graduates.

The first batch of graduates included those who finished from the school’s five degree programs, namely Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Bachelor of Science in Fisheries, Bachelor in Public Administration and Bachelor of Science in Office Administration.

Candice Acuña, the city public information officer, said when the city college opened in 2011, it had 391 pioneering students, however, only 180 of them were able to finish last Saturday.

The city spends P8 million annually in running the college.

“I laud the mayor and city officials for establishing a city college which would help the less privileged youths of Carcar. They are truly blessed that they can have quality education at a very much lesser cost,” said lawyer Democrito Barcenas, one of the members of the school’s Board of Trustees.

Among the less privileged students who were given the opportunity to graduate were Lelit Lapatis, Mark Gellecania and Arnold Lapinid.

Lapinid graduated magna cum laude while Lapatis and Gellecania both earned cum laude honors.

Lapinid, who has a speech disability, was a working student. Meanwhile, Lapatis’ father is a trash collector and Gellecania a student by day and a shoe maker by night.

Mayor Nicepuro Apura, chairperson of the college’s BOT, commended the parents of the first graduates because of the sacrifices they made to send their children to school.

"I have always placed emphasis on the value and importance of education. I know from experience how hard life is but it’s even harder if you are an undergraduate. Fewer opportunities come your way.

“Often, poverty is a hindrance to education. It shatters the many dreams of our youth.  For this very reason, this administration established this institution four years ago just barely 11 months after my assumption in office as mayor of the city," Apura said in his message to the graduates.

Apura clarified that the Commission on Higher Education-7 has granted Carcar City College the authority to operate and offer five programs.

The authority to operate and to offer is contained in CHED-7 Order Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, series of 2014 dated June 30, 2014. They were issued by regional director Freddie Bernal.

Cebu first district Representative Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas also lauded Apura’s administration for establishing the school.

According to Gullas, it was his grandfather, former congressman Eduardo Gullas, who facilitated the establishment of a satellite college in Carcar, including those in the towns of San Fernando and Sibonga which are under the Cebu Technological University.