The newly opened Camalig Community College (CComC) is providing 120 pioneer students with free tuition and access to higher education in their hometown, while preparing them for opportunities in the construction and development sectors.
CComC, the first collegial institution established in Camalig, Albay, formally opened on Monday at the Camalig Training Center in Barangay Salugan, initially offering the Bachelor of Engineering Technology major in Construction Engineering Technology.
The PHP65 million community college is financed through the Local Government Support Fund.
Camalig Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo Jr. said the college would help ease the financial burden on families whose children need to travel to Legazpi City or other areas to pursue higher education.
“This is very important to us because one of the problems for mothers is where they will send their children to study. If they study in Legazpi, there are huge expenses for transportation, food, and housing or boarding,” Baldo said in an interview.
He said these expenses could prevent some students from finishing their education.
“But here at the community college, many young people will be given the opportunity to study, finish their education, and help their families,” he said.
Baldo said the initial course offering was based partly on the results of a survey conducted among senior high school students in the municipality.
He said the program would also meet the manpower needs of construction and development projects in the area.
“Every development project needs people in construction, not only construction workers but also those who can move into higher positions in construction development,” he said.
The mayor said the local government plans to gradually expand the college’s course offerings to meet the community’s needs.
“We want to add more courses every year,” Baldo said, adding that the local government worked with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to expedite the college’s application.
He also thanked the Ako Bicol Party-list and other individuals and agencies involved in establishing the college, including Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, whom he said helped the local government follow up on its CHED application.
Engr. Janet Naag, supervising education program specialist of CHED Bicol, said the opening represents the collective effort of people who believe that quality higher education should be accessible to young people.
“This day represents the determination of many people who believe that quality higher education should not be a distant dream for our young people,” Naag said during the opening ceremony.
Naag also encouraged students, teachers, and staff to uphold values such as unity, excellence, and integrity as they begin the college’s first school year.
For 20-year-old Hart Lomibao of Barangay Anoling, the opening of the college means he can pursue his dream of completing tertiary education without having to travel far from home.
“This is important to me and to us because the school is just nearby, and I can continue pursuing my dream,” Lomibao said.
Lomibao, one of the 120 pioneer students enrolled in the construction engineering technology program, said the free tuition and the school’s proximity would also help his family save on transportation expenses.
The opening was marked by a blessing of the college’s facilities and the formal start of classes, attended by local government officials, CHED representatives, and other government officials. (PNA)
