EDUCATION
Many times, a lack of transparency gives away the rotten acts that need to be hidden from scrutiny before the lawful authorities in government. And the case of Mandaue City College-Ibabao smells stinky even from afar.
The Mandaue City College, located in Ibabao-Estancia and that Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete administered, has been ordered close by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on the ground that it "is operating higher education programs without legal basis and (is) not in compliance with the policies, standards and guidelines" of the Commission. Cañete was an appointee of former mayor Thadeo Ouano.
Executive Director Julito Vitriolog signed the closure order. But when representatives from CHED central office, CHED Central Visayas, and the Office of the Solicitor General came to the campus to serve the order, Cañete ordered the security guard to bar the officials from entering the campus. After a heated confrontation with the MCC officials in the gate, the representatives posted the order at the front of the MCC school building to meet the serving requirement.
Two MCCs exist in Mandaue City. The other MCC operates at Don Andres Soriano Avenue. And according to CHED, this MCC has complied with the Commission's requirements.
When current mayor Jonas Cortes demanded financial accounting report from MCC-Ibabao in 2007, the school officials refused to submit the report, forcing the mayor to order the school closed. A case before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas still waits for a resolution. (See the report.)
If MCC Administrator Cañete has nothing to hide before the Mandaue City government, why not provide the requested financial accounting to the city executive? If she believes that MCC-Ibabao is legit, why not face CHED squarely and answer the charges of inadequate compliance of standards and requirements?
These behaviors unbecoming of an appointed government official must be stopped to weed the field of government service from unwieldy servants like these MCC-Ibabao officials. My sympathy goes to its 500 students that may have to switch schools at mid-semester to ensure they spend time in schoole with valid credits. But getting back what they paid the school may not be without problems.
A disappointing situation, but a necessary action from a government that needs some cleaning in their ranks to do.
UPDATE
On 04 December 2010, Cañete said she will be filing charges against CHED and the Mandaue City government for closing the school [Read report]. In short, she will be sueing the government supervising agencies for closing the school. The question is: on what ground? Subordinate offices are and will always be subject to its supervising agencies.
I now begin to feel that Cañete seems to believe that she owns the school, and the not the Mandaue City government directly. It is also almost certain that she feels she works for herself as the "owner" of MCC-Ibabao instead of being an appointed government employee assigned as an administrator of a government institution.
Indeed, it is fascinating how self-interest (and perhaps self-preservation too) can convince people what to think even if these thoughts are very far from the truth.
UPDATE
On 04 December 2010, Cañete said she will be filing charges against CHED and the Mandaue City government for closing the school [Read report]. In short, she will be sueing the government supervising agencies for closing the school. The question is: on what ground? Subordinate offices are and will always be subject to its supervising agencies.
I now begin to feel that Cañete seems to believe that she owns the school, and the not the Mandaue City government directly. It is also almost certain that she feels she works for herself as the "owner" of MCC-Ibabao instead of being an appointed government employee assigned as an administrator of a government institution.
Indeed, it is fascinating how self-interest (and perhaps self-preservation too) can convince people what to think even if these thoughts are very far from the truth.
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