BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
PREVIOUSLY, public considered Bacolod City College (BCC) a “paaman nga eskwelahan”.
But 24 years after its “unwanted” conception and birth amid a political brouhaha in 1997, BCC now seems to be turning into one of the veritable “gems” in the “City of Smiles”.
Last week, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) conferred BCC with Institutional Recognition (IR) thru the annual “Gawad Parangal” held at Zuri Hotel in Iloilo City.
BCC was among the four out of 11 locally-operated colleges in Western Visayas that received such conferment. The others were Passi City College (PCC), Iloilo Community College (ICC) and La Carlota City College (LCCC).
What’s the essence of this IR? Why is it very important for BCC?
Councilor Renecito “Inoy” Novero, chair of the committee on education in the City Council, explains it has ripple effect(s) even to the very first graduates of BCC.
“All their diplomas will now automatically become ‘honored’ diplomas, which they can bring while job searching anywhere in the world.” This is because of the Special Order (SO) or authority which CHED granted to BCC to operate and offer various programs or courses.
In a phone interview, BCC administrator Dr. Johanna Rabago-Bayoneta can’t help but express her uncontainable enormous feeling of victory. She terms such conferment as a magnanimous victory for BCC and City Government of Bacolod.
“It’s an attestation of our hard work and good collaboration with city officials aimed at raising the standard of college education at BCC.”
“It wasn’t a waste after all!” she quips! “The IR is the best (advance) gift for BCC, which is turning 25 or silver next year, and for the people of Bacolod, too.”
Securing this IR from CHED is no ordinary triumph. It is like copping “gold” amidst great challenges, Bayoneta emphasizes. “As in nag-agi gid kami sa buho sang dagum.”
NO LONGER ‘HAO XIAO’
With the IR, Bayoneta says, BCC is now waving in the global community. And could no longer be branded as “hao xiao,” she adds.
Hao xiao in Chinese English Pinying Dictionary means laughable or ridiculous.
Aside from the IR, BCC, Bayoneta discloses, is also a recipient of the P350-million Site Development and Facilities Program by the city government. It includes the construction of two five-storey school buildings, a gymnasium, among other modern and state-of-the art facilities.
“Hopefully, by next year, all these will be completed,” she reveals.
These and more, of course, vivify BCC to the maximum level, “inspiring us to do more,” Bayoneta gushes.
BING’S ‘BABY’
BCC is, for everyone’s knowledge, Mayor Bing Leonardia’s “baby”. Hence, he is so happy, proud and elated about the IR.
Regarded as the “Father of BCC”, Bing, says Bayoneta, is also very much satisfied with what the school achieved.
Yes, BCC was a product of Bing’s dream that turned into a vision and (later) became a reality. Now, Bayoneta exclaims, BCC is larger than life! And fueling Bing’s dream, per history, was Inoy.
Inoy, a veteran legislator in the city, authored City Ordinance (CO) No. 175, series of 1997. It paved the way for the conception of BCC.
After the passage of CO 175, Bing on April 16, 1997 officially gave birth to BCC.
It started with only 135 enrollees in three of its maiden courses – Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT), Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and a Two-Year Secretarial Course.
Previously “squatting” at the Bacolod City National High School (BCNHS), BCC (really) struggled and juggled a lot until it found its permanent campus in Barangay Taculing.
This current School Year (SY) 2021-2022, it has 3, 116 enrollees in seven programs such as:
* Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEE)
*Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSE) with majors in Math, English and Filipino
* Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA)
* Bachelor of Science in Information System (BSIS)
* Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with major in Marketing Management
* Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship
* Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT) with majors in Civil and Electricity Technology
Says Bayoneta, BCC’s programs are now comparable with other private Higher Educational Institution (HEIs) in Bacolod.
The college is currently manned by a total of 166 full-time and part-time instructors.
In 2018, Inoy also authored another CO No. 851 vice his previous CO No. 175, purposely to comply with the stringent requirements imposed by CHED in operating a locally-funded educational institution.
TURNING INTO A ‘GEMMY’
Inoy is undeniably having both the “heart” and “soul” for education. This, as he believes that education is vital and fundamental in the survival of an individual.
Having BCC, he enunciates, “At least, we can help lessen or minimize the number of jobless parents in the city.”
“BCC is a life-long boon to our poor but deserving students in the city, literally ‘Skolar Ng Bayan’ as their school fees are now totally free.”
And with Bing’s formidable leadership and all-out support from the City Council headed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, BCC ‘s gradually turning into a “gemmy”.
The Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) also recognized BCC as No. 7 and No. 10 “Best Performing School” for BEE in the entire country in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Likewise, two of BCC’s graduates, Jason Asuelo and Ma. Fatima Ofrocio, also shone in the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
Asuelo, a BSE cum laude graduate, ranked as No. 14 while Ofrocio, a BEE cum laude, also landed in the nth spot.
What a feat indeed!
MOST POWERFUL WEAPON
Both Bing and Inoy, therefore, are “heroes” of BCC. Their desire to establish BCC was a “selfless” intent. It was basically aimed at setting up a school for the “poorest” of the poor but deserving college students.
Such desire, however, wasn’t “walk in the park”. BCC also suffered “birth pains” before. Bing was even ridiculed and BCC was regarded as “parutpot nga eskwelahan”.
Despite lots of vile criticisms, Bing never surrendered on BCC. His special intention(s) for the sake of BCC conformed to what American inventor, scientist and diplomat Benjamin Franklin enunciated: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
And it’s true! Sans publicity, Bing’s now reaping the “fruits” of his labor and sacrifices. The mayor, of course, is super proud of what BCC had achieved that no amount of politics can even disfigure such. And if former South African president Nelson Mandela is still alive, for sure he’ll congratulate Bing and Inoy for founding BCC.
Mandela’s mantra: “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world.”
Converting BCC from “infamous” to “famous” was, indeed, a noble execution by Bing’s past and current administration. Also, it signifies Bing’s “heroic” acts for the sake of education justly beyond question. Hence, for most Bacolodnons, “BCC is Bing! Bing is BCC!”
BCC is now Bing’s living and ineffaceable legacy that nobody can expunge. It’s his precious gift for Bacolodnons of yesterday, today and tomorrow./PN
