The opening day of the 3rd National COCOPEA Congress was well-attended by participants of member schools of the association throughout the country. The Congress was headed by the presidents of the different member-associations: Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos of CEAP, Dr. Jose Paulo E. Campos of PAPSCU, Dr. Vicente K. Fabella of PACU, Dr. Ben S. Malayang III of ACSCU, and Dr. Constancio A. Sia of TEVSAPHIL. Opening salvo was a soulful rendition of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Chorale for the doxology and the singing of the Philippine national anthem.
Loaded with distinguished speakers from both private and government sector, the speeches were centered on the theme, Electing Excellence: COCOPEA Congress on the State of Philippine Education.
The Hon. CHED Chairman, Atty. Emmanuel Y. Angeles presented CHED’s contribution to the private sector, the funding of researches and training of faculty members. Similarly, he called for HEIs to adopt its own Admission Exam and to submit member –schools of COCOPEA to Accreditation to achieve quality education. The chair also accentuated the significance of adding 2 years to basic education to meet international standards.
The DepEd perspective presented by the Hon. Jesli A. Lapus raised the issue of achieving quality education vis-à-vis the limited government funding, the need to have high school graduates who are prepared for tertiary education, to elect future leaders who will take education its priority with transparency and accountability.
Dr. Milagros D. Hernandez of TESDA dished out the 3 essential roles of the agency which include poverty alleviation, employment, and training. Its goals are to seek, to find, to train, and to facilitate employment to our future working force.
Representing as chair of the Presidential Task Force for Education, Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres reflected on the number of college graduates who cannot find jobs after finishing their degree programs while at the same time many jobs are in search of competent and qualified applicants. The dream of the majority of Filipino families “na makaahon sa kahirapan” and to have our young people succeed in moving through basic education and post-secondary so as to have a productive career and a good future is the agency’s main goal in the stream of the Philippine Main Education.
Ending the morning session was the private sector perspective echoed by Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, chair of COCOPEA. Dr. Malayang believed that education is a collaborative interplay of four key players: the seekers, the users, the investors and the regulators. Each player has three that have to be addressed: employability, quality, and affordability.
In the said event, Emilio Aguinaldo College sent its management team and a number of professors who were tasked to write and publish the congress news letter that was distributed in the second day of the event, this were Dr. Valentino Baac (Director OPMS), Atty. Joseph Estrada (Legal and HRD Director) Dr. Melchor Julianes (School of Education), Dr. Eduardo Senajon (School of Science), Prof. Ariel Sison (School of Engineering and Technology), Prof. Armando E. Paras (EAC Publication and Magdalo Publication), Prof. Randy Delfino (Psychology Chair) and Prof. Wilberto Mayol (SLA College Secretary).
In the second day, a workshop was conducted on COCOPEA Regionalization and Plan of Action entitled Strengthening COCOPEA in the regions and synergizing local action to address issues affecting Philippine Education, this was followed by the presentation of resolutions led by Col. Alejandro T. Escaño President MFI Foundation and synthesis of congress paper presentations and events delivered by Dr. Jose Paulo E. Campos, EAC President and the closing remark by Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, Ed.D..
(by Dr. Eduardo Senajon/School of Science and eaparas/EAC Publication)