Yesterday our item about the Bacolod City College (BCC) Scandal was inadvertently cut.
No wonder, as we were covering events at Don Salvador Benedicto (DSB) town, we got calls and messages on what was it all about since there wass no continuation. We understand the thirst for the entire story. While BCC had been annually topping teacher’s licensure examinations and kept on achieving higher ratings as far as graduates are concerned, part-timers and regulars at BCC already have ideas about the non-continuation of their services next school year. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is strictly imposing the requirement that only those with masteral degrees are qualified to teach in colleges, and so at the city government-run institution. * * *. We also know that the BCC administration has started dismissing those not qualified. We don’t have the figures but we were told that a lot of teaching personnel will be displaced next school year, and it is expected that prior to the March, 2011 closure of the school year BCC will announce vacancies for those with masteral. * * * Before we touch on the most-sought-after tickets to last night’s Azkal-Blue Wolves football match at Panaad, here was the entire column we wrote about BCC: * * * WE HEARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND NOW we are hearing a lot again about this Bacolod City College or BCC scandal. We heard of this "BCC Scandal" for the first time from some local education officials, then from Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran and now from more people in the know. It’s not the scandal that involves sex or any immorality. It is a scandal that might have far-greater influence and put at stake the future of students and possibly graduates, of BCC. * * * We heard again and we are still trying to reach more authorities on this, that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) had been writing BCC officials about its deficiencies in meeting the standards for a college institution. It’s been three years now, we were told, that BCC’s attention was being called but still without serious reforms. Now, we again were told, BCC might finally be a candidate for closure for not meeting the required staffing mandated for a college institution to comply with. * * * Why were BCC officials and also City Hall lords, seemed undisturbed by the "notices" about the college’s failure to comply with requirements? What will happen now to the previous graduates and the students as far as the validity of their schooling? What now BCC? * * * We do not want to speculate. We just hope that this time some efforts to comply with the CHED requirements will be done before the final dealine. BCC has helped lots of parents send their kids to college and has even assisted more indigents finish courses. However, if BCC continues to ignore complying with requirements, the dreams of thousands more of aspiring indigent Bacolodnons will go to naught. * * * FORMER BACOLOD CONGRESSMAN Monico Puentevella, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman who publicly acknowledged that he helped realize the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiying match between Team Philippines and Team Mongolia here last night - which the Azkals won 2-0, got the flak for the "missing free tickets". Although understandably he was not to be blamed for the ticket fiasco, he was blamed by many because he was very much visible behind the preparations for the football match. * * * From our DSB trip back to Bacolod yesterday afternoon we dropped by Panaad Park in Mansilingan. We met a huge crowd complaining about the free tickets. Many of them said they were at the park and stadium as early as 4 in the morning to make sure they get free tickets as promised. * * * It was no other than Supt. Jefferson Descallar, who was leading teams of policemen maintaining peace and order in the park, who told us that there was a "near-riot" or upheaval because scores (did we hear it right, hundreds or thousands?) of people were already there, some as early as 4 a.m., for the promised tickets that turned out to be negative later in the day. Some opted to remain hoping tickets will be made available despite the announcements that came late, we found out. * * *. Following the frustrations, we heard some shouting the name of ex-Bacolod Rep. Puentevella being blamed for the "unfulfilled free tickets". Many were swearing because while they were there wasting their time for the free tickets that were not, they said, a lot of people there were also selling tickets! * * * While our car was exiting Panaad park, we received text messages saying "Gud day. Where did the free tickets for the Azkals go? POC chairman Monico Puentevella received 5000 bleacher, 3000 tickets to the province of Negros Occidental, 1000 to the sponsors and 1000 to other provinces, Pls pass." We are giving space to former Rep. Monico to answer such allegations. * * * Perhaps, because he was the most prominent among those who spoke about the match, he was also perceived to be behind the organization and the preparations, and so with the tickets. After all, he was also the one announcing about free tickets. * * * Other questions also came out, like, how come details about tickets were not revealed during the L’Fisher Hotel press conference after the managers’ meeting? Was there something to hide that the ticket matter, despite repeated public announcements that 10,000 free tickets will be distributed at the Panaad stadium entrance at 3PM, and later announced at 9AM, was never explained? Was there a deliberate attempt to control the tickets, and for whose profits? * * * We are thankful for the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) under the POC, for bringing the game to Bacolod-- the tremendous impact for the city including the province was positive. Actually, of all football fields in the country presented for the hosting of the game, only Panaad passed the requirements for international football tournaments, thus it was held here- and then Puentevella helped. We are also thankful to the PLDT-Smart Group and the group’s big boss Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) for sponsoring the event. We knew then that MVP through his cash cow-firms is shelling out P80-M for a 10-year football development program in the country. We are also acknowledging Puentevella’s efforts to make the activity happen right here in the city. * * * We’re glad that the so-called "lack of coordination", "disrespect", "amusement taxation"and other issues, and this free ticket fiasco did not prevent the event from happening.*
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