The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Monday, Sept. 11, announced that railway maintenance and repair certificates will be offered for the first time to Filipino students.
Through the CHED’s participation in the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, the Mabalacat City College (MCC) in the Philippines secured a “historic” institutional agreement with China's Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology (SIRT) to push for the provision of railway maintenance and repair certificates to Filipino students --- the first ever in the Philippines.
MCC President Michelle Aguilar-Ong signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SRIT Dean Dou Xinshun after joining the Philippine delegation led by CHED under the leadership of Chairman Popoy De Vera.
De Vera noted that MCC's participation in the China-ASEAN Cooperation Week will be a “good opportunity” to engage with educational institutions in China.
“Participation in activities organized during and on the margins of the CAECW forums will yield insights in learning in the international environment and promote the internationalization of Philippine higher education institutions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ong explained that railway certificates are “not popular courses” in the Philippines and there is only one university that offers railway engineering in the country.
“But for workforce development and immediate employment, I don’t think there are other colleges in the Philippines that offer certificates,” Ong said. “It’s about time that we open one,” she added.
CHED noted that the partnership aspires to secure another pioneering project in the Philippines, the Luban workshop grant by the Chinese Government, to build vocational skills and boost employment in the country.
“This grant provides a comprehensive educational training in Chinese technology including top-notch equipment and cutting-edge facilities,” CHED said.
To date, CHED noted that there are 30 Luban workshops successfully operating across different countries.
Ong explained that there are no other Luban workshops in the Philippines and “this is going to be the first.”
This project, she added, is particularly “beneficial to the local government due to the thousands of job opportunities it will bring.
Aside from employment, Ong said that this endeavor will also foster lifelong learning because it includes a pathway system to a university degree in engineering.
Meanwhile, Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo, the MCC Chairman, commends the college for its dedication to supporting his vision of increasing employability and job opportunities in Mabalacat City.
“This is a high priority project because it aligns with our commitment to provide employment opportunities and shall generally boost the economic development in our city,” Garbo said.
The institutional agreement was launched during the Philippine-China University President Cooperation Dialogue, Ceremonial Signing, and Networking Session hosted by CHED in the CAECW that aims to boost collaboration and partnership between the Philippines and China HEIs.
CHED said that nine other Philippine HEIs have also secured an agreement with their Chinese counterparts in this China Mission initiated by the Commission.