LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The Santo Domingo Community College in Santo Domingo town, Albay province was inaugurated on Friday, July 5, and will formally start operations in August.
AKO Bicol party-list Rep. ‘Jil’ Bongalon, Santo Domingo Mayor Joseling ‘Jun’ Aguas, Rev. Fr. Antonio Pedro Ballares, and novelist Abdon Balde Jr. inaugurate the Santo Domingo Community College in Santo Domingo, Albay on July 5. (LGU Santo Domingo)
The event was attended by officials of the SDCC, the municipal government of Santo Domingo, and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon.
Santo Domingo Mayor Joseling "Jun" Aguas said the opening of the SDCC enables his constituents, especially indigent students, to have better access to free college education.
"Hindi na nila kailangan pang pumunta sa lungsod ng Legazpi para doon mag-aral. 'Yung mga pamasahe nila, puwede ng magamit sa ibang bagay (Students don’t need to go anymore to Legazpi City to study. They will also be able to save money)," Aguas said.
Santo Domingo is 15 kilometers away from Legazpi City where most of universities and colleges in this province are located. A student has to spend P100 daily to attend a class in the capital city of this province.
Aguas said that SDCC was established a year ago through a municipal ordinance authored by Councilor Alfredo Balbin Jr.
"We are now accepting enrollees for the opening of classes in August. Initially the school is offering computer studies," Aguas said. He added that for now, only residents of Santo Domingo are prioritized for enrollment. Hopefully, he said, students from other municipalities will be accomodated soon.
"Nagpapasalamat tayo kay Albay Rep. Joey Salceda at sa Ako Bicol party-list sa pangunguna ni Congressman Zaldy Co at Congressman Jil Bongalon sa tulong upang matupad ang pangarap na ito (We thank Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and Ako Bicol party-list led by Reps. Zaldy Co and Jil Bongalon for their efforts to establish the SDCC)," he said.
Bongalon assured additional assistance to improve SDCC. "Bilang vice chairman ang House Committee on Appropriations at chairman naman ng House Committee on Appropriations si Congressman Zaldy (Co), expect more help para mas ma-improve pa natin ang SDCC (Expect more help to improve SDCC from me and House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Zaldy Co)," he said.