Camarines Sur SP commends ‘Gawad Parangal’ awardee Baao Community College

By Ana-liza Macatangay

The Baao Community College (BCC) thru its administrator Maricel R. Peñero and Dr. Maria Teresa Cruzata, in-charge of Academics, received a plaque of commendation from the Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) of Camarines Sur for being one of the recipients of Gawad Parangal bestowed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recently.

In appreciation of BCC’s achievements, Board Member Emmanuel H. Noble authored Resolution No. 405, series of 2021 giving the said college a recognition for a job well done and for its “exemplary accomplishments in the field of public tertiary education”.

Peñero, who received the award at the Camarines Sur SP Hall on July 7 on behalf of BCC, expressed her gratitude to the provincial government of Camarines Sur, especially to Governor Miguel Villafuerte and 2nd District Congressman Luis Raymond Villafuerte, for their support to all the college’s endeavors and for their recognition of the value of education especially for the poor but talented students who can’t afford to go to private colleges.

BCC’s students are mostly coming from Geographic Inaccessible Disadvantages Areas (GIDAs) or far-flung municipalities located in the outskirts of Camarines Sur.

“This award will not be possible without the full support of the provincial government through Gov. Migz and Cong. Lray Villafuerte. By providing BCC with great facilities, paired with the quality education offered by the institution, we are able to produce skilled and competent students,” Peñero added.

BCC was one the four provincial colleges in Camarines Sur that received the award and among the other 14 local universities in the region granted with CHED’s Gawad Parangal Award held May 6, 2021 in Albay.

CHED’S GAWAD PARANGAL AWARDEE Baao Community College (BCC) administrator Maricel R. Peñero (left) and Dr. Maria Teresa Cruzata, in-charge of Academics, hold the plaque and trophy awarded by the Camarines Sur SP for the college’s “exemplary accomplishments in the field of public tertiary education”.

Aside from BCC, 3 other local colleges managed by the province also received the award. The other awardees were the: Governor Mariano E. Villafuerte Community College (GMVCC) Libmanan; GMVCC Garchitorena; and GMVCC Siruma.

The award entitles BCC and the other awardees with a trophy and certificate of eligibility that will enable them to avail the benefits provided for under the provision of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

Currently, there are more than 2,000 students enrolled at BCC, 300 of whom are Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries.

“We live by BCC’s maxim: Ad Astra per Aspera, a Latin sayings, which means ‘to the stars through hard ways.’ BCC has been through a lot of challenges. We started with a few classrooms, we lack facilities but the student’s determination, the teachers’ aspirations to guide and let the students reach their greatest potentials, and BCC’s willpower to turn these challenges into achievements, brought us where we are now,” Peñero said.

BCC opened its doors to students coming from the neighboring towns of Baa on June 13, 2000. It welcomed 198 enrollees to mark its birth.

Gawad Parangal is CHED’s institutional recognition given to local government colleges (LUCs), which successfully complied with the requirements for free higher education such as institutional recognition and certificate of program compliance. The award is also an affirmation that BCC complied with the basic requirements for institutional grant, institutional permit, and program permit. (PIAV/Camarines Sur)