Tangub City, Misamis Occidental – The City College of Cagayan de Oro (CCCDO) showcased excellence in extension and community engagement after garnering multiple top awards during the PAEPI X Regional Extension Conference 2026, held on April 28–30 at Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology in Tangub City.
The conference brought together higher education institutions across Mindanao to highlight impactful extension programs aligned with national and regional development goals.
Among the distinguished plenary speakers was Dr. Arlita Amapola B. Minguez, Officer-in-Charge, Regional Director of the Commission on Higher Education, Regional Office X. In her keynote address, Dr. Minguez underscored the critical role of extension as one of the four core functions of higher education—alongside instruction, research, and production. She further introduced the CHED A.C.H.I.E.V.E. Agenda 2030, calling on institutions to actively align their initiatives with its transformative goals.
Demonstrating strong institutional performance, all six CCCDO delegates brought home major awards across multiple categories:
Best Paper and Best Poster – Gender-Responsive and Rights-Based Extension Category was awarded to Dr. Jean Loquillano for her presentation titled “Project RIGHT: Strengthening Barangay Human Rights Governance through a Human Rights-Based Approach in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals.” The project, implemented by the Center for Human Rights Education in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights Region X, highlights a rights-based framework in advancing local governance and community empowerment.
Best Paper and Best Poster – Academe-LGU Partnership Category was conferred to Dr. Ray Butch Mahinay and Howard Christian Aranar for their study “Project Pagtulay: Institutional Co-Creation in Building ALS Learners’ Pathways to Higher Education.” The initiative, led by the Center for Alternative Learning System (ALS) in collaboration with the Department of Education, Cagayan de Oro Division, exemplifies a co-creation model that supports ALS learners in transitioning to higher education.
Best Poster – Innovation, Digital Extension, and Smart Communities Category was awarded to Dr. Psyche Cambo and Prof. Aiza Cahansa for their project “Project ICT-LEAP: ICT-Led Enhancement and Advancement Program for TLE Teachers of Agusan National High School.” This extension initiative, under the leadership of Dr. Liza Chua, reflects the College of Education’s commitment to strengthening digital competencies among teachers through its partnership with Agusan National High School.
Best Poster – Extension Impact Assessment and Evaluation Category was awarded to Prof. Herna Francis Mae B. Tano and Dr. Ray Butch Mahinay for presenting “Project Mission 626 as a Community Extension-Based Model for Youth Leadership and Sustainable Development.” The project, implemented by the Extension and Outreach Office, emphasizes measurable impact and sustainability in community-based programs.
The collective achievements of CCCDO reaffirm its strong alignment with CHED's extension mandate, particularly as defined in CHED Memorandum Order No. 52, s. 2016, which frames extension as the systematic transfer of technology, innovation, and knowledge to address specific development challenges. The institution’s performance at the conference underscores its commitment to responsive, evidence-based, and partnership-driven extension programs that contribute to sustainable and inclusive community development.
These initiatives also strongly advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
