On October 25, 2024, the City College of Cagayan de Oro through its Governing Board held a public forum and presentation of candidates at the City Tourism Hall, streamed live on the official Facebook pages of both the City College of CDO and the City Information Office, in compliance with CHED Memorandum Order No. 18, Series of 2022.
This event was a key part of the selection process for the college’s first president and attracted a diverse audience, including department heads, members of the 20th City Council, barangay officials, leaders from the business sector, civil society representatives, City College of CDO faculty and students, and key personnel from CHED Regional Office 10.
The two highly qualified presidential candidates, Dr. Jestoni P. Babia and Dr. Liza Chua, each with a proven track record in the academe, presented their vision, mission, and goals for the institution. Their presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session, where they addressed critical topics including their stance on adopting technology and innovation in the curriculum, aligning technical-vocational programs with Industry 4.0, fostering student entrepreneurship, and offering civil servant accreditation through the ETEEAP program.
Towards the end of the public forum, City Administrator Atty. Roy Hilario P. Raagas delivered closing remarks, emphasizing Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy’s commitment to accessible education and noting that the administration’s dedication to inclusivity for Kagay-anon youth led to the passage of City Ordinance No. 14564-2023, which transformed the CDO Technical Vocational Institute into the City College of Cagayan de Oro.
Following the forum, the Search Committee (SCP) for President will submit its final deliberation results to the Governing Board, which will then recommend a candidate to the Local Chief Executive (City Mayor) for his acceptance and the final pronouncement designating the new City College President.