Elders demand installation of OIC at MP gov’t college

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The “council of elders” here demanded the “urgent installation” of an officer-in-charge of the Mountain Province Polytechnic College as replacement of MPSPC president Nieves Dacyon after the government school was closed for more than a month after it was wracked with protests.

Rallyists, which included faculty, students and members of the community had demanded the resignation of Dacyon for alleged mismanagement of the school which included alleged financial irregularities, favoritism and unreasonable policies.

CiriacoFilog, member of Bontoc Ili’s council of elders said a meeting with the MPSPC board of trustees would be held Sept. 2 here to discuss the controversy.

This, after members of the Bontoc council of elders vice mayor William Aspilan, former mayor David Yawan , Filog, a former sangguniang bayan councilor and former vice mayor Alex Yango held a meeting with Commission on Higher Education officials last week.

Filog said CHED Commissioner Luningning Omar assured him and elders the meeting with the BOT would be held as scheduled on Sept. 2.

This event will mark the first time the MPSPC BOT will hold its first meeting at Bontoc where MPSPC is located.

Earlier , a preliminary dialogue between Dacyon, students, faculty, elders, and alumni at the regional CHED office at La Trinidad Benguet last August 10, agreed among other points, “to take note of the manifestation of the council of elders and consider as best as possible the position of the communities.”
Community member and MPSPC alumna Karen Lumiwes joined the council of elders in their visit to CHED national office early last week.

Filog,in a phone interview said their position on issues confronting Dacyon and MPSPC is the immediate installment of an OIC of the state college.

Emphasizing loss of moral ascendancy on Dacyon, Filog said their demand was “non-negotiable.”

Issues directed against Dacyon ranged from alleged non-consultation with students before imposition of student fees, non-transparency of fees collected, violation of the College Code, mismanagement, to relational issues of Dacyon being ‘despotic’ since the school head assumed office in 2005.

Within the period of protest, the Sangguniang Bayan of Bontoc passed a resolution declaring Dacyon persona non grata.

Following an angry protest of students and faculty last July 1, Dacyon resigned “under duress” which the BOT did not accept.

The protesters wanted Dacyon to go on leave while issues were being investigated, and for BOT to appoint an OIC.

While issues were being resolved, classes resumed August 8 with the intervention of Gov. Leonard Mayaen and other LGU officials of the province and the Philippine National Police.

Protests started third week of June with suspension of classes till its resumption August 8.

The provincial peace and order council chaired by Mayaen passed a resolution for resumption of classes last July 6, followed by a CHED order on July 13 for regular operations to proceed while issues are being resolved.

Meantime, the multi-sectoral Save MPSPC movement is working towards a dialogue-forum of all parties concerned to include students, faculty, elders and the community to resolve issues that confront MPSPC and personalities involved.