There are over one million reasons for Quezon City to establish its own city college – and that number is growing every year.
This according to Quezon City Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo, who said that the establishment of a Pamantasan ng Lungsod Quezon (PLQ) is long overdue given the city’s growing school-age population.
“QC is home to over one million school-age children – 1,029,823 to be exact. Of this number, over half a million QC youth will soon enter college or are old enough to enter college,” revealed Castelo.
“Given that many of the city’s colleges and universities cater to students who live outside Quezon City, it’s about time for the city to put up a college for its poor but deserving youth.”
According to the Quezon City government website, the number of Quezon City residents between the age of 12 to 15 is 238,738. The number of its college-aged population, on the other hand, is 376,808. Quezon City has the country’s largest population, with over three million residents, close to a fourth of Metro Manila’s total population.
It is ‘criminal’ that a world class city like QC – the richest and most populous city in the country – lacks its own city college.
Castelo said that it is “criminal” that a world class city like QC – the richest and most populous city in the country – lacks its own city college.
“We are the wealthiest city in the country, with close to 60 billion pesos in assets. We clearly have the resources to be world-class – and a world-class city must have a world-class school,” Castelo stressed.
Other local government units in Metro Manila that are smaller in size, smaller in population, and smaller in income already have city colleges. Why can’t QC have its own?
According to Castelo “other local government units in Metro Manila that are smaller in size, smaller in population, and smaller in income already have city colleges. Why can’t QC have its own?”
In his sponsorship for House bill 6140, Castelo said the proposed creation of the university was consistent with the right of Filipinos to affordable quality education at the tertiary level.
“The only way to empower our people is to educate our people. Without education, we will be denying our people the opportunity to improve their lives and that of their families,” the legislator explained.
The creation of PLQ, said Castelo, would complement President Duterte’s goal to provide free tertiary or college education to Filipinos. In August last year, the President signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, a law that provides free tuition to students of 112 state universities and colleges (SUCs).
The creation of PLQ also seeks to greatly improve the access of mainly poor Quezon City students to quality education, which Castelo said was necessary to produce educated, skilled citizens that would help fuel the country’s continued growth.
“Education costs do not mean tuition alone, but incidental costs like transportation, daily allowances, school supplies, and the like. Yung mahirap kahit nakapasa sa isang eskwelahan, pag malayo sa bahay niya, di rin kayang pumasok. Having our own city college should help significantly reduce education costs,” said the Quezon City native.
“When we say we want to improve access to education, we mean literally improving access to education – tertiary education that is within reach, financially and physically.”
Under the bill, an appropriation from the yearly national budget will be earmarked for the university for its growth, operations, and maintenance. The city government of Quezon City shall also appropriate an amount to be used as start-up fund for the university.