A divided vote at City Hall has stalled a proposed school partnership, leaving hundreds of upland scholars uncertain about their access to higher education.
More than 1,000 students from Cebu City’s upland barangays may be left without access to the city’s scholarship program after the City Council rejected a proposed partnership with ACTIEF Pit-os Campus.
Eight councilors voted against a resolution authorizing Mayor Nestor Archival to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with ACTIEF, effectively blocking the school’s accreditation under the city’s scholarship program.
Councilor Alvin Arcilla pushed for the measure, saying the partnership would expand access to education for graduates in mountain barangays.
He said at least 1,629 senior high school graduates from upland communities—many with limited access to city-based colleges—would have benefited from ACTIEF’s inclusion.
Those who voted against the resolution were Councilors Harry Eran, Philip Zafra, Edgardo Labella II, David Tumulak, Harold Go, Pastor Alcover, Mikel Rama, and Joel Garganera.
In a statement on Wednesday, Go said the decision was based on the need to ensure that partner institutions meet standards aligned with the city’s scholarship program.
“I am a firm believer in education for all… Ang keyword ani, appropriate,” Go said.
He said institutions must prioritize student welfare over financial interests and raised concerns over provisions in the draft MOA that would allow withholding of students’ transcripts of records due to unpaid balances.
“Until ma-resolve ni and other issues, I choose to object,” he added.
Rama echoed similar concerns and rejected claims that the vote was against education.
“We did not vote NO to education. We voted YES to protect our scholars,” Rama said.
He said the council review found gaps in ACTIEF’s application, including the absence of Professional Regulation Commission certification showing board exam performance above the national average, as well as administrative deficiencies in submitted credentials.
Rama also cited a potential conflict of interest, which he said is under review by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The council also raised concerns over the presence of students during the session, with Rama saying some were misinformed about the purpose of their attendance.
He said students told him they believed they were attending a “scholarship orientation,” not a legislative session.
“A legislative session deliberating legal compliance is not a scholarship orientation,” Rama said.
He described the situation as “exploitative” and warned against using students to pressure decision-makers.
Before the vote, ACTIEF students and supporters went to City Hall to push for the school’s accreditation, saying it would create opportunities for upland youth facing distance and limited school options.
The proposed inclusion of ACTIEF’s Pit-os campus was seen as a way to bring scholarship-supported education closer to mountain barangays.
Despite the rejection, the council said the city’s scholarship program remains available through 24 accredited partner institutions across Cebu City.
Officials said these schools have met legal and compliance requirements and continue to accept city scholars.
However, the decision leaves uncertainty for hundreds of upland graduates who had hoped to enroll under the proposed ACTIEF partnership this academic year. (LLP)
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