Cebu City students lose scholarship option after council rejection

Distance vs. documentation: Why an 8-7 vote against the Asian College of Technology has sparked fears of student dropouts in Cebu’s mountain communities.

Hundreds of students from upland barangays in Cebu City are now left with fewer options for college support after a proposed city scholarship agreement with the Asian College of Technology International Education Foundation (ACTIEF) Pit-os campus was rejected.

The proposal, which was dismissed with a narrow 8-7 vote, would have granted students up to ₱10,000 per semester for tuition and an additional ₱10,000 annually for transportation, a crucial lifeline for those living far from the city center. The Pit-os campus, located closer to mountain communities, was considered a practical beneficiary of the plan.

The legal roadblock

Meanwhile, the council cited legal and documentation concerns in its decision, including conflicts of interest and issues tied to the school’s qualifications for the program. ACTIEF is owned by the family of a local councilor and has missing paperwork, accreditation gaps, and records proving that its graduates passed board exams above the national rate.

With ACTIEF excluded from 22 other local schools that were approved under the scholarship system, students now have to choose from other accredited institutions. The rejection means higher commuting expenses, fewer savings, and the risk of some students potentially stopping school altogether.