TOLENTINO
Senatorial candidate and former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino said he will pursue the establishment of community colleges in towns and cities across the country to help more Filipinos if he is elected.
“Our local governments can help the national government in its mandate to provide education to all by establishing their own community colleges,” he said.
“In this way, we will able to help more young Filipinos to achieve their dreams of finishing their college education at a lesser cost,” he added.
Tolentino said many communities especially in the provinces lack government colleges that offer low tuition.
“Up to now, thousands of our youth could not pursue college education because of poverty or distance. These community colleges will serve their needs,” he said.
Many local governments have been successful in running their own colleges or universities, he said, and other local governments can start their own.
“These locally-run colleges started with just a few courses and have since expanded. They are popular because the tuition fees are affordable and many of them offer scholarships to deserving students,” he said.
Community colleges are part of Tolentino’s education agenda if he is elected in the Senate.