The Official Tertiary Student Publication of Laguna College of Business and Arts
TASK FORCE: PACUCOA
A new milestone has been conquered as Laguna College of Business and Srts took a step higher after facing the PACUCOA Accreditation
|By Paul John Nuguid
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) visited our school last July 31 to August 2 as part of the accreditation process the school is undergoing.
The Accreditation team was composed of Dr. Conrado Inigo Jr. as the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Joyce Eugenio, Dr. Luzviminda Ates, Dr. Lourdes Sabile, Dr. Adelaida Almeida, Engr. Ronald La Torre, Mr. Enrique Gungon and Dr. Loida Sta. Maria.
The purpose of the visitation is to inspect and evaluate the different aspects of the educational system of the schools.
In order to give you better insights about the accreditation process, a written interview was conducted with Mr. Fernando T. Pendon III, the school’s Vice President for Administration and Director of Student Affairs.
Here are his answers to the written interview:
1. What is PACUCOA?
“PACUCOA is an accrediting agency that stands for Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation that assesses the 10 areas that Colleges and Universities should always monitor and improve to ensure quality education; namely Philosophy and Objectives, Faculty and Instruction, Physical Plant and Facilities, Research, Organization and Administration, Social Orientation and Community Involvement, Library and Laboratory. Being accredited by this body means that LCBA follows the standards for quality assurance.”
2. What are the advantages of being accredited by PACUCOA?
“One advantage would be more enrolees since the parents/guardians know that LCBA can give their children what they deserve and that’s quality education. Another is that the administration, teacher and other stakeholders will always strive for the better and they will always be protected by PACUCOA being accredited has enhanced the good image of LCBA in the community.”
3. What preparations did the school undergo before the Accreditors’ visit?
“Many preparations like looking, perusing and finalizing documents/evidences for each area, conducting meetings headed by the EVP, Dr. Edna Manaig, to inform everyone, updating and improving the facilities, conducting orientation with area heads and members and so many more.”
4. Did the school meet the requirements to be accredited to Level 1?
“Yes, that’s the goal of the invitation, to pass level 1 after it passes the preliminary and consultancy visit and candidate status.”
5. Were there any comments about our school? What aspects of the school need to be improved?
“There have been comments, but they cannot be released nor published yet since we are still waiting for the final meeting of the FAAP (Federation Accreditation Association of the Philippines) and PACUCOA that would summarize what needs to be improved center on the Library, facilities, community involvement and research.”
6. After the accreditation, what objectives are the school looking forward to? Will it pursue being accredited to Level 2 soon?
“The road map that the President and the Administration have set for the school is not only Level 2 but up to Level 4and the projection of its realization is on 2024.”
7. How would the students benefit from the accreditation of our school?
“The students of LCBA from Preschool to College Department can be assured of quality education and amenities that they should be provided with such as better facilities and better student services.”
8. When will be the next visit of the PACUCOA Accreditors?
“The next visit of the PACUCOA will be next year and we will make sure that we are ready for it.”
9. Will the accreditation affect the tuition and miscellaneous fees paid by the students?
“Yes, I’m just not sure how big the impact is on tuition and miscellaneous fees since we haven’t gotten that far yet.”
10. How close is LCBA to its “university-hood”? What should the students expect from the changes brought about by the preparations for accreditation?
“The President, Mr. Jose Ted Ll. Gonzales, envisions the school to be a university, but this will entail a lot of work and effort and cooperation coming from all sectors/stakeholders of the school. We are gearing towards university hood that’s why we have accreditation. The students can expect that the areas I have mentioned in number one would be better and grandes. Achieving academic excellence and providing quality education here in LCBA are what students can get through accreditation.”
After reading this written interview with Mr. Pendon, we are enlightened as to where are we right now. On what part of the accreditation process we are. What’s really in store for us because as of now, we are still waiting on the verdict to be given by the PACUCOA. Will LCBA pass the accreditation? Or do we start all over again?
Photo: Paul John Nuguid