ORMOC CITY – A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed and entered into by and between LGU-Ormoc and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) as education partner school establishing the framework for a formal working relationship between the two parties.
The signing took place at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Session Hall on Monday afternoon, January 23, 2023.
LGU-Ormoc was represented by City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez while USJ-R was represented by its President, Reverend Father Eduardo S. Celiz, Jr., OAR.
To recall, through Ordinance No. 027, also known as Ormoc City Government Employees Masteral Scholarship Program (OC-GEMS Program) Ordinance, which was enacted on June 4, 2020, the LGU established a scholarship grant for qualified and deserving employees of LGU-Ormoc who desire to acquire advancement in their professional skills and competencies through masteral degrees, and who would be most successful with the fitting partner school.
The MoA stipulates that the entire assessment of the school’s program, which includes tuition and other school fees per participant, is PHP 160,000; and that officially enrolled students are expected to complete the program within two (2) years and one (1) trimester, or a total of seven (7) trimesters.
The MOA further states that in case a student decides not to continue or drops-out from the program, the LGU is obliged to pay USJ-R the entire tuition and other school fees of the concerned student of the particular trimester.
On the other hand, should a student decide to extend his/her enrollment beyond the program duration with the approval of LGU-Ormoc, the LGU is to pay additional charges for the extended term/s.
Finally, in the event that the LGU defaults on its payment, the partner school is not obliged to release to the student-scholars, who may have completed the program, any school records unless the student-scholars personally pay the outstanding balance. Witnesses to the said MoA-signing were Sangguniang Panlungsod Members Atty. Jasper Lucero and Atty. Burt Pades, City Administrator Vincent Emnas, and USJ-R employees who included Dr. Edgar R. Detoya, CPA (Dean, School of Business and Management), Dr. Jestoni P. Babia (Dean, School of Education and Assistant Vice President for Academics and Research), Rev. Fr. Anthony Morillo, OAR, and Rev Fr. Jose Alden Alipin (VP for Academics and Research). By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail January 23-29, 2023 issue)
