Breaking Barriers Through Education

In the quiet, hardworking communities scattered across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), young students harbor dreams of a brighter future. These aspirations often seem distant for families where parents are farmers, farm workers, and laborers. 

Yet, these students’ hopes remain alive, anchored by a simple yet profound belief in the transformative power of education. This belief forms the foundation of Cordillera Career Development College’s mission: to open doors for those from underserved communities and, in doing so, contribute to our commitment in Sustainable Development Goal 1—No Poverty.

Student Demographics

Our data reveals a story of resilience. In the 2023 college of law graduate school enrolment, 61% of students come from 3rd class municipalities, reflecting communities with limited resources and lower incomes where ambition thrives despite economic challenges. Thirty-two percent come from 1st class municipalities while four percent come from 6th class towns, and three percent from 2nd class towns. 

Municipality classification serves as an effective gauge of income because it reflects the economic profile of a locality. First-class municipalities enjoy higher revenues and are generally more affluent, while the 3rd to 6th class municipalities, usually rural and agriculturally dependent, face constraints in resources, public services, and economic opportunities. 

For CCDC, this classification serves as a window into the students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s not easy for students from these lower-income communities to take on the challenge of higher education, and we recognize the determination it takes for them to do so.

Behind each statistic is a story, and the stories of many of our students have common threads. Their parents are the hands that sow, build, and labor, often earning day-to-day incomes with no guarantee of stability.

Farming, and informal labor are the lifelines of families here in the province, yet these jobs rarely provide the security of a regular salary. Farmers face the unpredictability of weather, market prices, and crop yields. 

CCDC’s Role 

When a student from a 6th class municipality completes their education, it impacts more than just their own life. Graduates become role models in the communities, showing others that the journey is possible. 

Their success stories inspire change within their families, friends, and neighbors, spreading hope and determination. In this way, we are not only transforming individual lives but contributing to a broader movement of social and economic upliftment, advancing SDG 1 in a tangible, grassroots manner.

This is the heart of our mission: to champion the dreams of those who aspire to rise above circumstance, to provide a platform for those who might otherwise be overlooked, and to make education a powerful force in the fight against poverty.

Our students’ backgrounds may vary, but their shared ambition to build a better future unites them—and we are honored to be part of their journey. Together, we are working to dismantle the barriers of poverty and create a more equitable world, one graduate at a time.

RELATED: Cordillera Career Development College Supports Indigent Students
https://ccdc.edu.ph/cordillera-career-development-college-supports-indigent-students/

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