Six Cordillera Towns Complete MLDP course

Six municipalities from across Cordillera region underwent and completed the Municipal Leadership Development Program (MLDP) on June 20 in Sagada, Mountain Province.

The completers are the Benguet municipalities of  Atok, Bokod, and Mankayan; Hingyon, Ifugao; Lagayan, Abra; and host town Sagada.

Dubbed “Bayang Malusog,” the program aims to bolster the leadership and governance capacities of municipal mayors and key officials to cope with the demands of implementing universal healthcare.

All local chief executives and committee on health councilors, as well as municipal health officers, of the said municipalities attended the event.

In attendance are mayors Franklin Smith (Atok), Thomas Wales (Bokod), and Dario Banario (Mankayan); Florencio Nalula (Hingyon); Edmarc Crisologo (Lagayan); and Felecito Dula (Sagada).

Newly-appointed DOH Cordillera Regional Director Ferdinand Benbenen also graced the occasion.

The six towns were the second batch in the program jointly offered by the Department of Health (DOH) and Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC), in collaboration with The Zuellig Family Foundation.

The first batch of towns to graduate the MLDP course are the Ifugao towns of Aguinaldo and Asipulo; Balbalan, Kalinga; Bontoc, Mt. Province; and Buguias, Benguet.

“We hope the program can generate adaptive responses in addressing emerging and persistent challenges, especially in the implementation of the Universal Health Care,” said CCDC President Sherry Junette Tagle, who was also among the facilitators.

After the two-day course, the municipalities drafted their own strategies in strengthening stakeholder relationships for sustained implementation of the Universal Health Care and design action plans to address the remaining challenges in its implementation.

The MLDP consists of two modules of in-person training, hands-on activities, expert-led sessions, mentorship, and final presentation events spread out over a year.

While the course is offered through the DOH Cordillera’s Local Health Systems Section, the resource persons and facilitators are from CCDC.*

THE Impact ranks CCDC

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – On its first participatory year, Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) made it to 1001-1500 ranking bracket in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings released on June 12, 2024.

The ranking was based on CCDC’s participation in five (5) of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) categories. THE Impact Rankings measure the contributions of higher education institutions to the United Nations’ SDGs.

CCDC’s contributions to the achievement of SDG 1 or ‘No Poverty’ was ranked 301-400 while its participation in SDG 3 or ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ is ranked 1000+.

The school’s efforts geared towards ‘Gender Equality’ or SDG 5 was ranked 601-800, and the activities towards SDG 16 or ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’ is ranked 401-600.

CCDC’s ‘Partnership for Goals,’ which is SDG 17, was ranked 1001-1500.

“As a college being ranked in the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking, this is an affirmation of our collective efforts as an institution as well as an inspiration that educational institutions play a pivotal role in making meaningful transformations in society,” said school president Sherry Junette Tagle.

In the THE 2024 rankings, 2,152 universities from 125 regions across the globe were evaluated and ranked. Australia-based Western Sydney University was ranked first, retaining the ranking since 2022.

“CCDC harmonizes its educational efforts to help achieve the sustainable development goals believing that we share one earth and no effort is too small to be significant,” said Tagle.*

CCDC ranked Top 300 Global Innovative Universities

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – On its second year of ranking, Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) was declared among the top global universities with innovative programs for 2024.

The World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) ranked CCDC as the 146th top university in the shortlisted 300 universities from all over the world at 4th HLU Conference in Franklin University, Switzerland this June 7, 2024.

CCDC is the only school in the Cordillera Region in the Top 150.

CCDC’s program on leadership in advancing universal health care with the Department of Health and Zuellig Family Foundation was ranked 10th in the Leadership Category.

The category checks if the educational institution emphasizes whether the existing leadership relinquishes its privilege and continually adapts and innovates to remain effective and influential in the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

Meanwhile, CCDC’s program on engaging alumni for international virtual internship with Education Centre of Australia (ECA) was ranked 13th in the Funding Category which focuses on the innovative approach of a university to raise funds by exploring diversified funding streams and adopting new methods.

Lastly, the school’s program which ushered entrepreneurship success in the local poultry industry was ranked 18th in the Entrepreneurship Spirit Category which verifies if the university’s program encompasses a range of elements and initiatives that collectively foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation.

“This global recognition from WURI is a testament to CCDC’s commitment to provide a wide array of innovative learning opportunities for students, beyond classroom instruction, while making a strong and relevant impact to the community,” said school president Sherry Junette Tagle.

Last year, CCDC was listed 122nd in the overall ranking system.

WURI assesses higher education institutions’ real contributions to industry and society, highlighting innovative education, research, and engagement to society. Using 13 categories, it encompasses innovation targets and methods, offering a comprehensive measure of institutions’ creative contributions to societal advancement.

The ranking aims to spotlight higher education institutions that excel in these innovative approaches, thereby inspiring advancements across the academic and societal landscape. *