MALABON CITY Mayor Jeannie Sandoval on Tuesday promised to expand educational opportunities for students after the Institutional Recognition (IR) by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the City of Malabon University (CMU).
“It was a landmark achievement of the university, 33 years in the making. Education remains the local government’s single greatest investment for the future of Malabon,” Sandoval said.
According to CHED, IR “is the official government seal certifying that a college or a university meets the minimum standards the commission sets for operations, faculty, facilities, and curriculum.”
Also, the recognition is expected to strengthen the credibility of CMU diplomas and unlock vital access to national government scholarships, student financial assistance programs, and institutional development grants, according to the local government.
Sandoval acknowledged the steep challenges CMU previously faced, including losing its eligibility for Unifast (Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education) and free higher education benefits for Academic Year 2022–2023 due to compliance and institutional shortcomings, which happened even before she assumed the city’s top post.
The mayor noted that she deeply understood how heavy this burden was for local families, recognizing that for many, Unifast is not just a simple subsidy, but the sole reason their children can step into a college classroom.
“But I also want to remind our fellow Malabueños that while we are processing all compliance requirements to restore CMU’s eligibility with Unifast from 2023 to the present, we have not neglected the education of our city youth,” she stressed.
Despite those inherited setbacks, the city government aggressively intervened, allocating more than P150 million annually from local funds to sustain CMU’s daily operations and guarantee that no student’s education would be interrupted, City Administrator Alex Rosete told The Manila Times.
To bridge the gap permanently, Rosete said the city government is working extensively to overhaul CMU’s governance systems, elevate program certifications, streamline documentation, and meet the rigid quality assurance standards demanded by CHED.
The top city officials thanked the university administration, faculty members, parents, students, and city officials whose collaborative efforts made the historic breakthrough possible.
“This is not just recognition for a single school. It is recognition of the hard work of our teachers, the sacrifices of our parents, the determination of our students, and the commitment of the entire city to raise the quality of education in Malabon. Most of all, it is an investment in the future of every Malabueño child,” Sandoval said.
