The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), through its Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFast), has approved the inclusion of Mandaue City College (MCC) in the Free Higher Education (FHE) program, with billing set to begin in the second semester of School Year 2026-2027.
The development is expected to significantly ease the financial burden on the Mandaue City Government, as the national government will begin covering tuition and other school fees for qualified MCC students.
City Administrator Atty. Gonzalo ‘Sally’ Malig-on Jr. confirmed in an interview that Mayor Thadeo Jovito ‘Jonkie’ Ouano had received official communication dated April 7, 2026 from CHED-UniFast approving MCC’s application.
‘At least dali ra kaayo,’ Malig-on said, noting the swift approval of the application after it officially received institutional recognition (IR) last March 27.
According to the communication, MCC may begin billing tuition and other fees under the FHE program starting the second semester of the current school year, which will fall in early 2027.
For the first semester, however, the city government will continue to shoulder the expenses.
Malig-on said this transition would reduce the city’s financial exposure to MCC’s operational needs.
‘Ang tuition, maka-bill naman sa national government through UniFast,’ he explained.
Meanwhile, the Local School Board has convened and conducted a study to determine how much the city can bill under the program. Currently, the city allocates around P40 million annually for MCC.
Once the study is completed, the city government expects to have a clearer estimate of the amount that will be covered by UniFast. Any savings from reduced education spending may then be redirected to other social services.
As of now, Malig-on said no final figures are available.
He added that the student population at MCC will remain steady for the current school year due to space limitations, pending the construction of a new campus building at the Norkis Park in Barangay Looc.
‘Same-same lang sa kay di man gihapon ma-accommodate sa atong space,’ he said.
The city government envisions a significant increase in enrollment once the new facility is completed. Malig-on said Mayor Ouano aims to double the student population to around 4,000 to 5,000