City of Mati, Davao Oriental – Visionary leadership stands still as the guide in choosing the next President for the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST), in its continuous effort of upholding quality education for the province of Davao Oriental.

 

DOCSCT has 4 aspirants for the College Presidency who will succeed Dr. Grace Lopez whose term ended last June, and is now serving as OIC to the institution.

The aspirants include Dr. B. Edito Sumile and Dr. Airma Fleurdeliz Concha-Ladera from the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, Dr. Luz A.  Taposok from the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabakan, North Cotabato, and Dr. Alexander M. Campaner from the Southern Phils. Agri-Business and Marine Aquatic School  of Training in Davao del Sur.

On Nov. 14, 2011, a public forum, presentation of candidates, and interview was held to complement the process in coming up with the next President for the institution.

Dr. Luz A. Taposok describes her kind of leadership in the acronym REJOICE ( Responsiveness, Equality and Justice, Openness, Integrity, and Community Enhancement.

She envisions DOSCST as an emerging premier and exemplary college, soaring like an eagle to greater heights.

Taposok also stressed on her pursuit for qualiy instruction, and the need for productive resource generation, while emphasizing also on distant education, recruitment and retention of best faculty and staff, and dissemination of research and extension programs.

A very DOSCST providing highly competent and critical human resources responsive to the demad of a diverse society for a better country, is what Dr. Edito Sumile envisions for the college, and will work on it if given the chance for the Presidency.

He presented some strategic reforms to acheive his goals, including the institution of policy reforms, developiong a physical and development plan for the College, promote and maintain harmonious relationship, cost cutting, institutional strength, commitment to research and extension, and patnership with stakeholders.

Dr. Alexander M. Campaner is very keen on his goals and strategies, topping of which is the delivery of quality learning expriences, value human resources, design and implement management policies, actively seek partnership, and giving importance to research and extension.

One way to achieve said goals is through continuous periodic curriculum review and reversion.

Concha-Ladera delineated her goals, as she emphasized that she realized that all that had been through in her 25 yers in the College is in preparation to her readiness now to serve as College President.

Her goals are Competency, Strategic Planning, High Qualtiy Education, Financial Stability, vigorous resource generation, high quality instruction, intensified research and extension programs, and the prevalence of moral ethics.

Two aspirants,  Tapasok and Campaner gave the idea of  working on the dream of Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology becoming Davao Oriental State University.

They also proved cognizance to the need of ushering income generating projects, with the decrease of the national government’s subsidy to state colleges and universities.

The stakeholders were able to participate in the forum through the questions that they raised and were read for the aspirants to answer.

One of the qustions was “how do you deal with political intervention?”

The four aspirants said that working with politicians in the local government units cannot be avoided  and they see nothing wrong with the partnership if only for the good and development of DOSCST.

In th afternoon, the aspirants were interviewed by the Search Committee.

The Search Committee, chaired by former Phil. Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) President Dr. Lauro Tacbas, will give its recommendation, particularly the top three recomendees,  to the College Board of Trustees who will render the decision that will reveal who the next College President will be.

The Board of Trustees is chaired by Commission on Higher Education  (CHED) Director Patricia Licuanan, while the members are comprised of the representatives from the House Committee on Education, Nat’l Economic and Dev’t Authority (NEDA) Reg’l Director Lourdes Lim, Dept. of Science and Technology (DOST)Regional Director Anthony Sales, and local members Mr. Ariel Maglinte (alumni), Dr. Roy Padilla (faculty),  Mr. Louis Rabat and Fr. Dan Fuentes (private sector), and Role Symon Gomez (Student’s Governing Council).

Dr. Grace Lopez is happy to relinquish her leadership to the next who will be at the helm, while recognizing her kind of leadership.

“My leadership was best described in the acronym TOCWE, which means Transparency, Open Communication and Work Ethics. This means that the teachers should be able to master their subjects, and they should know the knowledge, attitude, and skills that should be gained by the students so that they can be competitive,” she emphasized.

The Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology was established through House Bill 6807 authored by Congresswoman Thelma Z. Almario and enacted into law on Dec. 13, 1989.

The public forum was held at the College Audio Visual Room and started at 8:30 in the morning.