The Iloilo City Government is planning to expand the Iloilo City Community College (ICCC) to accommodate more students and provide greater access to affordable higher education, particularly for young Ilonggos from financially challenged families.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said the proposed expansion aims to increase the capacity of ICCC and give more qualified students the opportunity to pursue and complete a college education without the burden of high tuition costs.
“If we want to solve the issue of poverty, isa gid ya ka bulig ang education — free education for the Ilonggos. Ang aton mga students, once makagraduate, ma-employed sang insakto kag makabulig sa pamilya,” Treñas said.
The city is looking at expanding ICCC through the development of additional academic facilities at Fort San Pedro, complementing its existing campus in Molo.
Currently, ICCC has more than 1,300 students enrolled at its Molo campus, offering four academic programs consisting of board and non-board courses.
However, its limited facilities and capacity also restrict the number of new students it can accommodate each academic year.
Under the proposed expansion, the city plans to construct additional academic buildings, classrooms, a library, computer laboratories, a clinic, administrative offices and a covered gymnasium.
The new facilities are intended to provide students with a more conducive, accessible and safe learning environment while allowing the institution to serve a larger number of Ilonggo youth.
The project will be funded through a loan that will finance the construction of the proposed facilities.
Alongside the planned expansion, the city government will continue implementing its Uswag Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to qualified college students.
The initiative forms part of the Treñas administration’s broader effort to make higher education more accessible and ensure that financial limitations do not prevent young Ilonggos from earning a college degree.
Through expanded educational opportunities and scholarship assistance, the city hopes to help more graduates secure decent employment, improve their families’ economic conditions and contribute to the city’s development.
