History

The vision of putting up a college in the City of Calaca has been a long-held aspiration for City Mayor Sofronio “Nas” C. Ona, Jr. since he assumed leadership as local chief executive of then Municipality of Calaca. Due to limited source of funding at that time, the dream has to take the back seat, in order to give way to other more urgent needs of the Calacazens. Despite of this, the vision, remained in the heart of the city mayor. 

With the significant improvement in the financial condition of the municipality due to rapid economic growth prompted by the taxes being paid by the growing number of locators doing business in the city, the opportunity to broaden the access of the youth to higher education became reachable. In 2016, Councilor Deovic Ontangco, then Chairperson of the Committee on Education in the Sangguniang Bayan, sponsored the passing of an ordinance which is to be known as the Charter of the Kolehiyo ng Calaca. The said proposed ordinance gained full support from the membership of the SB and then Municipal Mayor Sofronio Manuel “Boogle” Ona, who shares the vision of his brother for higher education in Calaca. The proposal was approved and eventually became Ordinance No. 16-294. 

The Sangguniang Bayan also approved the acquisition of a property in Barangay Madalunot which was intended to serve as the campus of the Kolehiyo ng Calaca. Through the efforts of Congresswoman Arnel Ty of LPGMA Partylist, a funding for the construction of two two-storey buildings in the said area was secured and the project was successfully implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Armed with the approved ordinance for the establishment of the College, Councilor Ontangco and Mayor Boogle lobbied with Southwest Luzon Power Generation Company (SLPGC) for the donation of an additional four-storey building for the College. This proposal gained positive response from the locator.

Mayor Boogle Ona, wrote a letter to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Office IV-A to apply for recognition to open to the Kolehiyo ng Calaca. On August 24, 2017, the CHED responded to the request and instructed the LGU to complete the documentary requirements for the grant of initial permit cited in CHED policies which includes among others the amendment of the Charter of the College. 

Mayor Nas Ona was again elected as Municipal Mayor in 2019.  While the LGU was preparing to complete the documentary requirements for the grant of a permit, the efforts were adversely affected by the Taal Volcano eruption in January 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic which started in latter part of Year 2019. Meanwhile, due to its continuous economic development and effective leadership, Calaca was elevated to cityhood on September 03, 2022, which significantly increased the LGU’s National Tax Allotment by almost two times.

The hope for the establishment of a city college saw a silver lining after the pandemic. In March 2023, Atty. Earvene Jared S. Cunanan joined the LGU as the City Planning and Development Coordinator. During the department heads meeting held on March 20, 2023. Mayor Nas Ona discussed the aim of the city of having a higher education institution in the city specifically for underprivileged but deserving youth. Consequently, considering Atty. Cunanan’s experience in higher education sector, being a former senior official of a state university, Mayor Nas gave an instruction to Atty. Cunanan to “do everything possible, to secure the necessary licenses and approvals for the establishment of the City College”.

Office Memorandum No. 2023-05 was issued by the Office of the City Mayor creating the Ad Hoc Committee to Prepare the Documentary Requirements for the Establishment of a City College chaired by the CPDC Atty. Earvene Jared S. Cunanan with members as follows: Hon. Deovic M. Ontangco, SP Member, Chairperson-Committee on Education and Culture, Ms. Cristina A. Perez, City Administrator, Atty. Lita Tenorio-Maligaya, City Treasurer, Ms. Eufrocina P. Maclindong, City Budget Officer, Ms. Patti Margaret P. Casas, City Human Resource Management Officer, Engr. Eleno G. Ontangco, City Engineer, Ms. Melinda A. Salvador, Executive Assistant IV and Ms. Elsa Q. Lopez Administrative Officer IV.

Fortunately, the Ad Hoc Committee found immense support from fellow Batangueňo, Dr. Raymundo P. Arcega, Commission on Accreditation Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU) President, a known advocate of higher education and champion of local universities and colleges. A meeting was held between Dr. Raymundo P. Arcega, CPDC Atty. Cunanan, City Administrator Perez, and Executive Assistant Melinda Salvador at the Another Story Restaurant, Evia-Vista Mall, Alabang City.

On May 17, 2023 Executive Order No. 05 s. 2023 from the Office of the City Mayor, was issued creating the Technical Working Group for the Establishment and Opening of the City College and formally including Dr. Raymund Arcega as the Supervising Consultant of the City College, pro bono. The TWG was chaired by City Mayor Nas Ona himself.

In a very historic moment, the Board of Trustees of the College, headed by City Mayor Nas Ona as the Chairperson, together with the members, DepEd City of Calaca Supervisor, Dr. Anabelle Marsigan, City Councilor Deovic Ontangco, ALCUCOA President, Dr. Raymundo P. Arcega, and TESDA Provincial Director Gerardo Mercado as Members, and CPDC Atty. Earvene Jared S. Cunanan as Interim Board Secretary, held its first meeting on May 25, 2023 at the Microtel, UP Ayala Technohub, Diliman Quezon City with the presence of Dr, Virginia Akiate, CHED Regional Director IV-A, who served as Resource Person during the meeting. During the meeting, Dr. Virginia Akiate expressed support to the opening of the College on account of its pending application since 2016 and considering the occurrence of the pandemic which hampered the continuation of the project. She urged the LGU to be prepared to comply with the standards set by the rules and regulations of the Commission.

As such, the TWG for the Establishment and Opening of the City College, wasted no time to comply with the requirements of CHED. The TWG, guided by Dr. Arcega, held its first meeting on May 29, 2023 where the group established in concrete terms, its plan of action to ensure that the College will be successfully opened by September 2023. Dr. Arcega and Dr. Dan Jefferson Lopez prepared the Feasibility Study and the Five-Year Development Plan of the College, Councilor Ontangco and Atty. Cunanan with the strong support from the Sangguniang Panlungsod, headed by Vice-Mayor Jerry Raphael Katigbak,  worked on the needed amendment of the Charter of the City College, Ms. Patti Margaret P. Casas, the City Human Resource Management Officer worked on the initial plantilla of the College, Engr. Eleno Ontangco, City Engineer, prepared the Campus Development Plan for the College while Mrs. Maridy Manalo, General Services Officer, Atty. Lita Maligaya, City Treasurer, Ms. Eufrocina Macalindong, City Budget Officer and Ms. Joy Catibog, City Accountant, prepared the Supplemental Budget for the City College in order for it to be able to procure the services and goods needed for the opening. The project obtained full support and huge help from the City Administrator, Cristina A. Perez.

The Charter of the City College was officially amended through the initiative of Councilor Ontangco, on May 29, 2023, by the passage of Ordinance No. 23-41 by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, where Calaca City Global College was decided to become the official name of the institution. The applications for initial permit for four programs namely: BS in Entrepreneurship, BS Computer Science, Bachelor of Public Administration and BA Political Science were prepared by the TWG and submitted by the appointed Conduit to CHED, Dr. Dan Jefferson B. Lopez. 

On August 15, 2023, Regional Director, Dr. Akiate, together with the Mr. Donald Buena Agua,  of CHED IV-A made an initial visit to the Calaca City Global College to assess its readiness. They were welcomed by Mayor Nas Ona, the Sanguniang Panlungsod and the members of the Technical Working Group.  It is here when the College was given the green light to proceed with its preparation to open the College in September and for the visit of the Regional Quality Assessment Team. On September 3, 2023, the Calaca City College was formally launched in conjunction with the celebration of the first anniversary of the cityhood of Calaca. The event was attended by CHED Regional Director Akiate, administrators and executives of different local universities and colleges in the Philippines and by Mutya ng Pilipinas Chairwoman Cory Quirino, as the Guest of Honor. The faculty members from Manila, who were invited to teach in the College, were also present during the launching. The administration of the CCGC was entrusted to Dr. Dan Jefferson Lopez with his appointment and designation as a permanent faculty member and Officer-in-Charge in the Office of the President of the College. Dr. Marjolyne Sharon Ona was designated as the first College Physician to look over the health Services needs of the students. Ms. Beverly Luansing-Erni also joined the College as its first College Registrar. Ms. Lourdes David also honored the City College with her service as the College Librarian.