MPC Prepares 159 Faculty for AI-Ready Students as New Academic Year Opens

Over 4,000 new and returning students are set to gather at Marikina Polytechnic College on Monday, August 17, for a ceremonial flag-raising activity marking the official start of Academic Year 2025–2026.

College President Dr. Rene M. Colocar will lead the campus opening, reiterating the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, accountability, and responsibility. Under his leadership, the college aims to strengthen its educational framework to better prepare students for an increasingly dynamic job market.

To support this academic rollout, 159 MPC faculty members recently completed the three-day “IGNITE 2026” faculty development program. The initiative focused on integrating artificial intelligence into modern teaching strategies to address the evolving needs of tech-ready learners. College officials emphasized that blending strong leadership with updated instructional strategies will drive the college’s quality assurance campaign across the new academic year.

August 11 | IGNITE WITHIN: Nurturing the Teacher Before Shaping the Learner

Despite inclement weather, the inaugural faculty development session, hosted by Dr. Menere R. Nasiad, Records and Information Center Director, was held online with full participation from faculty members.

Dr. Glen R. Mangali, VP for Academic, Technical Education, and Skills Development, framed the program as a strategic push to give faculty the tools and mindset needed for a “Future-Ready MPC.”

”We believe that teaching is making a difference. At the heart of meaningful teaching is a vocation, which is the deeper sense that what we do matters, and what we are called to do is to serve, to develop, and to empower others. So, I just want to remind everyone, and it is also a reminder to myself, that when teaching is rooted in a vocation, we do not simply check for a profession; we teach with purpose, with passion, and with impact,” VP Mangali said.

Dr. Rowena R. Hibanada from the Philippine Normal University guided educators through sessions on “Rediscovering the Joy of Teaching,” “Work-Life Harmony,” and “Building Resilience,” culminating in the drafting of Personal Teaching Mission Statements.

Registered Guidance Counselor Ms. Gay Ann Mego delivered “SANDALI: Pause. Reflect. Renew,” drawing on John Dewey’s educational philosophy to distinguish constructive self-reflection from negative self-judgment. Discussions anchored in the CHED A.C.H.I.E.V.E. Agenda 2030 highlighted teacher well-being as a cornerstone in MPC’s drive toward becoming the “National TVET University of the Philippines.”

August 12 | IGNITE ACADEMICS: Leading Academic Excellence Through Purposeful Teaching

On August 12, attention turned to institutional strategy and curriculum design. VP Mangali outlined the college’s strategic priorities for the year ahead, from strengthening curriculum and instruction and building global academic partnerships, to advancing research, quality assurance, good governance, and gender and development initiatives. He also introduced the I-CARE (Inclusivity, Care, Academic Success, Resiliency, and Employability) Framework as a guide for building a more responsive and student-centered academic community, alongside the ASCENT I-CARE Professional Excellence for Transformation program, which aims to elevate faculty teaching standards and open clearer, better-supported pathways for career growth, research, and professional development.

Dr. Louie B. Dasas from the University of Santo Tomas challenged faculty to design classroom experiences for a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.

“What do we mean by ‘rich’ classroom experiences? We are moving towards a paradigm that is more experiential, more learner-focused. We design with the learner in mind. How do we do this? Through signature pedagogies. A rich classroom experience involves experience; it’s experiential, it fosters collaboration, it’s transformative, and it’s engaging. It should develop skills,” Dr. Dasas stated.

Dr. Rudy James D. Tabasa, Director for External Linkages, presented on “Enterprise-Based Education and Training,” demonstrating how aligning technology degree programs with CHED guidelines and workplace standards prepares graduates for immediate employment.

Dr. Mangali presented “NTU: The Path Forward for Philippine Education & TVET,” outlining a vision for a national apex institution for advanced technical-vocational education in partnership with TESDA, CHED, DOLE, NEDA, DTI, and DOST.

The day was hosted by Prof. Lerma Raymundo and Prof. Criselda Santos, with opening recapitulation by Dr. Jerry F. Napay Jr., Dean of the College of Business, Education, and Information Science.

August 13 | IGNITE INNOVATION: Innovating Teaching for a Future-Ready College

Executive Vice President Engr. Sheila I. Villanueva shared data from over 18,000 student feedback comments under the newly implemented evaluation systems. In her session “Beyond the Numbers,” she emphasized that while tech aids instruction, qualities like presence, empathy, and professional judgment remain irreplaceable.

“Students recognize value when teachers demonstrate mastery and explain concepts clearly, but some students want more direct instruction rather than just being left to independent study. Both the praise and constructive feedback are valuable,” VP Villanueva said.

Dr. Jerry F. Napay, Jr, Dean of College of Business, Education and Information Science, highlighted faculty training on industry-standard design software and a campus partnership bringing Japanese professional machinery to campus, noting that academic institutions must continually adapt curricula to fast-changing labor markets.

Dr. Marie Luvett I. Goh, Dean of Engineering, outlined an outcomes-driven approach to digital teaching excellence and responsible AI integration while preserving academic integrity. Faculty members Prof. Nelson Arguilles and Prof. James Phillip Padilla demonstrated practical AI applications in module design and leveled assessments while calling for clear institutional guidelines.

Hosted by Prof. Anna Khristina Buday and Prof. Deo James B. Roxas, with recapitulation by Graduate School Dean Dr. Medardo B. Bombita, the program concluded with Dr. Mangali recognizing the IGNITE Technical Working Group and thanking the participating educators as MPC transitions into Academic Year 2025–2026.#

More photos here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16kIpVe7E69rIMPosA6pzA4y0HC2cdoEm?usp=drive_link