It is very rare and beyond protocol, as the President of PACU (Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities) told the graduating class of 2007 that a new member school is sworn in public. But CEFI is different, he admitted. He even traveled a thousand miles to personally make the historic event.

After countless attempts, in front of the thrilled graduating students, parents and guests, CEFI finally became the newest member of the PACU, an elite group of schools dedicated to propagation and development of quality education. Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque, the concurrent president of PACU, Lyceum of Northwestern University, and Lyceum Northwestern Florencia T. Duque College Inc., visited CEFI as guest speaker for its 32nd Commencement Exercise. After his very interesting and spontaneous speech, Duque immediately announced the approval of CEFI’s bid to be a member of PACU. Represented by the school’s president, Atty. Ronaldo Antonio DV. Calayan, CEFI was sworn in as bonafide member. And as gratitude to the warm acceptance by the CEFI community and Atty. Calayan, Duque made a surprised announcement and decided to give the president of CEFI an honorary doctorate degree from the Lyceum of Northwestern University.

The PACU is an organization composed of top private universities and colleges in the country that started during 1932 whose primary aim is to halt proliferation of diploma mills through “closer supervision and regulation of private schools”. Other well-known members of the association are Far Eastern University, Mapua Institute of Technology and University of Manila.