Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson joined the groundbreaking of the Central Philippine State University (CPSU) P8 million Technical Vocational Institution in Valladolid, Negros Occidental, Saturday, February 27.
The CPSU intends to offer extension classes for information technology and agribusiness programs in Valladolid, CPSU president Aladino Moraca said.
They cannot offer board courses yet because they need to comply with the requirements for an extension campus in Valladolid that could take about three years, he said.
Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said he is committed to help in building the extension site in Valladolid.
“This is a wonderful project that could help many youth in the municipality. One of the challenges of students that caused them to drop out from school is their daily expenses required for fare and dormitory allowance. Now, with the establishment of this project, they can pursue their studies without having to think of such expenses since it is just within their municipality,” Gatchalian said.
Lacson said the existence of CPSU has greatly changed the educational landscape of Negros Occidental by providing both quality and accessible education with a special focus on agriculture, which is very relevant for the province and the country.
Moraca said classes they will offer in Valladolid will be in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, which they aim to start in August.
The CPSU-Valladolid Technical Vocational Institution is being built on a 2-hectare property in Purok Masagana, Brgy. Bagumbayan, Valladolid.
“My father, former mayor Magsie Peña, administrator of the Soledad and Candido Montilla properties, donated 2 hectares of land. We also want to help our students from Valladolid and the neighboring communities in the province to gain access to better education trained especially in the field of agriculture and other technical and professional courses,” Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña said.
Valladolid Mayor Enrique Miravalles, who requested for the CPSU facility, said, “It will ensure education to our underprivileged students. This will also serve as a blessing to our agriculture sector through the programs that will be offered by CPSU. Some of which are the Bachelor in Agri-Business (BSAB) and the short-term course in organic agriculture NC II.”*