The Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas (TUP-V), which has a main campus in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, is expanding to southern Negros with its soon-to-rise satellite campus in Binalbagan town.
The ground-breaking rites, held on Friday, February 9, at the three-hectare site in Barangay San Jose, were led by TUP System president Reynaldo Ramos and the private land donor representative, Franklin Fuentebella, director of Carmen Agricultural Development Corp. (CADC).
TUP-Visayas campus director Eric Malo-oy said the establishment of the Binalbagan campus marks the fulfillment of the shared vision of the land donor and the academic institution, and the beginning of new opportunities for students in southern Negros.
Initially, the new campus will offer Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering Technology courses.
“By the end of 2024, we can already start the first phase of the project. By 2025, we hope to come up with the first batch of students for the two programs,” Malo-oy said.
In August last year, officials of TUP and CADC signed a deed of donation and a memorandum of agreement for the partnership, which started with the vision of the benefactor more than 20 years ago.
“Finally, our dream of having a TUP-V Binalbagan campus comes to reality,” Fuentebella said.
Mayor Alejandro Mirasol and Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo (Neg. Occ., 5th District) who have pledged financial support for the establishment of the TUP-V Binalbagan campus, also witnessed the groundbreaking rites.*PNA