Another noble vision of the Braganza administration has finally become a reality.
Yesterday, Mayor Hernani A. Braganza and Dr. Victoriano C. Estira, Pangasinan State University (PSU) president signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the establishment of a PSU campus here.
The historic signing was also witnessed by top officials from both parties and to the delight of the city government employees, department heads, barangay officials and residents in attendance.
Among those who present were city councilors Joselito Fontelera, Earl James Aquino, Orlando Go, Felimon Bacala Jr., Constante Carasi, Cirilo Radoc and Carolyn Dizon-Sison.
PSU was likewise in full force. Joining Dr. Estira were Dr. Lydia Buduyan-VP for Planning and Administration, Dr. Manolito Manuel-VP for Curriculum, Instruction and Accreditation, Dr. Virgilio Barongan, Dean Rolando Cerezo of PSU Binmaley, Dr. Priscilla Agsalud-Dean of PSU Asingan, Dr. Marciano Llandado-Dean of PSU Infanta, Dr. Priscilla Jimenez, OUS Executive Director, Dr. Merlita Santos-Dir. For Curriculum, Instruction and Accreditation, Dr. Leticia Ursua-Dir. For PRIMO, Dr. Luz Ramos-Dir. For Student Teaching, Dr. Sally Jarin-Dir. For Admission and Testing, Dr. Rodrigo Javier-Dir. For NSTP, OJT and Cooperatives, Dr. Nelia Resultay-Dir. for Student Services and Dr. Elena Barcelona,-incoming and first Dean of Alaminos City Campus and concurrent University Director for Cultural Affairs.
Youngest campus
The PSU-Alaminos City Campus will be the youngest and the 9th campus of PSU system.
Other PSU campuses are in Asingan, Bayambang, Binmaley, Infanta, Lingayen, San Carlos, Sta. Maria, and Urdaneta.
The said campus will be an entrepreneurial non stock educational institution with the vision and mission of extending educational opportunities to the residents of the western Pangasinan most especially to the less fortunate.
PSU Alaminos City Campus was approved by the PSU Board of Regents sitting en banc on April 2009 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
The city council headed by Vice Mayor Teofilo G. Humilde Jr. backed the landmark initiative with the approval of SP Resolution 2000-89 which authorizes City Mayor Hernani A. Braganza to enter into a MOA with PSU for the establishment of its campus in the city.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Alaminos first favorably endorsed and approved the project as contained in SP Resolution No. 2007-84 which was adopted in Nov. 6, 2007.
PSU Alaminos Campus will soon rise in barangay Bolaney which is going towards Zambales and just 4 kilometers away from the city proper.
It expected that more students coming from western Pangasinan as well as northern Zambales to enrol in PSU Alaminos once the campus is already erected and opened to the public.
Based on the enrollment records of PSU, students coming from first district of the province comprised 20% of the total population of the state university.
In 2007, when Dr. Estira became the 5th university president, there were just over 9, 000 students enrolled at PSU.
Two years after, its population ballooned to almost 15, 000 all over the province, 50 of which are coming from the Alaminos.
Noble vision
PSU is highly enthusiastic about the establishment of its ninth campus and its willing to forge a fruitful partnership with the LGU to serve the constituents of western Pangasinan as well as northern Zambales.
Under the MOA, PSU will provide access and learning opportunities for its degree and ladderized degree programs, estension and research program/services to individuals and clientele groups to be operated and maintained at the school building to be built by the LGU.
The university will also provide faculty, professors, instructors, administrative and support personnel as well as the necessary instructional materials, lab equipment, classroom and office facilities and student support.
On the part of the city government, it will provide the site and physical structure of classrooms, labs, administrative buildings and academic offices on its own lot.
It will also mobilize and organize information campaigns and seminars to invite neighboring towns and their constituents to avail of the services and facilities of the campus.
The agreement shall take effect on the date of its signing up to a period of 30 years after and it may be renewed by mutual agreement of the parties.
Recognizing the real need to have strong and quality educational institution in Alaminos, Dr. Estira hailed Mayor Braganza’s vision and initiative of bringing PSU university system here at the province’s fourth city.
“His family owns and manages a school from pre-school to college, the president said in his message. And here he is, trying to establish a public university right here in his city.”
Estira said the youthful chief executive’s intentions are genuine and good.
“He’s minding on the general welfare of youth by providing them quality education,” he said.
“He reminds us that the greatest resource of this country is its people. And having to put in place the competence needed for the growth of the development of our nation are the human resources in our respective municipalities.”
“And that will start right here in the City of Alaminos.”
Long-term solution
The establishment of a PSU campus in the city was regarded as one of the true and long-term solutions the visionary city head had conceived to address various problems affecting the city’s youth.
“(As mentioned by Dr. Estira), many Alaminian students and those coming from the first district are studying at PSU,” said the mayor.
But despite the emergence of so many colleges and universities, drop out rate in college still high and worst, many students couldn’t afford the high cost of college education.
The main culprit is skyrocketing increase of tuition and miscellaneous fees every year.
Braganza said there must be a way for every student in the city to continue studying and finish their college education, thus his dream of seeing PSU campus rise in Alaminos.
The former first district congressman noted that he could not bear seeing the youth suffer because their parents could not send them to college even as cited that the biggest loser will be the their community or society noting that they will be the future leaders of the land.
“We have to put in place the campus in the city of Alaminos to cater to and for our children to be able to access not only affordable but most importantly the quality education they deserve, “he said.
“And that day has come and we will soon achieve my simple dream, our dreams of seeing our children succeed in life.”
The mayor vowed to continue the process of educating our children citing that the city government will always look after the welfare and the future of the city’s youth.
The realization of PSU Alaminos City Campus could be one of the lasting legacies of the Braganza administration whose “Bright Child Program” had already made much headway and its impact is being felt by the students.
Premier city
Braganza said Dagupan City will not be Dagupan without the universities. San Carlos will not be San Carlos City without the educational institutions.
“Sad to say, Alaminos is at the rock bottom, he added. But in partnership with PSU, we will now be a part of the three other cities in the province of Pangasinan that provide quality education to our youth.”
“We thank PSU not only for building a campus in the city of Alaminos but because of their president’s vision and our goal of making Alaminos a center of education in western Pangasinan."
The mayor said Alaminos will soon host a school of medicine and nursing with its commitment to the PSU that the city will build its own hospital.
In fact, he said, the city will construct first the Hundred Islands Medical Center beside the site of the PSU campus. The timetable will be 3-5 years.
“A PSU campus with a college of medicine in the city will further boost our capability to provide medically related activities which is already in demand here and abroad.I guarantee you, my beloved citymates that this hospital and the PSU campus in our city is no longer a dream, he said. It has become a reality.”
“We thank PSU for all of these and my congratulations to all the employees and the city officials in the city of Alaminos. My deepest appreciation to the PSU family for giving us this very big opportunity to shine and become a premiere city in the province of Pangasinan.”
Supportive to Eco-tourism
An overview of the PSU Alaminos Campus has already been posted in university’s official website, www.psu.edu.ph.
These include the PSU Campus Mission and Objectives, the history of PSU Alaminos Campus and the courses to be offered.
The Campus Objectives states that “PSU Alaminos Campus will support the eco-tourism industry of the western part of Pangasinan and the City of Alaminos as the center of tourism, education, commerce, trade, industry and services, and shall serve as the source of manpower required for the conduct of trainings and manpower development programs tied up to its short term, medium term and long-term development goals.
One of its specific objectives is aimed at providing an affordable and quality tertiary education to the people in the identified service barangays and communities.
The academic programs have been so identified and well structured so as to enable the graduates’ greater opportunities and competitiveness both in the local and global labor market.
The campus spearheads the conduct of effective and relevant research and extension programs that are expected to generate research based technologies for sustainable agriculture, fishery and educational development initiatives.
Research and extensions are two of the University’s major functions and shall be conducted to uplift and enhance the welfare of the identified target clientele and service community.
It will likewise support the eco-tourism industry of the Pangasinan West with Alaminos City as the center and shall serve as the source of manpower required for the conduct of trainings and manpower development programs tied-up to eco-tourism potentials of Alaminos City.
Among the courses offered by PSU Alaminos Campus are Teacher Education Program, BS in Hospitality Management, Agriculture, Medical Courses, and ladderized BS in Fisheries Education. (CIO)
