New State U
By virtue of House Bill (HB) 1814, Negros State
College of Agriculture in Kabankalan City is now the Central Philippines State
University. This development further brings quality but affordable tertiary
education to the rural areas.
Former 6th District representative and now Vice Gov. Genaro
Alvarez originally penned the bill and when it failed to pass during his term,
his daughter, incumbent 6th District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, re-filed it in
2010. Other authors of the bill include 3rd District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo
Benitez, then 5th District congressman, the late Ignacio Arroyo, Cong. Neri
Colmenares of Bayan Muna party-list, and Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara.
Before his resignation, then Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri also filed
a counterpart Senate bill.
This news ushered some thoughts. I have only been to the South
two times, first en route to Dumaguete from Bacolod, second, to Cauayan which gave
me the opportunity to take a peek at Kabangakalan. Admittedly, I wasn't
disappointed. I saw obvious evidences of progress, one that can easily be felt
and seen by the common tao.
Now, this-a new state university-is proof of the rapid influx
of development that is taking place there. I wonder, where could San Carlos
City and the North be now if only our legislators here do not lie around but do
their homework and really build house bills that the people today and tomorrow
can benefit from? What if the First District congressman, whose face appears on
page four, pens a bill that will establish a state college here?
Surely, the suggestion is not alien to him only that he must
have failed to care one bit or he must have chickened out thanks to the
vehement opposition of those whose interest lies in private colleges.
With all due respect to educational institutions here, and I am
affiliated with two, there seems to be stagnation. The chaos in one local
private college aside, most schools in the city are stuck with the same old
courses and curriculum. There is none to blame if some opinion makers think
these schools are diploma mills for education graduates who actually do not
want to teach. What we need here in San Carlos is a state college that will
offer courses that aren't offered by the private ones yet, courses that cater
to industries and that will produce graduates which will form a more holistic
and well-rounded workforce.
One discouragement for investors here is the lack of skilled
professionals. It isn't fair to say that San Carlos City fails to produce good
engineers or any one of the sort but most of them, having earned their degrees
from other academic centers also choose to work and live there instead of
joining the local force.
This downside for us is actually the upside of centers like
Manila, Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo where the academe is robust and constantly
developing-an encouragement for investors indeed.
Economy aside, the presence of a state college also ushers in
development in arts and culture as is evident in Iloilo where the University of
the Philippines' Visayas center is located alongside West Visayas State
University and other state colleges. There isn't a draught in culture enriching
activities that students at all levels participate in and sometimes even
spearhead.
The art is as vibrant as colors of the rainbow can be imagined
and young artists and writers always find a niche in a café or two near colleges
and universities.
Education institutions themselves initiate development
strategies that discover the history and culture of the people that help LGUs
form their strategies, too.
There is no denying the fact that the seed of progress is
planted once a good educational institution is established. Until when do we
dream of a state university such as which is now in Kabankalan?
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