Korean Government Grants $4M to Visayas State University Reconstruction Project

From Left: Visayan State University President Edgardo E. Tulin Ph.D., Korean Ambassador KIM Jae-Shin, CHED Deputy Executive Director Napoleon B. Imperial Ph.D. and Leyte Province Board Member Bob Abellanosa during the groundbreaking ceremony of VSU Tolosa Campus

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Visayas State University (VSU), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) held the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the project, ‘Reconstruction and Strengthening of the VSU Tolosa Campus’ on 17 June 2016, in Tolosa, Leyte.

Republic of Korea Ambassador KIM Jae-Shin led the time capsule-laying ceremony at the new building construction site together with VSU President Edgardo E. Tulin Ph.D., CHED Deputy Executive Director Napoleon B. Imperial Ph.D., Tolosa Mayor Erwin C. Ocaña, and Leyte Province Board Member Bob Abellanosa.

The reconstruction project of VSU is one of the Korean Government’s rehabilitation projects for the recovery of the typhoon Yolanda. It will be constructed in cooperation with KOICA.

The main building will have enough classrooms for students and also the new dormitory buildings will be built to accommodate 240 students. The project also covers the provision of adequate facilities for lectures and administrative works such as office furniture, computers, projectors, and etc. For the dormitory, furniture such as cabinets, beds, bookshelves will also be given by KOICA. Cost of the reconstruction project is estimated at P185 million and is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2017.

“Today’s ceremony is a life-changing and a dream-fulfilling occasion and the infrastructure that we have laid down will make that dream together,” Tulin said in his speech during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The new buildings will also comply with national standards on safety against typhoon, thus becoming safe and sustainable school buildings.

“I am confident that these facilities will motivate the students for higher learning and nurture their potential to contribute to the development of Leyte and the rest of the country as well,” Ambassador KIM said during his keynote speech.

Imperial also added “It goes without saying that with the gifts of classroom, laboratories and equipment and faculty scholarship of the Korean government, there will be a tremendous boost to the chances of the VSU being rewarded a Center of Development for Fisheries and establish higher academic reputation in marine sciences in the immediate future.”

The project is a testimonial to the ever deepening friendship and diplomatic ties between the Government of the Republic of Korea and Government of the Republic of the Philippines which commenced more than six (6) decades ago. Both governments are equally optimistic that the project will strengthen the role of VSU Tolosa in higher education as well as to contribute to the cognitive and psychosocial development of the students by providing suitable learning and housing facilities.