Board approves P3M for Sto. Tomas campus

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Provincial Board has approved a P3 million regular budget for the satellite campus of Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University (DHVTSU) in Sto. Tomas.

The satellite campus will rise at the former Department of Health regional office in San Matias, Sto. Tomas and will start its operational by June this year, just in time for the opening of classes.

It will serve students from the fourth district towns of San Simon, Macabebe, Apalit, Masantol, Minalin and Sto. Tomas.

The proposed P3-million regular funding proposed by Governor Lilia Pineda will put the satellite campus’ initial operations this coming school year in motion.

“The P3-million regular subsidy from Capitol is for general and operational expenses including incidentals which will give DHVTSU elbow room for the operations of DHVTSU Sto. Tomas. Capitol has enough funds for that,” Provincial Board member Crisostomo Garbo said.

Garbo is chairman of the appropriations committee.

Provincial Board member Nestor Tolentino added that the estimated P25 million for the renovation of buildings in the campus, according to the master plan, is apart from the regular funding.

“Everything is in place now. All that has to be done is to polish the memorandum of agreement for signing of the governor and DHVTSU officials. Certainly, it will be operational by June this year.”

DHVTSU president Enrique Baking said the DHVTSU Sto. Tomas satellite campus will help ease the growing student population in the main Bacolor campus, which he estimated to be around 15,000 and is expected to increase in the coming semester.