THE University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) will soon expand its operation in Barangay Malabog in Paquibato District, a far-flung area in Davao City, thus, allowing marginalized children to avail of higher education.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on Thursday, January 9, bared that the City Government will be allocating P54 million for the construction of the Usep annex building, which will be sourced from 2020 annual budget of the city.
The mayor said the three-story, 14-classroom annex campus is projected to open in 2022.
Duterte-Carpio said Usep’s expansion is one of the products of the Peace 911, a comprehensive peace-building program of the Davao City Government for conflict-affected areas of the city.
Paquibato District, one of the areas covered in the peace program, is among the areas in the city identified as stronghold of the rebel group New People’s Army (NPA).
“Isa ni siya sa mga product outputs sa Peace 911 activities sa Paquibato, the need for a college didtoa nga area so that maka-catch up atong Lumad na senior high school (This is one of the Peace 911 activity outputs in Paquibato - the need for a college institution in the area so that our Lumad senior high school students could catch up),” Duterte-Carpio said.
She added students, once the college school will operate, will no longer have to go to downtown area (Poblacion District) to finish their studies, especially those who are financially incapable.
The mayor said the city and Usep management are currently working on with the memorandum of understanding to formalize the project.
“On-track na and naga-move na ang project (The project is on-track and moving),” Duterte-Carpio said.
The planned construction of the Usep-annex was announced by the mayor during her State of the City Address (Soca) in 2019.
The mayor earlier certified the construction of the City College of Davao (CCD) in the 19th City Council, which will also benefit marginalized and indigent students in the city.
Duterte-Carpio said CCD is in need of an estimated P100 million, which she said will be sourced from the 2019 Supplemental Budget.