AS THE Cebu Normal University (CNU) is in need of additional land to house its new colleges and school buildings, it has requested the Cebu City Government to donate at least 2.5 hectares of land at the South Road Properties (SRP).
The state university, in its request letter, prefers the lot donated to and occupied by the University of the Philippines (UP).
CNU president Daniel Ariaso Sr. wrote a letter to Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia on May 20, 2024, to reiterate CNU’s request to the City.
The CNU first made this request on Oct. 9, 2023, but Mayor Michael Rama told them to negotiate with UP
SRP campus.
Reasons
CNU is expanding its academic programs with the creation of three additional major colleges: the College of Medicine; College of Law, Public Governance and Safety; and the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Sciences.
CNU’s existing colleges are College of Teacher Education; the College of Nursing and Allied Sciences; and the College of Culture, Arts and Sports.
In his letter, Ariaso said CNU has 8,782 students across all curricular programs, which the present 1.6-hectare lot along Osmeña Blvd. “could hardly meet the absorptive capacity prescribed under relevant issuances by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) and other regulatory bodies.”
Another reason for needing a bigger lot, according to Ariaso, is that P120 million was allocated for CNU under the General Appropriations Act of 2024 for the construction of a 21-story College of Medicine building. But there is no longer available space in its current area.
Ariaso said if CNU fails to conduct the procurement process for the building on or before Dec. 31, the funds will be returned to the national treasury.
CNU also intends to create a standalone campus that will house the administrative, academic, research and extension offices for its College of Medicine; College of Law, Public Governance and Safety; and College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Sciences.
Ariaso said there is also a need for CNU to construct smart and disaster-resistant classrooms, offices, dormitories and facilities for students, faculty members, and staff to continually comply with the requirements of the Ched and other quality assurance entities.
When the City Council tackled the letter during the regular session on Wednesday, May 29, the request was referred to the mayor’s office and the City Legal Office for their opinion and recommendation. / JJL