STUDENTS from the northernmost tip of Cebu province will have better options to access quality education after the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP-Cebu) and the municipal government of Sante Fe, Bantayan Island inked a partnership to build an additional UP-Cebu campus on the island.
UP-Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar and Santa Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the construction of the ‘UP-Cebu Resort Campus’ in the town last October 19, 2023.
The MOA signing was also attended by Santa Fe Vice Mayor Lovely Cabrera and Sangguniang Panlungsod members.
Malagar told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, Nov. 1, that the partnership will bring UP Cebu closer to deserving students from far-flung areas who have no access to quality education in urban centers.
“This is consistent with the vision of the new UP President to continue its mission of serving the public, especially those who are far from the center or urban areas,” Malagar said.
“This means less expense for their families, maybe an opportunity for the students to continue helping their family in their livelihood and avoid students from being uprooted from their communities or separated from their families where they are needed,” he added.
Aside from the towns of Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos which are the three municipalities of Bantayan Island benefitting from the campus, Malagar said deserving students from nearby islands may also enrol in the school’s academic programs and new varsity programs for athletically and culturally-gifted students.
“The additional campus and these programs have the same purpose to help deserving students from poor families who may not have the resources to go to Manila to train and develop their talents,” Malagar said.
No other details pertaining to the plan were made available by Malagar so as not to preempt its progress, he said.
For his part, Espinosa expressed his gratitude to the Holaysan Family who donated the lot where the UP campus will be built.
In a Facebook post, Espinosa said an ocular inspection on the said lot was conducted together with the UP Chancellor.
“We will try our best to build a university in our town,” said Espinosa in Cebuano.