Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said she supports the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Extension Campus in Antique’s focus on science and technology (S&T) and education during the ceremonial opening of the campus on March 14, 2024.
The Senator, affirming the points made by Chancellor Clement Camposano, said the extension campus’ focus on science, biodiversity, disaster resilience, and subject matters related to the environment and climate change are suitable, with the presence of the Sibalom Natural Park in Antique and the NorthWest Panay Peninsula Natural Park in the provinces of Aklan and Antique.
So far, Legarda has funded four major projects of the University:
- Cultural Mapping of Antique (P7.8M)
- Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras (P50M)
- Study on the Impact of the National Government Intervention on Malnutrition, Education Literacy, and Unemployment in the Province of Antique (P5M)
- Provision of Funds for Publication of Books in Indigenous Knowledge (P2M)
She said she wants to be heavily involved with the initiatives of the extension campus, mentioning her openness to a teaching role or enrolling in future course offerings. She also hopes to meet with scientists – both young and experienced – to make the campus a learning hub for innovation.
The Senator emphasized how the extension campus’ focus aligns with the laws and bills she filed in the Senate and in the Congress, which include the People’s Survival Fund, the Cultural Mapping law, Expanded National Integrated Protected Area Systems (ENIPAS) law, Climate Change Act, and the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) bill, among others.
She also asked the lot donors – the Bautista, Dioso, and Ordinario families – for more land to be utilized in the construction of conference rooms and an audio-visual room – and possibly, a dormitory – on the extension campus.
UPV officials and personnel, local chief executives in Antique, lot donors, and guests attended the ceremonial opening. The three-story structure worth P50 million is Legarda’s brainchild.
