The University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas, the Archdiocese of Jaro, and Mr. Shan Buyco inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to have a Catholic church inside of the University’s Miagao campus.
The three parties signed the MoU for the project at the Archbishop’s Palace in Jaro, Iloilo City, on Oct. 6, 2023. Chancellor Clement Camposano and Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo represented UPV and the Archdiocese of Jaro, respectively.
Buyco, project proponent and UPV alumnus, initiated the proposal to have a Catholic church in the Miagao campus.
“The main objective of building a church inside the University is spiritual growth for the students, faculty, and staff,” he said.
Camposano talked about the urgent concern about the mental health of students, saying “perhaps now, young people are faced with challenges that are different and more difficult to address.”
He said that partnership is important for UPV because “even as the University itself is a secular institution, it is not impervious to the need for spiritual solace of many students.”
“I find in this proposal, this project, a wonderful opportunity to explore this new relationship with the church - and not only the Catholic Church, but all faiths,” he added.
The partners commit to sharing their respective experiences and expertise, and promoting a learning culture between their organizations, in order to develop a collaborative institutional relationship and better serve UPV constituents.
Present to witness the MoU signing were Vice Chancellor for Administration John Lorenz Belanio, Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Rhodella Ibabao, and Fr. Joaper Geraneo, the Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Jaro and Secretary of the Archbishop.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop said he welcomes the proposal to have a church inside the UPV community.
“It’s one of the things that we appreciate very much, in a sense that we are for the development of a person as a whole — it means not only in the academic or the mind, but the many aspects of his life has to be formed, has to be developed,” he said.
