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| Photo: LGU Gensan |
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines
- After years of debacles, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) will finally expand its operation here in General Santos City.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the said university already took place at the 80-hectare lot of the UST in Brgy. Ligaya on Friday, April 20.
It was attended by top brass officials of UST, including the UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P. and UST General Santos Campus Project Director Rev. Fr. Dexter A. Austria, O.P. Bishop of Marbel H.E. Most Rev. Dinualdo D. Gutierrez, D.D., also graced the occasion.
However, it was Mayor Ronnel Rivera and other city government officials that made their attendance at the event at full display.
Rivera, together with the councilors of Sangguniang Panlungod (SP), had to hurdle various impediments for almost five years just to pave way for the construction of UST campus here in Gensan.
Originally, the UST should have been here in Gensan years before Rivera's term which started in 2013. But it was only the good mayor who has decided to work hand-in-hand with the UST administration to put the project on track.
"We have come a long way," the Mayor said meaningfully during the event.
The local chief executive of Gensan has a lot of expectations for the arrival of UST.
Being one of the "big four universities," mayor Rivera anticipates that the UST will be able to change the educational dynamics in the Southern Philippines.
He is specifically hoping that UST Gensan will be able to provide strong and competitive education along with other leading universities in the region such as University of the Philippines - Mindanao and Ateneo De Davao University in Davao City. Meanwhile, the De La Salle University and Mapua University will be opening their extensions in Davao, too.
With these institutions branching out in Mindanao, Mayor Rivera believed that the UST will guarantee that Gensan will never be left out.
After all, UST is also a known giant when it comes to courses related to medicine, engineering, social sciences, and research.
However, Mayor Rivera assured that UST will not overshadow Mindanao State University and other colleges here in Gensan. Instead, he stated that UST will complement and improve the educational standards that are being practiced in the city.
On the side of investment and business, UST is projected to provide significant impact.
"Businesses will grow in the periphery of UST. Brgy. Ligaya is an agricultural area in Gensan. But who knows, it might become be converted to a business district soon. With the influx of students, businesses like food chains, stores, and apartments will also proliferate," Rivera explained.
UST Gensan is expected to be completed in 2020.
Some of the programs that will be offered in the school are the School of Health and Sciences, School of Business and Accountancy, School of Arts and Humanities, School of Engineering and Technology, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, and School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science.
UST Gensan is the only extension of UST in Mindanao and Visayas regions.
UST Rector Dagohoy expressed his gratitude to Mayor Rivera for opening the city for their institution.
"We cannot thank enough the goodness and unyielding support of the leadership of Gensan. We would like to express this gratitude in behalf of the board and on behalf of the Univesity of Santo Tomas to the leadership of Mayor Ronnel Rivera," Dagohoy said.
source: LGU Gensan
