The University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) needs upgrading and modernization – from infrastructures to facilities down to the teaching personnel, a city councilor revealed.
As the UP Regional Alumni Institute (RAI) passed eight resolutions aimed to boost up the modernization of UP, City Councilor Antoinette Principe-Castrodes also filed before the City Council a resolution supporting the expansion plan and the five-year development of UP Min.
“The lack of facilities and budgetary constraints have understandably become barriers to the fulfillment of UP’s asipirations,” said Castrodes, an alumnus of the school.
The eight measures passed by the UP RAI includes the expansion of the UP-Min’s academic program offerings; the implementation of the Mindanao Sports Development Program and the completion of the Davao City-UP Sports Complex; the establishment of the UP-Min botanical garden to support the agro-eco-cultural tourism in Davao Region; the strengthen of the research, development and engagement of UP-Min on sustainable agri and biosystems; and to establish knowledge, innovation science and technology park in UP-Min campus to accelerate innovation and investment.
The councilor is also endorsing the UP RAI’s resolution calling for the Congress to pass a special legislation to support UP Min’s development plan.
“In the same manner, I am appealing to this august body to support the resolutions,” she said.
She said that a separate resolution will be filed to request Sen. Miguel Zubiri and Third District Rep. Isidro Ungab to sponsor the legislation.
UP RAI has bared that a total of P12 billion would be allocated once the modernization of UP is implemented.
“UP RAI is aiming for a P12 billion allocation from the national budget to transform UP Mindanao as a model campus as it seeks to expand its academic and research programs and modernizing existing buildings and facilities,” she said.
She also said that part of the said upgrading is the retrofitting establishments with green technologies. They will also be using renewable energy sources for campus electrification.
“We also aim to establish a world class infrastructure that will become the cultural, athletic and tourism hub for Davao City,” she said.
“This may be a substantial investment from the government, but the value of human capital that UP Mindanao contributes to the Philippines far outweighs this cost,” the councilor said in her final statement.
