By Kristine Ann M. Fernandez
The Silliman University (SU) administration recently approved an estimated budget of P70.3 million for academic buildings mainly for the School of Basic Education (SBE).
According to Vice-president for Development Jane Annette Belarmino, the budget is part of the university’s priority development projects this school year.
Aside from an enrolment increase in the SBE, Belarmino said the university prioritized the non-college department because they believe the K+12 education system will result to a growing demand for additional classrooms and teachers in the near future.
She added that this is SU’s way of “acting now” in preparation for the effects of K+12 which is a government program that will add 2 years to the existing 10 years of basic education in the country.
The SBE renovation plan includes 16 classrooms for the elementary school worth P26.6 million and 6 additional classrooms in high school worth P11.6 million.
The university also allotted a P12 million budget for the renovation of Katipunan Hall – home of the College of Education who is currently holding classes at Guy Hall.
Furthermore, because of the rising population of architecture students, the university also allocated their department P14.1 million for six classrooms and a laboratory.
The remaining P8 million will go to the renovation of the men’s dormitory, Doltz Hall.
Citing the importance of transparency, Belarmino added that P50 million of the total estimated budget will be funded by loans, while the P22.3 million will come from the university’s own capital expenditure.
“If you spend the entire P72.3 million using the funds of the university there will be nothing left for repairs, for equipment and for other possible things. That’s why we decided to get a loan especially since there are currently very low interest rates,” she explained.
The project was approved by the university’s board of trustees last Nov. 30 and was presented Friday to the university’s leadership council.
