TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 3rd District Engineering Office (DEO), led by District Engineer Cesar V. Makabenta, Assistant District Engineer Johnny L. Protesta, Jr., and other officials, held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 7 for the first-ever Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Campus in Visayas, which will be built in Leyte, Leyte, in Brgy. Calaguise.
This significant project, funded under the FY 2023 GAA with an allocation of Php 48.5 million, aims to provide students in the region with accessible higher education opportunities.
The distinguished ceremony was graced by the presence of notable individuals, including Leyte 3rd District Representative Hon. Anna Victoria Veloso–Tuazon, former Leyte 3rd District Representative Hon. Justice Vicente "Ching" Veloso, Board Member Marie Kathryn "Chinggay" Veloso–Kabigting, PUP President Dr. Manuel M. Muhi, and Cong. Jude Acidre, the Representative of Tingog Party List.
Also in attendance were PUP Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Emanuel C. De Guzman, PUP Vice President for Branches and Satellite Campuses Mr. Pascualito B. Gatan, PUP Vice President for Administration Mr. Adam V. Ramilo, and various local officials.
Expressing his gratitude, DE Makabenta extended his thanks to the Office of the House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Cong. Jude Acidre, Senator Imee Marcos, and District Representative Cong. Anna Victoria Veloso–Tuazon for their efforts in securing the necessary funds for the project. "DPWH is very honored to help the students of the Third District of Leyte. We, in DPWH, welcome you to witness this momentous occasion," DE Makabenta stated in his welcome message.
Hon. Ching Veloso eagerly anticipated the day students from the Leyte 3rd district would no longer have to travel to other cities such as Cebu, Ormoc, and Tacloban to pursue studies in Medicine and Criminology. He emphasized that PUP in Leyte, Leyte, would offer courses catering to students' educational needs while relieving them of financial burdens.
Once completed, the PUP Campus project will provide convenient access to quality education for residents of the entire Leyte 3rd district and neighboring towns.
Moreover, it is expected to bolster the economic situation in the area, generating employment opportunities and fostering growth. Spanning an area of 1,651 square meters, the project includes constructing a school building elevated 0.325 meters from the ground, along with other civil, electrical, and mechanical works. —iTacloban (Source: DPWH-8)