“KAUBAN Ta Uy” congressional bets unveiled their plans and platforms for the education sector, the installation of University campus in Barangay Lumbia, following House Bill 9653 authored by Cagayan De Oro 1st Distric Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy that has been passed in Congress last year.
Team KaubanTaUy candidates said they will push for the establishment of the campus of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP).
Vice Mayor Joaquin Rainier “Kikang” Uy and businesswoman Irene Floro said they will work together as a tag team in the House of Representatives for the realization of the dream of Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy.
VM Uy is seeking the first congressional district seat that will be vacated by his father, who is running for the seat at City Hall, while Floro is gunning for the second district’s congressional seat.
“Together with ma’am Irene, we will strongly move to push for the realization of Cong. Klarex’s bill, the establishment of the USTP campus in Lumbia,” Kikang said.
“Education, quality science and technology education, is the ‘in’ thing now with this generation. The establishment of the USTP campus in Lumbia will further spread our advocacy for Artificial Intelligence (AI). We have to move to AI so that we won’t be left behind. AI is the key if we want to make CDO the prime smart city in the entire Philippines we envisioned it to be,” Floro said.
It can be recalled that the elder Uy’s pet House Bill 9653, which seeks the establishment of the USTP campus in Lumbia has passed muster in Congress last year.
No less than USTP System President Dr. Ambrosio Cultura II favorably endorsed the passage of the bill.
“The immediate passing of HB 9653 is therefore anticipated and supported by the USTP System as it continues to uphold its commitment to the delivery of its mandate and ultimately to the realization of its vision to be a nationally-recognized S&T university providing the vital link between education and the economy,” he said.
Cultura explained that Klarex’s pet bill is aligned with the mandate of the USTP System, which is “to provide education, higher technological, professional and advanced instruction in Mathematics, Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Advance Research and Extension Work in human resource development in critical science and technology skill and competencies required for global competitiveness.”
The USTP System was established by virtue of RA 10919 which merged the Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Cagayan de Oro City with the Claveria-based Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT).
“The establishment of the Lumbia Campus is indeed aligned with the mandate of the university. Lumbia presents a promising contribution toward socio-economic development from which the USTP System can support through the kind of quality education and training it can provide to the target students of Lumbia and neighboring barangays,” he said.
“House Bill 9653, introduced by Rep. Rolando “Klarex” Uy, compliments the USTP mandate and its meaningful impact to society, particularly in Barangya Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City and its neighboring barangays,” Cultura added.
Rep. Uy expressed gratefulness to Cultura for his eloquent defense of the bill.
“I would like to thank Dr. Ambrosio B. Cultural II, president of the USTP System, for eloquently defending our bill before the committee and for persuasively expressing the intent and purposes of the bill, which is simply to make quality science and technology education more accessible to students,” he said.
Uy strongly believes that education is the way out of poverty. That is why he established elementary or high schools or both in all barangays in the city’s First District. And if given the chance to continue serving the city as mayor, he will move for the establishment of elementary and/or high schools in all barangays in the second district. This aside from increasing the city’s scholars to 10,000 and the establishment of scholarships for college/university students who are bent on taking medical courses.
He said he moved for the establishment of the USTP campus in Lumbia to “provide quality education to the youth in the hinterland barangays of the city.”
“For CHED-10, the creation of the USTP campus in Barangay Lumbia, which is about 15.7 kms. from the main campus of USTP…(is a) welcome development,” Alvarez said.
CHED Executive Director Atty. Cinderella Filipina S. Benitez-Jaro also supported the bill and called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure that it the new campus, once established, will be funded.
Education is one of Klarex’s Five-point Agenda while in Congress as he strongly believes that “the empowerment of our people, especially the youth, can best be carried out through our educational system.”
“Our Constitution mandates us in government service to protect and promote the right of citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all (Section 1, Article XIV). The establishment of the USTP campus in Barangay Lumbia will support the socio-economic development of the area and its neighboring barangays, the city and the entire Northern Mindanao region,” Uy said. (PR)
