SLSU gets Senate nod

The Senate Committee on Education approved the establishment of the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) in a public hearing held on Monday, May 12, 2003. 

After evaluating the merits of the bill that seeks the integration of the four campuses of the Southern Leyte State College of Science and Technology (SLSCST) with the Tomas Oppus Normal College (TONC), members of the Committee on Education moved for the approval of the said bill to which Chairman Kiko Pangilinan posed no objection. 

Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senator Manuel Villar, principal authors of the counterpart bill said that they believe in the cause that Congressman Aniceto Saludo initiated and that was primarily the reason why they filed the bill and pushed for its immediate approval.

The senators said that the integration of the said institutions of higher learning would systematize the operation of the university, particularly in the research and extension activities.  This will help in the optimum utilization of resources of the said educational institutions in various parts of the province and at the same time bring better educational opportunities available to the people, the authors added.

They also explained that by having quality education more accessible to the people particularly in rural communities, the influx of migration from rural to urban communities would be minimized.  They added that with more educated professionals and technical people in these communities, it is hoped that more development efforts will take place.

Although there has been a directive allowing only one state university in every province, the SLSU bill nevertheless got the committee’s concurrence after SLSCST President Leonardo Manalo successfully defended the need for the establishment of the said university. 

Saludo explained that the directive is not a good action in relation to the declining quality of education that the country has.  He said that instead of hampering the growth of the state universities, the government should exert greater efforts in intensifying and optimizing these universities by improving and systematizing the programs that they offer, such as what the SLSU aims to do.

(Released on May 16, 2003)