"UP-Mindanao needs P12B," news item
Sun Star Davao newspaper published a news article by reporter Ralph Lawrence Llemit on 12 December 2019 focusing on Davao City councilor Antoinette Principe-Castrodes's privilege speech to the Davao City council proposing a resolution to support UP Mindanao's expansion plan as presented in the recent UP Regional Alumni Institute (RAI). "University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Min) will need P12-billion for its planned expansion and modernization. Councilor Antoinette Principe-Castrodes revealed during her privilege speech on Tuesday, December 10, that UP-Min needs upgrading and modernization - from infrastructure, facilities, and its teaching personnel," said the opening sentence of the article.
"The councilor filed a resolution supporting UP-Min’s five-year development and expansion plan," the article continued. "'I am endorsing UP RAI’s resolution no.1 and, in the same manner, appealing to this august body to support the resolution requesting President Rodrigo Duterte to endorse to Congress for priority legislation (UP RAI’s) resolution no. 1 which calls for Congress to pass a special legislation to support UP Mindanao’s development plan,' Principe-Castrodes said."
The article quotes the councilor saying that the needed budget will be coming from the national budget; that UP Mindanao has produced 3,000 graduates who now occupy key positions in government, schools, business, and civil society organizations; that UP Mindanao will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2020 and that "she hopes that the university would become a 'more robust partner in the attainment of inclusive and sustainable development in Mindanao and the country”.
The article enumerated the other RAI resolutions: the resolution to expand UP-Min’s academic program offerings; a resolution to support the implementation of the Mindanao Sports Development Program and the completion of the Davao City-UP Sports Complex; a resolution for the establishment of the UP-Min botanical garden to support the agro-eco-cultural tourism in Davao Region; a resolution to strengthen he research, development and engagement of UP-Min on sustainable agri and biosystems; and a resolution to establish knowledge, innovation science and technology park in UP-Min campus to accelerate innovation and investment; a resolution for the establishment of a UP College of Medicine in Davao City in partnership with UP Manila to respond to the medical and health needs of the island region; and a resolution to respond to Mindanao’s graduate program needs through joint programs of UP campuses and support of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Science and Technology.
[Update: The Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod issued a "Certificate of Urgency," that stated, "I hereby certify the urgency and necessity of the passage of the following: 'A resolution supporting UP Mindanao's five-year development and expansion plan and urging President Rodrigo Duterte to endorse UP RAI's resolution no. 1 to Congress for priority legislation.' To be passed under Suspended Rules of the Regular Session of the 19th Council on 10 December 2019. For consideration. Hon. J. Melchor B. Quitain, Jr. Floor Leader"]
See the Sun Star article here: http://bit.ly/2smrHuV