MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon (PIA) -- Senate President and Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, together with other Bukidnon leaders, led the inauguration of Northern Bukidnon State College's (NBSC) P99 million three-story student welfare and development center on February 2 in Sitio Kihare, Barangay Tangkulan.  

"We'll make it a premiere state college for our eventual conversion to a state university," Zubiri said, emphasizing that the only way to solve poverty in Bukidnon is through education. 

Ronaldo Pahang, who heads the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 3rd Engineering District of Bukidnon, said the project cost is totaled at the revised amount of P99 million from its original P92.8 million and was completed in 629 calendar days.

Phase two of the project, which includes the provision of a parking area, was completed within 300 calendar days, totaling P49.5 million. The project is funded under the Local Infrastructure Program-Multi-Year Contractual Authority (LIP-MYCA).

Zubiri also promised to look into the construction of NSBC’s road networks and asked the DPWH 3rd Engineering District of Bukidnon to do the survey and cost estimates.

“As far as Bukidnon is concerned, we are working together to provide whatever is needed for our education sector,” Rep. Jose Manuel Alba said, adding that with the support of Zubiri, NBSC now has an additional P86 million for its 2024 NBSC budget.

The NBSC envisions itself as a leading institution in research, innovation, sustainable academic programs, and services that cultivate educational, personal, and professional growth for its learners; thus, NBSC President Dr. Catherine Roween Almaden expressed gratitude to the senator and all the leaders of Bukidnon for the realization of the now-inaugurated facility.

"At the core of this facility are the modern amenities that will host various types of student services, one of which is our cultural and creative innovation hub, a space that celebrates and preserves the traditions of our IP communities—a place where creativity and tradition converge, fostering an environment that encourages the exploration and expression of our unique cultural heritage,” Almaden said.

Among the amenities are a laboratory for its Fine Arts program, which focuses on product design; a simulation laboratory for teachers; and 21st century classrooms, which serve as hubs for research addressing unique challenges faced by students and their stakeholders.

The NBSC student welfare and development center will house two 300-seater conference halls with state-of-the-art technology. Almaden said that the procurement process is now underway.

"Mao gyud na atong gidamgo nga mahatagan nato og edukasyon atong mga kaigsuonan, hilabi na katong naa sa mga hilit nga mga kabarangayan [This has always been our dream to give quality education to our constituents, especially those in the hinterland barangays]," said Manolo Fortich Mayor Rogelio Quiño.

He also revealed that the local government of Manolo Fortich has allocated a budget for 300 scholars of the NBSC. 400 senior high school students also benefit from the local government's P2,500 per semester allowance. With the help of the municipal council, Quiño hopes to raise the number of scholars this year to a total of 1,000 students. 

NBSC has emerged as a modern-era academic institution. Its humble beginnings trace back to 2005 as a community college under the municipal ordinance number 368-2005. The institution started opening its classes for AY 2005–2006, leading to its eventual conversion into a state college in 2020 via Republic Act 11284, or An Act Converting the Northern Bukidnon Community College in the Municipality of Manolo Fortich, Province of Bukidnon, into a state college to be known as the Northern Bukidnon State College. (SAYU/PIA-10)