The experience in the recent super Typhoon Yolanda has made everyone realized that it is crucial for all of us to be ready at all times especially during calamities. Because of this, the College of Education headed by its Dean, Dr. Ma. Asusina Asuncion E. Echaveria, held a two-day workshop and lecture on “Safety and Disaster Preparedness and Management” on December 13, 2013.

The training which was participated in by the faculty and staff of College of Education, aimed to keep them aware of the things to do during a disaster and develop skills in responding to disasters especially in the workplace. In the seminar workshop, the participants listened to lectures as well as to the personal experiences of the speakers during a disaster. Engr. Christian Misola , Director of Environmental Programs Disaster Risk Reduction Management on Conventional Safety and Health Standards Security and Safety Office lectured on Risk Reduction and later conducted an earthquake drill.

The second part of the workshop was handled by Prof. John Corona. In his lecture he shed light on technical terms used in weather forecasts and presented slides and videos.

Also present during the lecture were VP for Admin and Finance Dr. Nehema K. Misola AND Dr. Susan Marie De la Cruz, Director of the Office of Student Affairs.

Aside from the lectures, the workshop included a fellowship night for the faculty and staff of the College of Education. The participants also had the chance to rekindle their camaraderie in the said fellowship night.

On the second day, a morning exercise session was conducted and was later followed by the closing program.

 

                The College Library – Phase 3 which was inaugurated on November 18, 2013 was formally open to WVCST Community after the unveiling ceremony which was headed by no other than CHED Chairman Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan on December 6, 2013.

                A tour around the new building by the Chairman together with the WVCST President, Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr. , the College Librarian, Dr. Nida T. Gomez and the key officials of the College followed after the short ceremony. The three-storey building was constructed in March of this year and was completed in June.

The ground floor of the College Library serves as the Instructional Media Center as well as the Cyber Library that features DOST’s STARBOOKS. The second floor is for the Graduate School and General Reference and on the third floor are the Filipiniana and Rizaliana sections.

Aside from the new library building, Dr. Patricia Licuanan also went around the old library building for a short glimpse.

The unveiling ceremony was part of Dr. Licuanan’s visit who at the same time came for the quarterly meeting of the WVCST Board of Trustees which she also chairs.

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               Western Visayas College of Science and Technology in collaboration with the HECKS Act Alliance, a Switzerland based Non- Government Organization and Task Force Mapalad, an organization of farmers in Negros Occidental heed the utmost needs of the victims of typhoon Yolanda in Capiz and other neighboring towns in a relief operation.

                The NGO’s chose WVCST as their partner to do the repacking and at the same time the covered gym is used as the depot of the goods that are repacked and distributed to areas affected by typhoon Yolanda especially in Capiz and the 5^th district of Iloilo Province . The group is helping out residents from the different towns and municipalities in Capiz by giving them packs of goods that include 25 kilos of rice, 2 kilos of monggo, 1 kilo of dried fish, 1 kilo of salt, and 5 cans of sardines. One Thousand families who were already identified will receive the goods. Some volunteer students from the NSTP, ROTC, CWTS, MTS and BSEd students do the repacking facilitated by the faculty like Prof. Andres Ortega, Jr., Prof. George Lopez and Prof. Cherry Pink Barredo. Some of them also join in the delivery of the goods. According to Prof. Ortega, he and his students already went to the 5^th District recently to do the assessment of the damage in terms of livelihood and housing as part of their responsibility in the collaboration wherein WVCST will also provide research or knowledge transfer regarding the relief operation.

                Aside from Task Force Mapalad, another NGO – Task Force Masipag also collaborated with the College with the same purpose in their relief operation. They will also be giving out food like rice, sardines, monggo, dried fish and mineral water to name some. The group also targets 1,000 families as their recipients for the next batch of goods that will be delivered this week. Task Force Masipag is a local non-government organization composed of farmers in the Province of Iloilo.

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            In line with its vision, mission and core values, Western Visayas College of Science and Technology submits 4 programs for accreditation, 1 of which is Doctor of Education – Educational Management for its second survey and another program for the College of Industrial Technology – Bachelor of Fashion and Apparel for its 1^st survey. The two other programs are under the Barotac Nuevo Campus which will have the first survey on Bachelor of Secondary Education and BS Information Technology.

                In his speech during the opening program, Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr. emphasized that the task of the Accreditors is to help us comply with the quality and excellent standard in higher education. He encouraged everyone to always do what is best. Dr. Sorolla also expressed his thanks to the AACUP Accreditors for their presence especially in their responsibility which at the end of the survey, will lead to a productive and improved institution. According to the President, this activity also helps in the goal of the country to become more competitive by providing our students quality and excellent education.

 

                The Accreditation Survey Visit started on December 10, 2013 and will end on Friday, December 13 in which the general assessment and comments will be presented. The team of accreditors is headed by Dr. Hedeliza A. Pineda, CTU – Over-all Coordinator, Dr. Francisco G. Corpin, LNU, Coordinator for the Main Campus and Team Leader for BFAT, Dr. Candido Kinkito, (NOrSU, Team Leader Ed. D.), Dr. Hubert Quiniones- CTU, Dr. Marilou C. Gravador – NOrSU- Dr. Edgar A. Solana – CTU and Prof. Elenita B. Academia (Library)- NOrSU.

                For the survey in Barotac Nuevo Campus, the Coordinator is Dr. Jean F. Puerto and joined by Dr. Rey C. Roxas – CTU (Team Leader- BS InfoTech), Dr. Marilyn P. Macapagal – NorSU, Prof. Monico G. Acas – Siq SC, Prof. Sotera C. Cagang- NOrSU and Prof. Elenita B. Academia (Library) – NorSU.

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            A week after the result of the Licensure Examination for Teachers was released, the College of Education together with the LET Review Center gave a thanksgiving celebration to the new teachers of WVCST as promised.

                Based on the PRC LET Result, there are 107 passers out of 130 examinees from the College of Education who at the same time chose to review at WVCST LET Review Center. With a percentile rate of 82.31%, the College was ranked as #8 in the Top Performing Schools nationwide from the national passing rate of 31.22% for BEED and 39.75% for BSED. Also, the LET Review Center was able to produce one reviewee from the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College who successfully ranked #10 in the September 2013 licensure exam.  All, first in the history of WVCST.

                This achievement which was described by Dr. John Eric V. Juaneza as once only a desired dream but now it is a dream come true.  For him, the good result of the examination is a contributing factor for the College to become a University. He is also very elated being the Director of the Review Center, that although the 10^th placer of the LET is from NIPSC, the College Review Center was able to extend and share the expertise of its lecturers to him and helped him make it to the top 10.

                Dr. Ma. Asusina Asuncion E. Echaveria, Dean, College of Education expressed how proud the College of Education and the school are for this success and wished the passers good luck in the next endeavor and may they continue to work hard as they face their future.

                Likewise, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and at the same time College Administrator, Dr. Manuel A. Sanchez, Jr., conveyed his happiness especially that this is the first time for WVCST to be in the top 10 performing schools. He reminded the passers that whatever they do or wherever they go they are bringing the name of their Alma Mater. Passing the board exam he said is just the new beginning of the new horizon of their profession. “Continue dreaming, but for your dreams to come true dedicaton, hard work and commitment to your job is a must. Self confidence, motivation and determination are your best weapon in order to be successful in your chosen profession.”

                On her part, the VP for Admin and Finance, Dr. Nehema K. Misola commended the passers especially for uplifting the name of the school in the result of the examinations. She advised them that attaining their goal, they have to go out and multiply. They have to show what they have learned and what they can do as graduates of WVCST. “You will become the living testimony that WVCST exists. Passing the board, makes us parallel as teachers and professionals. However, you have to walk your talk. It is not just enough that you have passed the exam and you know all the theories. You have to show what you’ve got and have that commitment, perseverance, hard work and dedication so that the College can be proud of you. You have to model the truth and what is right and tell the world we are worth to be called a University.”

                Also present in the Thanksgiving celebration was Gerald B. Batarlan, the 10^th placer in the Licensure Exam from NIPSC whose success story touched everyone in the room especially when he said that “I’m not intelligent, I am only diligent . . . and even people looked down on our status in life, I was determined to study hard because I can see how my parents strive just to send us to school.” He inspired the passers by saying that poverty should never be considered an obstacle in attaining one’s dreams.

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            The College of Education, Technology and Livelihood Education Department, had their educational tour in Luzon for 5 days from October 21 to 25, 2013, to get abreast with the current technology of industrial companies and be exposed more to the best practices done by other State Universities that may be helpful for WVCST and its faculty.

The first stop of the group was Ifugao State University where they got impressed with the natural landscape of the campus and also had the chance to check on the different programs offered by the university.

                Before reaching the next destination, the group took a scenic route to Banaue Rice Terraces, The Sagada and the majestic Sierra Madre. They also had the chance to visit the Windmill turbine in Ilocos Norte where they generate electricity thru the movement of the wind, with all the turbines facing the ocean.

                Other universities visited by the group were the University of Northern Philippines, Pangasinan State University and the Mariano Marcos State University which offers Ceramic Engineering that made the university known as the Center of Development which was granted by CHED. Tarlac State University was also included in their destination where the University President toured them around including to the school business enterprise that really helps the university earn their income.

                The TLE faculty was warmly welcomed in Batangas State University by its VP for Academic affairs and its faculty members. Batangas State University showcased their library, where books are accounted thru bar codes, school gates are controlled by bar codes in their students’ IDs and impressive buildings like their 5-storey building, home-tel with elevator and wi-fi facilities all over the campus. They were even more impressed with the hospitality of the Batangueños when tokens were handed to them by the faculty of the state university.

                Meanwhile, there were two industrial companies that the group dropped in – the Tri-R and Choryo Industries, all located at Silang, Cavite. The Company President who happened to be an Ilongga, ushered them around showing the robotics, pneumatic, hydraulic technology and other huge machines. They were also exposed to some of the company’s operations like the cutting of hard and thick metals thru laser technology.