By Crisdeniele Clemente

Mariano Marcos State University unveiled state-of-the-art buildings and facilities on January 22.

Among these are the College of Medicine (COM) Academic Research and Support Facilities, Auxiliary Buildings, 4Ps and student dormitories, Research, Development, and Extension II (Garlic Research Center), and the MMSU High School Administration Building.

“We have done and achieved so much, but we’re not done yet. We still have a gymnatorium to finish; we still have to break ground for our SMART Campus Building, classrooms in CTE, a dormitory in partnership with the municipality, and many more,” MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said in her message that included a quote from Winston Churchill, “We shape buildings; thereafter, they shape us.”

Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, director for research, innovation, and technology; Mr. Erick Jay A. De La Cruz, director for business; and Dr. Policarpio B. Joves Jr., dean of the COM, conveyed their vision and aspirations for their respective units. The Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH-MC) was recognized as the valued the base hospital of MMSU-COM. The award was received by Dr. Jose Orosa III, chief of medical professional staff, who represented Dr. Ma. Lourdes Otayza, medical center chief.

Funded by the General Appropriations Act CY 2022-2023 through the initiative of Senator Pia Cayetano, the COM Academic Research and Support Facilities Building is equipped with modern laboratories, lecture halls, and research spaces to foster excellence in medical education and research. Senator Cayetano is chair of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, and senior vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, in charge of the budget of state universities and colleges.

The auxiliary buildings of the College of Health Sciences (CHS), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD), and College of Engineering (COE) will offer a wide array of foods and drinks with a cozy ambiance.

The new 4Ps and student dormitories were also inaugurated. These two-story residential suites, which can accommodate 168 students, include several bedrooms filled with bunk beds, bathrooms, a shared kitchen, and dining rooms. The university’s accommodation unit will serve as the caretaker of the said residential facilities.

As MMSU continues to advance research on garlic cultivation and indigenous foods, the Research, Development, and Extension II (Garlic Research Center) was also unveiled, which consists of laboratories for plant molecular biology, virus indexing, tissue culture, pharmaceutical and biomedical, and microbiology.

MMSU also introduced the upgraded High School Administration Building to enhance administrative processes and organizational efficiency. Provided with modern facilities, this building is set to become the center for administrative operations for the MMSU Laboratory High School. Part of the building serves as the faculty room of the College of Law. (MKA_StratCom)