By Michael Visaya

April 1, 2013.

At around 11:45 am, thick smoke began to surface from the western portion of the Continuing Education Training Center (CETC) building. The alarms echoed. For four intense hours, firefighters battled the intensity until the Bureau of Fire Protection finally declared the fire extinguished. As the smoke cleared, burned beams and peeling brickwork were visible, revealing the remains of a space that had once been teeming with lively energy and a desire to learn. 
For some, it was just a tragic loss of property and infrastructure. But to the entire MMSU community, beneath the ash that covered its floor lies a more priceless treasure: cherished memories, valuable lessons, and unburned stories.

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Arch. Bienvenido Magno, who served as the university architect when it was constructed, recalls that the building was designed to have its own interior space arrangement and purposes but more as a space for training and academic activities.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘌𝘔 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘰𝘬, 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘰 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘰 𝘪𝘯 1982,” Arch. Magno said.
The four-story building was once an active hub of campus life. Its classrooms hosted lectures and lively recitations, while the mini reading corner of the Panrehiyong Sentro ng Wikang Filipino (PSWF) offered a quiet space for students to get lost in reading. A small theatre came alive with plays and seminars, filling the air with applause and ideas. The function hall hosted gatherings, and its offices kept the rhythm of daily work and service. These were the true, unshaken foundation of the building, etched on the walls that never collapsed.

Back in its earlier years, the building was also surrounded by life and color. A small vegetable garden thrived nearby, while native fruit trees like atis and lomboy stood tall around it, generously offering their fruits to both teachers and students who freely picked from their branches. Inside, the wide lobby on the ground floor often transformed into a lively gathering space, hosting thanksgiving celebrations, and countless moments of fellowship that brought the community closer together.

The building was instrumental for hidden potential to find its way toward the spotlight. The chairs in the classroom, carefully arranged, were witnesses to the trembling feet and uneasy state of unprepared students. Each silent corner may have cried with every silent confession on the wall. The alleys and the lobbies listened to every story of struggle and disappointment.
Today, the building still stands there even when the people who used to call it home vanished like smoke. In its silence, it screams joy at every story of success that is brought home. It cheers every milestone reached by its alumni and rejoices with the fulfillment of their mentors.

It stood still, looking back and envisioning forward.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲

Mr. Menandro Vidal, who was the guard on duty at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Hall when the incident happened, recalls what he saw that day.

“𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘢-𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘺-𝘢𝘬 𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘺 𝘍𝘌𝘔 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘥𝘪 𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘥𝘢 𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘮𝘪 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪 𝘉𝘍𝘗 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘤 𝘴𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘺 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘋𝘢𝘬𝘬𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘺, 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘯.” (I was on duty at the FEM Hall when they came for help. I immediately called BFP Batac and proceeded immediately to the CETC building. The fire was already difficult to extinguish at that time.)

That very day, the class of 2013 carried with them a memory of both joy and sorrow. Fresh from their baccalaureate service, they gathered at the Sunken Garden,  with hearts filled with the promise of graduation. Yet, as excitement and anticipation mingle, their eyes are drawn to a heartbreaking sight, the building that had once sheltered their dreams, now swallowed by thick smoke and consumed by fire.

The emotional shock lingered as the physical loss was profound. A simple electrical malfunction that caused the fire revealed that MMSU’s true spirit is not only confined to the walls of the building, but more in the stories that still echo to this day.

“𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰,” Arch. Magno said. 

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲

The ruins are still there, along with the stories that refused to be silenced. Former students, who now excel in their chosen careers, recall their golden days in the building.

In a 2013 post following the incident, Mr. Aian Raquel reflected on how the CETC building once stood as a platform of leadership and influence for student leaders like him. It was more than a structure; it was a center where voices of the youth converged. Within its halls, public fora and vigorous debates sharpened ideas. Moreso, its theater became a powerful stage where leadership visions, plans, and programs were championed and brought to life.

Berlin Jay Zion Palacay, a former BA English Studies major in Communication Arts student, recalls those days when the building served as their home for three years. The mini theater inside the building has been instrumental for him and his classmates, as it served not just as a stage for their performances but as a silent supporter for their small wins.

“𝘐𝘴𝘢 𝘱𝘰 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘴 𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘢 𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘸,” Mr. Palacay said. (One of our proudest moments is when we successfully staged four shows of our play, which received positive feedback from students and teachers. I can still remember our all-day practice at the mini theatre that extends until dawn.)

In the meantime, Mr. Quincy Savellano still remembers clearly how he began his time at MMSU in the CETC building. He recalls the moments when picky tricycle drivers would avoid students going to the building because they claimed that it was too far or out of the way.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘥𝘳𝘺. 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘯, 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘬𝘢 𝘯𝘢 𝘯𝘨𝘢, 𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘢-𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘪 𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪 ‘𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦-𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘬𝘢 𝘱𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘪 𝘢𝘢𝘬𝘺𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘢 𝘱𝘢,” Mr. Savellano said.

For Prof. Weena Guiang Franco, Chair of the Sociology Department, memories of her early teaching years in 2002 rooted from the CETC building. To her, more than a hub for classrooms, the place was a melting pot of student life and culture, where young learners from every college of the university converged.

“𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊,” she recalled. “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴.”

The CETC also shaped her as a teacher. Sharing one faculty lounge with colleagues from different disciplines gave her opportunities to learn, not just from her contemporaries but also from the senior educators who had long carried the passion of teaching. “𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴,” she said, emphasizing how those exchanges offered valuable lessons that helped mold her into the educator she is today.
Prof. Franco recalls with pride that many of today’s successful professionals once walked the same halls of the building as her students. “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵,” she reminisced. “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴”.

Dr. Violeta Alonzo of the Department of Social Sciences, looks back on her days at the CETC. As one of the senior faculty members then, she cherished the chance to guide and mentor the younger ones. To her, those days were more than just work, they were moments of affinity and belonging. The building itself became a home, where bonds of sisterhood were nurtured through shared laughter, conversations, and simple meals.
“𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘥𝘪 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘢 𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘺 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊. 𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘪 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘪, 𝘢𝘨𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘰 𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘯,” she recalls with a warm smile.

Prof. Don Mcarthney Tugaoen, the current Chair of the Department of Business Administration of CBEA, started his early teaching years in the building. It tested his patience and passion for teaching. According to him, the challenge of going to the third and fourth floors of the building, lugging a projector and a laptop up the steep stairs, was more than just physical.

He emphasized that the real challenge was to become more instrumental in turning young dreams into reality. “𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵.”

𝗥𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The ashes did not signify an end, but a beginning. Through the initiative of the General Services Division under its Director, Dr. Bensen Pola, minor improvements to the building are underway. Aside from reusing the classrooms for Physical Education classes, the facility is also repurposed to house different offices under the General Services Division. Additionally, Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., the current president of MMSU, previously oversaw the same directorate. 

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘈𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴,” Dr. Pola said.

Truly, education transcends physical space. The fire left the entire MMSU community with the picturesque impression of what education and learning are. It is on the values earned from relationships, dreams nurtured through persistence, and connections that build a future. The structure will serve as a living symbol of excellence and transformation. 

Every “𝘒𝘶𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘺 𝘊𝘌𝘛𝘊 𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯, 𝘮𝘢𝘮/𝘴𝘪𝘳” is more than a simple question of inquiry. It is a powerful testament to the building’s lasting legacy and its significant role in shaping a generation of leaders.

As a new chapter begins, a new generation of learners will once again walk through its halls, open its doors, and sit in its comfort. They carry with them the fire inside, different from the one that once turned the parts of the building into ashes.