By Daniel Tapaoan Jr., StratCom Correspondent

To help meet the essential needs of students and employees, the MMSU College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) launched its Free Store today, October 7. 

Located at the CAFSD Student Council Office, the college pantry offers free essential items such as clothing, school supplies, books, food, and other basic needs for anyone in need. 

Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano, Jr., MMSU vice president for planning and strategic foresight, Dr. Charlie Batin, CAFSD OIC dean, and Prof. Joan Rarogal, the main proponent, led the launch of the CAFSD Free Store.

During the opening program, Dr. Manzano praised the college and its proponents for establishing this initiative. He emphasized that the Free Store exemplifies MMSU’s core value of social responsibility. He expressed hope that other academic units would sustain and emulate the Free Store. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Batin underscored that the Free Store reflects CAFSD’s commitment to ensuring students have the resources to pursue their studies. He also urged faculty and students to help maintain the pantry. 

Prof. Rarogal thanked the donors and university administration for their generosity. She shared that the inspiration for the Free Store came from observing similar efforts at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville during her participation in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Faculty Exchange Program last year. 

To ensure the Free Store’s sustainability, Prof. Rarogal outlined plans to organize a donation drive at the end of every semester.