By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Gaining headway to becoming a smart campus, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is now set to develop its Php 24.9 million-worth Seamless Campus Network (SCN) this year. 

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officially approved the smart campus projects of MMSU and other 18 Philippine state universities and colleges (SUCs) through a virtual ceremonial signing of memorandum of agreement last June 24. 

CHED Chairperson J. Prospero De Vera III said the commission has pushed the smart campus initiative to address the difficulties that SUCs encounter in flexible learning and to help them continue with their new learning environment. He added Php 3 billion fund under the national government’s Bayanihan Act 2 was allotted for the development of smart campuses in SUCs. Php 2 billion will be used for the Smart SUCs Development Project while the remaining Php 1 billion will be used in procuring laptops for distribution to all SUCs. 

Meanwhile, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis thanked CHED for enabling MMSU to build its SCN “which will complement our aggressive efforts to champion flexible learning, leading to a community that is highly connected and digitally interactive in a secure and glitch-free environment.”

The SCN aims to connect all MMSU campuses in Batac, Laoag, Currimao, Paoay, and Dingras through the installation and maintenance of a Virtual Private Network (VPN), enabling the University to have a centralized control and sharing of resources and to facilitate systematic use access and optimized security management.

“This will enable us to have a seamless and secure connection, modern and upgraded equipment, automated and integrated systems, reinforced research development, as well as transformational and innovative technologies,” Dr. Agrupis said.

She added the University will use 70 percent of the fund to procure information technology infrastructure “that will provide a backbone for a smart university.” 

Dr. Saturnina Nisperos, director of MMSU Information and Technology Center, said the project will surely bolster the connectivity in the University and will vitally support the implementation of flexible learning as it will allow local access of information systems across all campuses, including the MMSU Virtual Learning Environment (mVLE).

Mr. Arman Barruga, chief of Software Development and Network Administration and SCN project leader, said the university will purchase a geo-based IP firewall, upgrade to a 6Gbps Stateful Firewall throughput (accommodating 10,000 users), and 10G SFP+ WAN interfaces for high-speed connectivity, among others. 

Other SUCs which received funding from CHED are the Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology; Batangas State University; Bicol University; Bukidnon State University; Bulacan Agricultural State College; Carlos Hilado Memorial State College; Central Bicol State University of Agriculture; Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology; Marinduque State College; Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College; Palawan State University; Pampanga State Agricultural University; Philippine Normal University; Samar State University; Southern Leyte State University; Sulu State College; University of Antique; and the University of Northern Philippines. 

The CHED chair also urged the Congress to provide additional funding to the agency in the Bayanihan Act 3 “to assist further the universities in becoming full-fledged smart campuses.” (StratCom)