President Miriam E. Pascua in a memorandum to all employees dated Nov. 19 announced the cancellation of the University Christmas Program usually held on the third week of December.

The gesture, she said, shows “our utmost sympathy to our brothers and sisters who suffered the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda.” She added that it is “morally and spiritually improper for us to have such celebration amidst national emergency.”

She, however, said that a Christmas program may still be conducted in the colleges upon the discretion of the dean provided that it shall be “modest and simple.” She encouraged everyone to primarily hold a prayer service on top of other activities.

Meanwhile, the members of the Administrative Council in their regular meeting on Nov. 28 decided to donate P50,000 to typhoon Yolanda-stricken SUCs in the Visayas. President Pascua informed the council that members of the Philippine Association of State Colleges and Universities agreed that each SUC may donate a maximum of P50,000, and upon learning that the university has been spending more than the said  amount every year for the university-wide Christmas program, she appealed to everyone that the university give the maximum cash donation.

She added that more than giving cash donations, the university can also help the typhoon survivors through technologies that have been generated by in-house researchers. The Bamboo Production Project, for instance, can help in rebuilding their houses while the water distiller project can help provide potable water for everyone, she said.

She assigned the vice president for research, extension, and linkages, Dr. Prima Fe Franco, to consolidate all possible technologies that the university can share to Samar.