DepEd to handle BSU’s Bokod,Buguias high schools

By Maria Aprila Cruz

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The high school departments of the  Benguet State University in its Bokod and Buguias campuses are set  to be turned over to the  Department of Education.

During meeting of regional social development committee of the Regional Development Couyncil , Ma. EmelieDaquipil of the National Economic and Development Authority said heads of concerned agencies and organizations met May 11 and agreed to draft and sign memorandum of agreement  to effect the turn over.

It was agreed the BSU Buguias campus would be under the DepEd including the area occupied by the elementary and high schools inside the 35-hectare BSU reservation, track oval area maintained by the elementary school, 1.8 hectares (which include a 9,000 sq.m. surveyed plus additional 9,000 sq.m.) and  buildings to be shared by both DepEd and BSU.

It was also agreed that BSU, DepEd and the provincial government  will immediately undertake the survey  over 1,8 hectares to be turned over.

Also buildings in the Buguias campus shall be shared by both DepEd and BSU.

DepEd as soon as possible shall submit a proposed schedule for its use so that BSU can also plan accordingly.

For  Bokod campus, BSU will confirm buildings and lands to be turned over.

As regards manpower, BSU shall turn over ten teachers each in the Buguias and Bokod campuses.

The turnover of BSU elementary and high school  campuses to DepEd  is by virtue of Republic Act 7722 known as the Higher Education Modernization Act, where higher education institutions (HEIs)  are separated from the basic education (elementary and  high school)  and  subjected to the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education  and the DepEd, respectively.

High school department unit of state universities and colleges that are physically detached from the SUCs campus shall be completely transferred to DepEd, inclusive of personnel, properties, records, assets, liabilities and proportionate budgetary allocation for personnel services and mandatory and other operating expenses, the proposed MOA stated.

The draft MOA as agreed, shall be finalized and signed by both BSU and DepEd as soon as possible based on the agreements made. It should include the technical descriptions of the surveyed lots.

The signed MOA will be the basis of the Department of Budget and Management to decide requests for additional budget.

The concern for said turnover from BSU to DepEd was raised to the RDC by Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan three years ago.

Present during the meeting were   Fongwan, Dep-Ed officials headed by regional director Ellen Donato, BSU president Ben Ladilad, DBM regional director Liza Fangsilat,  NEDA regional head Milagros Rimando, RDSC vice chair Marietta Paragas and representatives from BSU Buguias and Bokod campuses.