MP students to politicos: Where is promised dorm

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Student leaders of Mountain province State Polytechnic College here urged politicians to make good their promise of constructing a dormitory for them in this school
year to ease burden of high cost of education.

The construction of two dormitories, one for female and another for male, was supposed to be funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of the late Rep. Victor S. Dominguez amount to P20 million with the provincial government providing the lot for the structures as counterpart.

However, in his visit to the MPSPC campus here last year, Kalinga Rep. Manuel S. Agyao, the appointed caretaker congressman of the province, committed to school officials and student leaders that the planned construction of the dormitories will be pursued in recognition of the late congressman’s effort to improve the lodging of students enrolled at the MPSPC, the only State-run higher education institution in this province.

Gov. Maximo Dalog, in a series of talks with school officials and student leaders, reportedly also assured that the provincial government will provide the lot where the structures will be erected.

The student leaders appealed to concerned national and local leaders to fulfill their commitments for the construction of the long overdue dormitories to help decongest the alleged overcrowding of boarding houses in this capital town with classes expected to start this coming Monday.

According to them, it is unfortunate that noble projects which will cater to their needs are being sacrificed by some sectors for their own pet projects.

At the same time, MPSPC sources disclosed the nearly 3,000 beneficiaries of the free scholarship program of the late congressman are now reportedly required to pay their tuition and miscellaneous fees for the coming school year because the funds earlier earmarked for the program has been exhausted and has not been replenished.

Recently, the Office of Rep. Agyao reportedly downloaded to the provincial government the amount of P20 million for identified priority infrastructure projects while allegedly claiming that the P20 million earmarked for the construction of the two dormitories is no longer available.

The dormitories are supposed to cater to the lodging needs of indigent students who cannot afford the skyrocketing rates being allegedly imposed by enterprising house owners in the town.

Instead of promoting the welfare of the students who are considered the future leaders of the province, students are disappointed on the failure of concerned local officials to fulfill their promised funding for their dormitories as well as the continuous implementation of the free scholarship program even without the primary sponsor of the said noble programs to advance education in the province. -- Dexter A. See