Benhur gives P1M for CTU upgrade

CEBU, Philippines - A memorandum of agreement was signed between Cebu Fourth District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon and the Cebu Technological University (CTU) for the relese of P1 million from the congressman’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to improve the university’s facilities.

Under the agreement, the monetary aid will be used to upgrade the facilities for ladderization of the Marine Engineering Program and for scholarship assistance to identified scholars taking Bachelor of Science in Fishery at CTU- Daanbantayan Campus.

The MOA signing was graced by Salimbangon and CTU president Dr. Bonifacio Villanueva at CTU-Cebu City Campus.

Salimbangon believes that education must be accessible to all. The lawmaker is pushing for academic freedom for a “continuing intellectual growth, advancement of learning and research, development of responsible and effective leadership, education of high-level and middle-level professionals and the enrichment of historical and cultural heritage of the Philippines.”

The congressman also recognizes that there is a need to provide additional financial support to CTU “to upgrade its institutional capability and sustain its developmental efforts towards meeting the challenges of producing the required manpower resources needed for accelerated national development.”

Of the P1 million, P700,00 will be used for the upgrading of facilities while the remaining P300,000 will be for scholarship assistance for the Bachelor of Science in Fishery (BSFi) for the incoming first year of the academic year 2012-2013.

Under the MOA, both parties have specified its roles and responsibilities wherein aside from providing the fund, Salimbangon will see to it that the funds provided shall be used properly and for the intended purposed specified.

The CTU, for its part, shall properly utilize the funds and shall see to it that these are used for the purpose for which the same are intended for, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

CTU shall identify the facilities, equipment and machineries that are needed for the ladderization of BSMarE and identify the list of scholars.

CTU is also required to submit a liquidation report to Salimbangon, certified correct by the accountant and verified by the auditor of the school within 60 days after the completion of the project.  (FREEMAN)