TACLOBAN CITY — Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is pushing to elevate Visayas State University (VSU) into a leading center for agricultural and scientific innovation in Southeast Asia, as part of efforts to strengthen higher education and research in the region.
Romualdez, representing Leyte’s first congressional district, recently met with VSU administrators and faculty at the university’s campus in Alangalang town to personally review proposed infrastructure projects and assess the university’s priority needs.
The discussions focused on key requirements, including the construction of additional classrooms and improvements in facilities and services for both students and educators.
The initiative forms part of the former Speaker’s legislative agenda to establish VSU as the country’s “National Green University,” aimed at advancing sustainable development, agricultural research, and science-based innovation.
During the meeting, Romualdez emphasized the importance of directly consulting stakeholders to ensure that development plans address actual challenges faced by the academic community.
By engaging with university officials and listening to their concerns, he said the proposed measures are designed to respond to the needs of students while strengthening the institution’s role in national and regional development.
VSU, one of the country’s premier state universities in agriculture and environmental sciences, is seen as a strategic institution that could position the Philippines as a key player in innovation and sustainability efforts across Southeast Asia.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
