FACULTY members of Isabela State University (ISU) received laptops as special gifts in celebration of this year’s Teachers’ Day at the university’s Echague Campus earlier this month.
ISU President Ricmar Aquino said around 175 units of laptops were distributed to selected faculty members from the nine colleges of the campus, made possible through the congressional budget insertion introduced by Sen. Pia Cayetano to the institution’s general appropriations.
He said the distribution of laptop devices has prioritized faculty members who have not yet received any issued devices and memorandum receipts from the university.
According to Aquino, ISU will also purchase bicycles for students and establish bicycle stations inside the university which is part of the measure towards building a climate-resilient community.
Earlier, the university received a total of P1.358 billion budget which included a 24.03 percent increase on the ISU-proposed budget in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the Fiscal Year 2022 or Republic Act 11639.
Aquino said the additional funding will be allocated for the university’s Smart Campus initiative, the College of Medicine, and the increase in carrying capacity of Nursing and Allied Health Programs.
He said the funding will also be used for the operationalization of limited in-person classes, capacity development on Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight, sports and socio-cultural development, student assistance program, and the implementation of free higher education.
“We thank Senator Cayetano and the Senate for the congressional insertion which will propel academic services in building ISU’s brand of quality education,” he added.
Aquino also thanked faculty members for their efforts to upscale ISU’s academic excellence shown in both the licensure performances and the exemplary graduate and alumni profiles.
During the distribution of laptops, ISU-Echague executive officer Dr. Jose Gallena said teaching has not been so easy for all of them and that they deserve such remuneration for their commitment.
Dr. Hilda Manzolim, ISU-Echague faculty president, encouraged faculty members to remain committed and passionate to the vision and goals of the university as a way of gratitude for these awards.
Manzolim said the laptops are for the faculty members to be more efficient in the exercise of their duties to impart knowledge to the students and contribute to the improvement of the university.
Meanwhile, lawyer Romano Cammayo, ISU vice president for administration and finance, said the top management looks after the welfare and best interest of the faculty and staff.
“The administration of President Richard [Aquino] he is doing his best to move heaven and earth so that we could provide the best facilities in the university and the best environment for all,” Cammayo said.
He also gave a hint of another round of institutional promotion which is set to roll out just after the national budget circular eighth cycle including the upcoming collective negotiations agreement for additional cash incentives.
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