The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) broke ground Monday for a new P93 million peso academic building at its Bansud Campus, signaling a major expansion of higher education facilities in Oriental Mindoro.

The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place on March 3, 2025, featured the traditional laying of a time capsule to mark the beginning of construction on what officials described as a “modern facility” that will serve students from across Oriental Mindoro and neighboring provinces.

PUP Bansud Campus Director Ricardo F. Ramiscal presided over the ceremony, joined by a full contingent of campus personnel including instructors, professors, faculty members, staff, and students — known locally as “iskolar ng bayan” or “PUPians.”

Bansud Vice Mayor Rico B. Tolentino led a delegation of local government officials and civil servants attending the historic occasion.

Mayor Ronaldo “Ronie” Morada, though not present at the ceremony, was acknowledged repeatedly for his administration’s support of the project.

The four-story academic building will feature 12 classrooms, two computer laboratories and two faculty rooms, expanding the campus’s capacity to serve students.

The P93,435,208.19-peso project is being funded through the national government’s General Appropriation Act of 2024.

Elite Contractor representatives Architect Rowena Soto Jardin and Architect Willy Goco attended as project consultants, while Engineers Jewel Evangelista and Johnny Contreras represented the Department of Public Works and Highways Region IV-B, which will oversee construction.

In their remarks, officials noted that the new building represents the strong partnership between the Bansud local government and PUP to provide “quality, affordable, and modern education for all students, regardless of their background.”

“What we want is simple: a clean, peaceful, and progressive town of Bansud,” officials said during the ceremony.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines, established in 1904, has grown to become one of the country’s largest state universities with more than 70,000 students across multiple campuses.

The university is widely recognized for its commitment to providing affordable higher education opportunities to economically disadvantaged students throughout the Philippines.

PUP Bansud
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Bansud Campus stands as a milestone in the expansion of higher education in Oriental Mindoro province, following its official establishment through Republic Act No. 11281, signed into law on April 12, 2019.

The campus was created to provide accessible higher education and technical-vocational training to students in Bansud and nearby municipalities. It offers graduate, undergraduate, and short-term technical-vocational courses, supporting the government’s programs to improve educational opportunities in rural areas and drive socio-economic growth.

Bansud itself has a rich history, originally part of Bongabong until it became a separate municipality in 1959.

The town’s name is rooted in the indigenous Mangyan word “Basud,” meaning delta, later evolving into “Bansud” as settlers from various provinces, including Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano, and Bicolano communities, arrived over time.

With the presence of PUP Bansud, the town is poised to strengthen its role in Oriental Mindoro’s educational and economic development, offering new opportunities for students and fostering progress in Mindoro.

Photos: courtesy of LGU Bansud Page