THE MAIN building of the University of Santo Tomas campus in General Santos (GenSan) is expected to be completed in 2023 in a development seen to “build confidence” and “break barriers” in the community.
“Higher education contributes to the success of the person and the community. It is empowering, it creates knowledge, builds confidence and it breaks down barriers. It is a key to a better life,” University Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. said during the topping off ceremony held Saturday.
“When UST-GenSan opens, we will train and employ people from GenSan and the surrounding cities to work with us as faculty members and staff. We will also form meaningful [partnerships] with local industries which will lead to generation of job opportunities,” Ang added.
The six-story main building, the first structure to rise in the 80-hectare campus, will have a total of 77 classrooms and 25 laboratories that could accommodate around 15,000 students.
The campus will also offer ten programs from four different colleges namely: School of Business and Accountancy, School of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and School of Engineering and Technology.
Abelardo Tolentino Jr., an architect and president of Aidea, said the structure of the building was designed to show both the Thomasian and the local culture of General Santos City.
“The balance of combining the local GenSan arts and culture, together with the renaissance revival style of UST main campus is what we try to achieve,” Tolentino said.
“We, as Thomasians, asked ourselves ‘what is the experience that endeared the UST campus to us? What is it that emotionally connects us to UST through the years?’ It is that entrance from UST España, you go through the Arch of the Centuries, you walk through the heritage walk and end up on the plaza and have a view of the main building,” he added. F – M. D. Jucom
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