Five foreign students are on their cross country training and immersion at ISAT U. Four are under the SEAMEO TVET Student Exchange Program while one is a recipient of the American Field Service Scholarship.

The SEAMEO TVET students from Indonesia are Gilang Pangestu and Helmi Taufiq Alhakim who are taking up Informatics Management from Institute Pertanian Bogor University. The other two are Nabila Rozqia Novianda and Aulia Rizky Utami from Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya who are pursuing their Telecommunications and Mechatronics studies, respectively.

Italian Matilde Rou, on the other hand, is from Liceo Melchiorre Gioia, Italy. She joins the Philippine History and Filipino classes of the Laboratory School for her cultural immersion.

Given the chance to talk during the opening program, Miss Rou emphasized the opportunity to learn with the new students amidst different cultures, “meet them, talk to them and learn from them; share your opinion, ideas and culture.” According to her, communication is also important in bridging culture gaps. “The difference in culture is something we really need to look after. There are no impedes between cultures as long as people talk clearly and directly,” she added.

Trying to speak the native tongue, the Indonesians created an aura of lightness and a happy environment. Greeting the audience with “ Maayong aga,” Mr. Gilang Pangestu shows appreciation of a warm ISAT U accommodation he experiences, “the people in here are nice and kind also.” His expectations also generated smiles and giggles from the audience, “I did not expect the people here are so kind and so attractive; it must be fun to be with you and so much to learn from you and from the University.” Pangestu and Alhakim are assigned at the Management Information Service of ISAT U Miagao Campus.

The Memorandum of Agreement with the Sky Convergence, was also held during the opening program on September 3, 2019. Sky Convergence is the partner agency for Novianda and Utami’s training.

The University also sent two  students to Malaysia and seven to Indonesia recently.  Of the nine students, two are taking up Bachelor of Science in Education, four in BS Fashion Design and Merchandising,  one  in Bachelor in Industrial Technology major in Mechanical Technology and  two in BS Food Technology from Miagao Campus.

Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT U), Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEETRD) and the Western Visayas Consortium for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (WVCIEETRD) forged an agreement to maintain and develop research equipment and facilities in the area of data science and smart cities.

A smart city harnesses the use of science and technology, and innovation to deliver good governance and services to the public.

Under the agreement, ISAT U can provide the necessary expertise and facilities needed for the collaboration to support the PCIEETRD science and technology sectoral plans and programs on its delineated sector which includes Data Science and Smart Cities.

DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico C. Paringit explained the concept of the portal for Program on Data Science and Good Governance . “They (ISAT U) will have to train a pool of students and people working at the local governments in order to apply data science techniques.” The program is also in line with ISAT U’s thrust in research and development, and computer studies.

DOST Region VI Director Rowen R. Gelonga added that the purpose of the collaboration between DOST and ISAT U is to create a pool of experts on data science or data analytics. Gelonga also passes on the challenge to ISAT U to probably open degree programs or even post-graduate programs related to data science, which is a multi-disciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge.

He explicitly implied the importance of collaboration in the growth of smart cities like Iloilo City. Gelonga also divulge “Innovate Iloilo” which is a master plan to position Iloilo as an innovation hub by 2030. “This is a broad-based multi-stakeholders effort involving the local government units, the business sector, the government, the academe and the research institutions and other stakeholders’ collaboration of the local government units and other stakeholders, “he said.
The role of scientists and researchers who “present their technologies and research outputs that can potentially solve some of the problems as a growing community or as we continue to grow and prosper is important,” Engr. Gelonga added.

The MOU was signed by Engr. Gelonga, Dir. Paringit and ISAT U President Raul F. Muyong during the ninth anniversary of DOST-PCIEERD held for the first time in Iloilo City on June 13, 2019.

 

By virtue of his election as president of the Faculty and Employees Federation, Inc. (FEFI), Prof. Samuel G. Arsulo now serves as the new faculty regent of the ISAT U Board of Regents (BOR), the university’s governing body. He took his oath of office during the BOR second quarterly meeting held at Seda Hotel, Iloilo City on June 26, 2019.

Upon assumption of office, his key areas of concern are the retirement (Pabaon) package for the FEFI members and the revisit to the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA). Also in the priority list of Prof. Arsulo is the review of Equivalent Teaching Unit (ETU) and the exploration of the faculty’s freedom to spend the extra 2 hours of the 8 hours they spend in school, which is beyond the daily actual contact time of 6 hours.

An alumnus of ISAT U, then Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST), Professor Arsulo started his career with the University on September 11, 1991. After 28 years of service, he attained the academic rank of Asst. Professor IV.

The love for electronics technology runs in Arsulo’s blood.  He started his electronics technology education at Don Bosco Technical Institute-Talisay City, Negros Occidental where he spent his high school days. After completing his secondary education, he earned a three-year Technician Diploma in Electronics Engineering Technology at Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas in 1982. Lady luck smiled at him when he found a job at Frabelle Fishing Corporation. One year later, with an ardent desire for a higher education, Prof. Arsulo left his work and enrolled at WVCST.

He graduated with Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education major in Electronics degree in 1987, Magna cum Laude.

His track record of being a consistent honor student started in his elementary days.   Because of his intelligence, he was allowed to graduate at Banate Central Elementary School (BCES) at the age of 10. In 1979, Prof. Arsulo finished his secondary education when he was only 14 years old.

He started his teaching career at Banate National High School in 1998. After three years, he returned to ISAT U as an instructor.

His services in the different organization earned him the respect of his co-workers. He was a member of the governing board of the WVCST Alumni Association, Inc., WVCST Laboratory School Parent and Teachers Association (PTA), and the WVCST College PTA. He had been the Board Secretary of ISAT U and Community Multi-purpose Cooperative before  elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

He is also known to devout his time in different educational and community associations outside of the University.   Prof. Arsulo has been President of BCES Alumni Association (2004-present); President, BCES PTA (2004-2013) and member of the Municipal School Board of the Municipality of Banate (2002-2003 and 2005-2012). He was also actively involved as a convenor of the Banate Anti-Coal Coalition in 2003. which caused the rejection of the proposed coal-fired power plant in Banate, Iloilo.