The Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST)-Main, La Paz, Iloilo City, submitted four (4) of its programs for Level IV Accreditation Status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines Incorporated (AACCUP) on August 6-9, 2012. The following programs are Elementary Teacher Education, Secondary Teacher Education, Industrial Teacher Education and Industrial Technology.

During the opening program on August 6, Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr., WVCST President, warmly welcomed the accreditors for the AACCUP Survey Visit. Dr. Carmelo V. Ambot, Over-all Local Accreditation Coordinator, introduced the college officials and the Accreditation Task Force of the College of Education and the College of Industrial Technology. Dr. Manuel T. Corpuz, AACCUP Survey Consultant, introduced the AACCUP accreditors to the WVCST Academic Community.

The four WVCST programs were evaluated on the areas of Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives; Faculty; Curriculum and Instruction; Students; Research; Extension and Community Development; Library; Physical Plant and Facilities; Laboratories; and Administration. During the four-day AACUP Level IV Accreditation, the accreditors inspected and analyzed documents, interacted with the WVCST accreditors, conducted ocular inspections of the laboratories, departments, offices, centers, research and extension project sites, and even conducted actual classroom observations and interviews with various stakeholders.

An exit conference was held on August 9 at the TEB Rooms 101 & 102 for the College of Education and Library Viewing Room for the College of Industrial Technology. During the exit conference, the team leaders presented their observations and recommendations to some areas where weak points were observed during the documentary evaluation.

During the closing program, Dr. Brigida A. Roscom, AACCUP Survey Coordinator, presented the general impressions and challenges. Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr., gave his commitment and support and thanked the AACCUP accreditors as well as the accreditation task force for the hard work and cooperation in the endeavor.

The college has been busy acting on the recommendations and awaits for the final visit of the accreditors.

The AACCUP Team of Accreditors was led by Dr. Manuel T. Corpuz, Survey Consultant and Dr. Brigida A. Roscom, MSU-IIT, Coordinator.

The accreditors for the Elementary Teacher Education (4^th Level Survey) were: Dr. Helen T. de los Santos-Team Leader, PNU; Dr. Concepcion L. Bederio, DMMMSU; Dr. Lolita H. Nava, PNU; Dr. Corazon M. Cudia, NVSU; Dr. Zosima A. Panares, CNU; Dr. Gerald L. Perez, NVSU; Prof. Zoraida E. Bartolome (Lib.), CLSU.

For the Secondary Teacher Education (4^th Level Survey), the accreditors were: Dr. Zenaida S. Lucero-Team Leader, UEP; Dr. Fe S. Soriano, PSU; Dr. Lolita H. Nava, PNU; Dr. Corazon M. Cudia, NVSU; Dr. Zosima A. Panares, CNU; Dr. Gerald L. Perez, NVSU; Prof. Zoraida E. Bartolome (Lib.), CLSU.

For Industrial Teacher Education (4^th Level Survey), Dr. Lorma M. Valera-Team Leader, MMSU; Dr. Condrado L. Abraham, SLSU; Dr. Lolita H. Nava, PNU; Dr. Corazon M. Cudia, NVSU; Dr. Zosima A. Panares, CNU; Dr. Gerald L. Perez, NVSU; Prof. Zoraida E. Bartolome (Lib.), CLSU while Dr. Danilo S. Hilario, CLSU was the  Team Leader for the Industrial Technology (4^th Level Survey) composed of Dr. Rossini B. Romero, NSU; Dr. Lolita H. Nava, PNU; Dr. Corazon M. Cudia, NVSU; Dr. Zosima A. Panares, CNU; Dr. Gerald L. Perez, NVSU; Prof. Zoraida E. Bartolome (Lib.), CLSU.

As a way of acknowledging their services and loyalty to the college and the association, the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST) Faculty Association (FA) feted eight (8) faculty members who terminated their membership from the association for reason of retirement and transfer in a Despedida Party held on August 17 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel, Iloilo City.

The honored retirees were Dr. Ricardo B. Abaleňa, a professor of the College of Education (COE), former Dean of the Graduate School and OIC-Vice President for Academic Affairs. who served the college for 32 years and 5 months; Dr. Pedro Napoleon D. Bilbao, (COE) professor for  25 years and 8 months;  Mrs. Evelan T. Libutaque, COE professor for  31 years; Mr. Amolfo L. Vallejo, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) professor for 17 years and 6 months; Mr. Ricardo G. Yulores, College of Industrial Technology (CIT) professor for 31 years and 4 months; Mr. Doroteo A. Tafalla,  CIT professor for 38 years and 11 months; Mr. Eduardo E. Diosalan, CAS professor for 31 years and 8 months.  Honored for reason of transfer was Dr. Renato M. Sorolla, CIT professor for 28 years, who bade farewell to the Faculty Association to assume the presidency of the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

Present during the despedida party were Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr., College President, Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors, and members of the faculty and staff.

Michael Garlan, a 4^th year BS Education major in Biological Science, was chosen one of the top four winners in the 2012 Bayer Young Environmental Envoy (BYEE) during the award presentation ceremony on Aug. 23 at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City.

Garlan, who ranked third among the 12 national finalists coming from the different colleges and universities in the country, is the second WVCST student to reach the national finals and the first to win as one of the top four Bayer Young Environmental Envoys (BYEE).  He impressed the judges with his project on “Saving the Corals, Helping the Fisherfolks, and Educating the Young on the Infestation of Crown-of-the Thorns (Acauthaster Planci) on the Coral Reefs of Guimaras Island.”  Garlan led the campaign to control the population of coral pest called crown-of-thorns sea star and converted them into fertilizer to help save the remaining reef of Guimaras. The relevance and wide impact of Garlan’s project to the environment earned him the prestigious award. 

The other three BYEE winners who will join Garlan represent the Philippines to the all- expense paid Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Field Trip to Germany on November 4-9, 2012 are: Ruiz Joy Escollar and Marylour Avila, both of the University of Iloilo and Jezreel Ezer Archival of the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus. The study tour will provide first-hand experience on how environmental protection is practiced by people, government, and industry in a country that leads in technology and environmental awareness.

Garlan was accompanied during the awarding ceremonies by Dr. Susan Marie Dela Cruz, Dean of Student Affairs and Mr. Joselito Mendoza, BYEE Adviser and science professor of the college.

The Bayer Youth Environmental Envoy programme is a global flagship project under the Bayer-United Nations Environment Programme partnership whose aim is to raise environmental awareness among young people and support them in their ecological pursuits.

Four BS Architecture students shone in this year’s Everyone’s Vision Petron Art Competition during awarding ceremonies held on August 31, 2012 at the Diamond Hotel, Manila. One runner- up and two semifinalists for oil/acrylic painting category and another semifinalist for water-based media painting category, are this year’s winners from WVCST.

With the theme “Lakbay Alalay Para Sa Kalikasan – A Journey of Nurturing Nature,” and focusing on the different ways of caring for and protecting the environment, Michael Pamonag’s entry entitled “Kaligkasan,” won for him a runner-up spot in the oil/acrylic painting category. Hannah Hope Vergara’s entry “Buhay na Kalikasan” and Emvi Divinagracia’s “Nirvana” were also chosen semifinalists in the same oil/acrylic painting category. Kevin Bartonico’s “Green Hands of Concerned Citizen” also landed as semifinalist in the water-based media painting category.

The WVCST visual artists each received free roundtrip plane ticket to Manila and Iloilo for the awarding ceremonies, pocket money, Petron gift items, art materials and certificate of recognition. Pamonag was awarded a plaque designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva for placing runner-up.

The national competition for young and budding artists was conducted in three categories: Painting (oil, acrylic, and water-based media); Photography and Printmaking.

Composing the panel of judges were three National Artists Napoleon Abueva, Ben Cabrera and Abdulmari Asia Imao – along with Wig Tysmans (chairman) for the photography category and Raul Isidro (chairman) for the printmaking category.

The College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) specifically BS Architecture students have been giving honors to the college in many national art competitions. Arel Zambarrano, a BS Architecture alumnus of WVCST and now a full-fledged architect, won the Jurors Choice of Merit for his work “Homecoming” in the Philippine Arts Award (PAA) during the awarding ceremonies held on March 2, 2012 at the Musuem of the Filipino People, Rizal Park, Manila.  On the other hand, Tyrone Dave Espinosa, another BS Architecture student, was named one of the Regional (Visayas) winners for his bas relief sculpture entry entitled “ Hinatulang Mahirap ng Hustisyang Bulag” together with Zambarrano during the 2011 Philippine Art Award Regional Search. Espinosa was finalist in the 2012 PAA national competition.