The Iloilo State University of Fisheries and Technology (ISUFST) has officially inaugurated its P25 million Research and Extension Hub, a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to enhance its academic and research facilities. This infrastructure, almost two years in the making, marks the first of its magnitude under the leadership of President Dr. Nordy D. Siason Jr.
Located at the university’s Main Campus-Tiwi Site in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, the new hub boasts a multipurpose cinema-function hall, dedicated offices for the Research and Extension departments, and innovation spaces. According to Dr. Johnny Dolor, Vice President for Administration and Finance, this project is a testament to the university’s commitment to improving research capabilities and community outreach.
The completion of the Research and Extension Hub represents the beginning of a broader vision articulated by President Siason. “I hope to establish a Fisheries Learning Complex, and this hub will be a significant part of that vision,” Siason said during the turnover rites. The complex will feature the Research and Extension Hub through the ongoing developments and existing facilities that include, among many others, the Paler Hall, a fish processing complex, a 26-hectare fishpond, brackish water areas, and multiple fish processing, training, collaboration, production, and research laboratories.
This ambitious plan also includes constructing an P80-million Olympic-sized swimming pool and sports complex and a P22.5-million state-of-the-art library. Except for the library, which will start this year, these ongoing projects are set to provide a holistic learning environment, ensuring that students gain a well-rounded education and practical experience.
“We are building a university that is not just about academics but also about providing students with the best facilities to help them excel. This research and extension hub, along with our other ongoing infrastructure projects, is an essential part of our dream to make ISUFST a reservoir of research and extension,” Siason added.
Contractor Doroteo Salas of DG Salas Construction Services, for his part, shared that the project was a result of careful planning and collaboration. “It was a challenging but fulfilling project, especially since the university was very particular about quality and the timely completion of the structure.”
Dr. Jescel Bito-onon, ISUFST’s Research Director, emphasized that the new hub will greatly improve the university’s research capabilities. “This facility will allow us to expand our research, host more community-oriented activities, and continue contributing to the development of the fisheries sector in the region,” Bito-onon said.
As ISUFST continues investing in infrastructure and beefing up its faculty portfolio and organizational processes, President Siason reflected on the importance of choosing the right contractor for each learning facility. “Every bidding process is a prayer that we find the right partner for the job. Like the contractor who built this hub, we hope to continue working with the best for all our future projects.
With the Research and Extension Hub now operational, ISUFST, the only fisheries university in the country, takes another step toward becoming one of the leading universities in the region. As how it has poised itself to do in recent years, ISUFST continues to be committed to producing well-equipped professionals ready to lead not just in the fisheries and aquatic sciences fields but also in the areas of education, agriculture, management, industrial and information technology. (Herman Lagon/Sea Treasure/R&D Office/PAMMCO)
