Feature

A passage to a prime institution

It was six in the morning, with ample rains to augment the
drowsiness of the early wake; The College of Maasin Bus was
drenched in rainfall as it prepares for departure.
Inside the bus, I and the High School Science Club Members and
College Ecology & Geography Students together with their Science
Club Adviser and other members of the College of Maasin Faculty,
were geared up for a journey to a premier state university in the
Visayasthe Visayas State University.
As the bus took off, our anticipation were rearing, we were
thrilled for the destination ahead. It seems like we were keyedup for an adventurea trek into the unknown. It was like our
eyes, hearts and minds were fixed on a single point.
On the stretched journey, our anticipation was met with
irritation, our enthusiasm with dissatisfaction when in the midst
of our eagerness throwing up was the parody that broke the fun.
Dozens vomited, experienced dizziness and uneasiness. These made
the journey less appealing.
Until what seemed as endless highway, the bus came to a stop. Lo,
and behold, the twin obelisks, the gates, the sculptures, the
destination. We have finally arrived.
The Visayas State University (once Leyte State University and
formerly Visayas State College of Agriculture) was a 1,099
hectare landmass of educational structures and citizens.
We were dumbfounded as we reached their Administration Building
which was a wonderful emblem of architecture, and was further
awed by the Information Officer and the two statues that greeted
as upfront the Admin Building. The Information officer called
this couple of naked free-standing statues as The Search for
Truth; it was before popularly known to us, as Si Malakas at Si
Maganda. He explained the meaning of the statues while telling
us the early development, vision, mission, core values and goals
of their state university.
After his talk, I was
listening to what he
there were words from
significant enough to

suddenly wondering if some of us were not

was saying. Poor them, I thought. Because
the Information Officer, that were, to me,
live by, like the boldness and nakedness

in the search for truth and in the pursuit of excellence, the

usefulness of work, the importance of intellectual curiosity and
the significance of production. I suddenly felt lucky hearing
these words.
Then accompanied with a female guide, our tour started in the
Plant-oil Technology Center of VSU, which was a Germany-funded
facility. In their disposal were the cooking stoves displays, the
protos lab and oil-analysis lab. In this facility, students are
trained extensively in the science of bio-diesel production and
eco-friendly machines especially with their regard for the plant
oil as alternative for charcoal and kerosene. We knew then that
we are in for a lot of treat for what VSU call, Production.
Next stop was the National Abaca Research Center and the
Philippine Rootcrop Center which exemplified their production. We
were hypnotized by the products, facilities and awards that were
showed to us. It was nice to know that somewhere in the
Philippines there are persons that are capable of such wonders in
marketing and production.
After witnessing the wonders of their research and production we
visited the Department of Pest Management which housed the VSU
Museum. In the museum, we were gripped by the different species
of animals that hailed us. Inside were different species of
birds, insects, mammals, lizards, snakes, butterflies, bats,
frogs, turtles, fishes and many others. There was even a human
fetuswhich was the most entrancing object in the room.
Later, we took our lunch at the VSU Honeycomb in the Lower
Campus, while at the same time witnessing some of the buildings
and dormitories that we passed.
After dining, we toured the rest of the upper campus, observing
the rest of their rooms and dormitories, and of course their
Gymnatorium, a combination of a gym and an auditorium, then to
the Department of Animal Science where we found the Ostrich
Sanctuary. There we were greeted with the nasty smell of dung and
manure which for the noses of the VSU faculty and students were
the smell of moneyGood for them!
The experience in the ostrich sanctuary was the most enjoyable
incident for us. We had fun learning basic facts about ostriches
especially their attitudes. We also enjoyed feeding them.
The Department of Animal Science also allowed us to fish in their
lake. And it was a pleasant experience for all of us.

Our last stop was the TechnoMart where we helped ourselves on

buying their products.
And finally, we were bound home. Our passage in VSU was short but
memorable. It was like searching for truth.
I certainly thought of coming back to it someday.