Cramping Up
Shortage in classrooms, labs to rise once CPH renovation begins
by Lian Gabrielle Inlong
Students and faculty of the College of Public Health (CPH) are set to face disruptions in learning and working as shortages of classrooms, laboratories, and working spaces are anticipated to happen due to upcoming CPH renovations.
Last Feb. 2, laboratory technicians of the college advised students and faculty to end all laboratory sessions at the end of the month to give way for the impending renovation of Lara Hall, a 93-year-old building that houses the college.
Faculty then advised students that the laboratories in Lara Hall will no longer be available once construction activities begin. No specific date was given as the faculty were only told to expect and be prepared for its commencement this second semester.
This renovation would affect not only CPH students but other students as well due to the following laboratories shared with other colleges: the laboratory of the Department of Nutrition (DON) which they share with the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (DEOH); the Department of Medical Microbiology (DMM) laboratory which is also utilized by the College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, and College of Nursing students; and the Department of Parasitology (DOP) laboratory which is used with the College of Nursing students.
With the unavailability of Lara Hall, CPH students, faculty, and administration are expected to move to the two annexes of the college to hold their classes and offices. However, this raises concerns about space, noise disturbance, and suitable learning and working environment.
In an interview, CPH Dean Fernando Garcia clarified that the Executive Committee requested that the renovations start after the semester to prevent the disruption of classes.
He confirmed that renovations will begin by June 1, as agreed upon in the pre-construction meeting with the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development (VCPD) Jose Tecson III, the contractor, and the Campus Planning Development and Maintenance Office (CPDMO).
As of writing, formal announcements about the construction are yet to be released to the students and faculty. However, Garcia said that students were officially informed of the project two years ago during the time of former Dean Romeo Quizon when the renovation and construction of the Zuellig Hall were being finalized. The project was delayed due to a lack of funds.
“Gusto ko talagang magkaroon ng student town hall and town hall with faculty and admin. Pero yung sa students, ihihiwalay ko dahil iba ang concern ng students. Wala pang schedule pero nabanggit ko na yan kay Chancellor [Michael] Tee and VC [Jose Tecson III], it’s just that gusto lang namin sana hintayin yung magiging decision about the Zuellig Hall kasi umakyat yung approval sa system,” Garcia said.
Garcia confirmed that the announcement of the renovations would be cascaded through the CPH Student Council (CPH SC) by conducting a student town hall meeting within the next few months. This is to properly inform students about the Lara Hall renovation and construction of the Zuellig Hall and gather their demands and suggestions on student spaces within the college.
He also cleared up the concern over the lack of space due to the relocation of offices and classes to CPH annexes and stressed that shifting classes to hybrid mode would be based on each department’s directive.
Garcia added that laboratories will be set up in the College of Medicine’s (UPCM) Paz Mendoza Hall to address their unavailability.
He assured that any disturbances caused by the construction activities will be mitigated by building panels to separate construction areas, managing dust and noise, and opening new entrances different from what the construction team will utilize.
The affected areas of the Lara Hall renovation will be the third floor, followed by the first and second floors, while the main entrance will be closed within the proposed construction timeline of 180–210 days.
The fourth floor will remain available for use by students and faculty, and the fire exit will be opened while the main entrance remains closed. Meanwhile, there are still no reported plans for the library.
Although the renovations aim to address the issues on the electrical and plumbing systems of the building as well as improve the health science education laboratories, these changes which lacked timely and proper consultation with the students — may only affect the comfortability and continuity of learning of the students.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The second paragraph of this article was edited to correct the erroneously reported information in the printed version of this article in the publication’s Volume 38, Issue 9–10. The editor reiterates that it is the laboratory technicians who advised CPH students and faculty to end laboratory sessions at the end of February to give way for the upcoming Lara Hall renovation.
