By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) is positioning itself as a leading center for legal education with the groundbreaking ceremony of its College of Law building at the Iloilo City campus.
“This law building will become the permanent home of a program that, just three years ago, had only a handful of students,” UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano said.
Phase 1 of the project, with a budget of PHP100 million, will feature a three-story structure equipped with classrooms and modern facilities.
The design draws inspiration from Malcolm Hall and UP Visayas’ main heritage buildings, ensuring it aligns with the campus’s cultural and historical aesthetics.
Once completed, Phase 1 will house the law program and be fully operational. Subsequent phases will include additional facilities tailored to the needs of the program.
Former senator and current Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who served as the guest of honor during the ceremony on December 13, highlighted the need to make education more accessible.
Angara expressed concern over the education system’s tendency to favor privileged students, emphasizing his commitment to supporting those from less fortunate backgrounds.
He also encouraged students to strive for honor, excellence, and service, underscoring the importance of giving back to their communities.
“Hopefully, we will not only educate a new generation of bright and successful students but also individuals who will give back to their communities,” he said.
The UPV Iloilo City campus was the first to offer law extension classes, which began in September 2021.
The program has experienced significant growth, expanding from an initial small cohort to more than 100 students in three years.
The pioneer batch of first-year law students includes graduates from UP Visayas, UP Cebu, UP Mindanao, Mindanao State University, and Central Mindanao University.
UPV data shows that the program enrolled 16 students in its first year, growing to 47 in 2022, 95 in 2023, and 109 in 2024.
“We celebrate not only the growth we have achieved as an institution but also look forward with confidence to the sustained progress of UPV as a center for higher learning,” Camposano said.
The chancellor stressed that the groundbreaking marks not only a milestone for the law program but also establishes Iloilo as a hub for high-quality legal education.
Camposano said UPV aims to collaborate and benchmark with existing law schools in the region rather than compete with them.
With the law program set to have its own building, Camposano expressed optimism that continued support from law faculty members will pave the way for UPV to establish its own College of Law in the future.
