Thus said Sen. Cynthia Villar of the Pampanga Center for Development which she inaugurated as guest of honor of the provincial government on Monday.
Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, said the center is the answer to her search for facilities to serve as learning centers to farmers and fisherfolk to improve production and thus raise income levels.
The senator lamented that the agriculture sector “with 33 million workers” has consistently remained way below the poverty line, depriving the farmers’ children the benefits of good education.
“This center responds to one core function of state universities – extension of knowledge to the greater mass of individuals, especially the marginalized,” Villar said.
The Pampanga Development Center sits on a 5,000-square meter lot of the provincial government in Barangay Moras Dela Paz, Sto. Tomas town, It comprises two buildings with 11 classrooms, a dormitory, conference hall and other amenities.
The site used to house offices of a special project of the National Irrigation Administration but were abandoned at the end of the project and have since gone to dilapidation.
Gov. Lilia G. Pineda worked for the rehabilitation and repurposing of the buildings with a locally sourced funding of P12.5 million.
Pineda envisioned the center to cater to short-courses in technical and vocational education, skills training programs, even professional reviews.
“Given the continuing need for skilled workers at the Clark Freeport Zone, we have to make sure that our cabalens are well-equipped to match up with these needs,” Pineda said.
“This is the idea behind the establishment of this center.”
The Pampanga Development Center is the second facility repurposed from abandoned buildings by the Pineda administration.
Earlier the former site of the Department of Health regional offices, also in Barangay Moras, was rehabilitated to serve as the campus of the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University- Sto. Tomas Extension.
The blessing of the center was officiated by Rev. Fathers Manny Sta. Maria, Joel Tubig and Rolando Lopez. In attendance were Mayors Lito Naguit (Sto. Tomas), Jomar Hizon (Bacolor), Rene Maglanque (Candaba), Dan Guintu (Masantol) and Jun-Jun Tetangco (Apalit), president of the Pampanga Mayors League.
Also present were Board Members Rosve Henson, Cris Garbo, Tonton Torres and Nestor Tolentino, along with the Capitol chiefs of offices.
