UP Cebu extension campus in Dalaguete to rise soon

Local

IN the rolling hills of Mantalongon, a new landmark is set to rise, one that will not only change the skyline but also reshape the educational landscape of southern Cebu.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu is embarking on an ambitious project to build an extension campus, and at its heart will stand the largest and tallest Oblation statue in the entire UP system.

The partnership was sealed on April 3, 2025, with a Memorandum of Agreement signed by Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante and UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar.

The campus will occupy 1.6 hectares of a 13-hectare lot donated by the Dalaguete Local Government Unit (LGU) in Barangay Mantalongon, a strategic site near Mantalongon National High School.

Cesante revealed that an initial P15 million has been allocated for the development, with the Cebu Provincial Government contributing P8 million.

“We will donate the land and help with the construction of the first building to ensure the campus gets approval from the Board of Regents,” he said.

This extension campus is designed to address the challenge of accessing higher education for students in the region who have long been distant from UP Cebu’s main campus.

The academic offerings for the first phase will include programs in Political Science, Computer Science, and Sports Studies, with 90 students expected to enroll initially.

“This initiative is about expanding access to quality education,” Malagar said. “It’s about bringing

UP’s resources closer to the people of southern Cebu.”

In addition to its academic programs, the campus will also be home to a monumental Oblation statue.

The statue, envisioned as a towering symbol of UP’s presence in the region, will stand as a beacon for students, educators, and visitors alike.

Malagar likened the statue to Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, hoping it will become an iconic landmark visible from the skies, welcoming travelers to the region.

“Just like how the Christ the Redeemer is iconic to Rio de Janeiro, we want this Oblation to become a defining symbol of our presence in the south,” Malagar added.(MyTVCebu)