DOrSU TEC secures temporary site; LGU Tarragona boosts annual subsidy to ₱2.5M
Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) secured a temporary learning site and increased operating support for its Tarragona External Classes (TEC) as the Local Government Unit of Tarragona (LGU Tarragona) turned over newly converted classrooms and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) raising the TEC’s annual subsidy to ₱2.5 million in a ceremony held on Monday, January 26, 2026.
The developments come a few months after the October 2025 doublet earthquake struck Davao Oriental and severely damaged the buildings in the previous TEC site, leaving the structures unsafe for occupancy and no longer operational. University and local government officials said the immediate priority was to prevent further disruption of instruction while longer-term facilities are pursued.
The temporary classrooms were set up in an abandoned public market building, located in Centro, Barangay Central, Tarragona, which the LGU Tarragona converted and renovated for instructional use under the leadership of Hon. Art Benjie C. Bulaong, Municipal Mayor, with substantial support from Hon. Maylin Tonong-Bulaong, Barangay Captain of Cabagayan, Tarragona.
DOrSU Chancellor for Satellite and Extension Campuses Dr. Misael B. Clapano, in a message delivered through TEC Administrator Leopoldo A. Aquino, thanked the municipal government for its support and emphasized what the arrangement means for learners. “This is a testament to the power of collaboration [and] perseverance,” the message read. “May this facility inspire you to strive for excellence and make the most of the opportunities that come your way.”
Under the renewed MOA, the parties affirmed the continuing effect of an ordinance enacted by the municipality expressing support for DOrSU Tarragona, including operational assistance and the provision of temporary classrooms. The agreement increases the annual subsidy from ₱2 million to ₱2.5 million to further sustain operations, including the provision of school amenities and the salary and compensation of part-time faculty members and job order personnel assigned to DOrSU Tarragona.
In his message, Mayor Bulaong said education remains among the priorities of his administration and cited the expanded subsidy as part of keeping higher education accessible in Tarragona.
“Education is not just a sector; it is a foundation of sustainable development of the Municipality of Tarragona,” he said, adding that the LGU plans to further increase the subsidy next year to make it ₱3 million.
He further clarified that the facility turned over during the ceremony is an interim measure meant to keep classes going without interruption while the LGU Tarragona and its partners work toward a permanent campus.
“Today’s turnover ceremony and ribbon cutting are for a temporary DOrSU TEC [site],” Mayor Bulaong said. “This temporary facility ensures that learning continues without interruption [but] very soon we will once again gather in the permanent location of the DOrSU Tarragona.”
Mayor Bulaong announced that, through the initiative of District 1 Representative Hon. Nelson Dayanghirang, Jr., ₱20 million will be allocated this year for the construction of the DOrSU Tarragona Administration Building in the permanent site in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Central, Tarragona.
In response, DOrSU President Dr. Roy G. Ponce expressed his gratitude to LGU Tarragona and other stakeholders for their unwavering support. He said the university is mapping out program expansion for Tarragona, including a planned offering in veterinary technology that could lead toward veterinary medicine, and the delivery of graduate-level classes in the municipality.
President Emeritus Dr. Edito B. Sumile, Vice President for Academic Affairs, further urged stakeholders to push for the conversion of the TEC into a stand-alone extension campus, citing the need for an eventual independent budget and personnel complement, while meeting quality standards for academic programs.
“Let us not stay as an external class for so long a time,” Dr. Sumile said. “Let us work together to convert this immediately to a stand-alone extension campus.”
Also covered by the MOA is the commitment of LGU Tarragona to donate a 3-hectare parcel of land for the construction of DOrSU TEC’s academic facilities, along with 10 hectares to be devoted to agriculture laboratories.
DOrSU’s Tarragona External Classes were launched in 2023 under the administration of former Tarragona mayor, Hon. Samuel L. Uy, initially offering Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA), Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management (BSAM), and Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) to widen access to higher education in the municipality.
At present, the Tarragona External Classes serve more than 400 students, and the first batch of graduates is expected next year.
