Asia’s oldest vocational school gets P18M

BACOLOR, Pampanga, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has installed P18 million worth of modern facilities that can create product prototypes for students of Asia’s oldest vocational school here.

The facilities have been installed at the Fabrication Laboratory (Fablab) Shared of the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU), Far East Asia’s oldest vocational school founded by Augustinian friars in 1861 as Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Bacolor.

The regional office of the Philippine Information Agency said the DTI donation consisted of 3D printing machines, laser cutting machines and computerized impressing machines that can create product prototypes.

“This is modern equipment for the maximum utilization of micro, small and medium enterprises,” Trade Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona said.

DTI Regional Director Judith Angeles noted that Pampanga is “fortunate in having not only one but two Fablab facilities under the auspices of education institutions.”

“A smaller Fablab, amounting to about P4 million is located at the Philippine Science High School Central Luzon campus,” Angeles said.

DHVSU president Enrique Baking thanked the DTI as he emphasized the “importance of partnership, networking and collaboration in fully utilizing the Fablab equipment.”