The stranded students boarding a chartered plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Thirty-seven students caught in lock down in the Provinces of Laguna and Cavite and Valenzuela City, Metro Manila reunited with their families after almost 60 days of separation due to covid 19 pandemic.
The BS Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor in Industrial Technology major in Automotive Technology students from Iloilo City and Miagao Campus were on on-the-job-training (OJT) when Metro Manila and part of Luzon were placed under quarantine.
After coordinating with the authorities from the City and Province of Iloilo, the ISAT U administration successfully found a way to process their repatriation. Luck was on the side of the students when they chanced on a chartered plane from Metro Manila bound to fetch Overseas Filipino Workers in Iloilo.
With the persistence of the ISAT U President Raul F. Muyong and with the assistance of Representative Julienne L. Baronda, the University was able to strike a deal of Php 2,500/head airfare from a high of Php 9,000.
The students were made to comply with the requirements that includes a Php4,500/student RT-PCR test conducted by Red Cross in Metro Manila, medical certificates and certificate of residency.
The first batch of repatriates arrived Iloilo City on May 31 and the second batch on June 9. A swab test was conducted before the students were brought to GO Hotel as part of the 14 days mandatory quarantine. The University paid the Php 1,400 per room for the daily accommodation of the 37 students at the hotel.
The University also provided the students with nutritious food prepared at the Hotel and Restaurant Technology Service Center by the BSHRT professors. The university spent almost a million pesos for the repatriation of the students.
“We do not look at the figures of how much we spent. What we are giving importance is the safety of our students, “said Dr. Muyong.
Industry, Linkages and Development Office (ILDO) Director Remia L. Doctora also expressed her appreciation to the donors who sustained the food of the students prior to their going home. “We really appreciate the help of the donors for sustaining the food of the students before they were brought home, “ Dr. Doctora said, “we have gathered Php 188, 500. “ Dr. Doctora is in-charge for the welfare and repatriation of stranded students
Among the donors were ISAT U-CCPTA, ISAT-U Multi-purpose Cooperative, CIT Faculty Contribution, CEA Faculty Contribution, Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, Organization of Industrial Technology Students, PTA Miagao Campus, Faculty-Miagao Campus, PTA Miagao Campus, Student Republic, University Guidance Center, HRT Faculty.
The faculty led by Dr. Raul F.Muyong likewise pooled their resources to augment the students’ needs. Those who helped were Dr. Pedro H. Fonatanalgo, Dr. Remia L. Doctora, Dr. Alma Palabrica, Dr. Tracy Tacuban, Dr. Belinda Go, Dr. Rene Celda, Prof. Zumel Cadenas, Dr. Carlo Sira, Dr. Erman Gange, Dr. Pacifico N. Senador, Dr. Dominico Sergie O. Valencia, Prof. Femy Estecomen, Prof. Laroza, Dr . Carlito P. Porras, Prof. Romulo D. Candoliza, Dr. Christian Lemarjo A. Caipang, Prof. Ana V. Ancheta, Dr. Jeanneth F. Darroca, Dr. Ernie Daitao, Dr. Sammy Daitao, Prof. Junry Ubag, Prof. Zeum Abaygar,
