FeatureA passage to a prime institution

It was six in the morning, with ample rains to augment the drowsiness of the early wake; The College of Maasin Bus was drenched in rainfall as it prepares for departure.

Inside the bus, I and the High School Science Club Members and College Ecology & Geography Students together with their Science Club Adviser and other members of the College of Maasin Faculty, were geared up for a journey to a premier state university in the Visayasthe Visayas State University.As the bus took off, our anticipation were rearing, we were thrilled for the destination ahead. It seems like we were keyed-up for an adventurea trek into the unknown. It was like our eyes, hearts and minds were fixed on a single point.On the stretched journey, our anticipation was met with irritation, our enthusiasm with dissatisfaction when in the midst of our eagerness throwing up was the parody that broke the fun. Dozens vomited, experienced dizziness and uneasiness. These made the journey less appealing.Until what seemed as endless highway, the bus came to a stop. Lo, and behold, the twin obelisks, the gates, the sculptures, the destination. We have finally arrived.The Visayas State University (once Leyte State University and formerly Visayas State College of Agriculture) was a 1,099 hectare landmass of educational structures and citizens.

We were dumbfounded as we reached their Administration Building which was a wonderful emblem of architecture, and was further awed by the Information Officer and the two statues that greeted as upfront the Admin Building. The Information officer called this couple of naked free-standing statues as The Search for Truth; it was before popularly known to us, as Si Malakas at Si Maganda. He explained the meaning of the statues while telling us the early development, vision, mission, core values and goals of their state university.After his talk, I was suddenly wondering if some of us were not listening to what he was saying. Poor them, I thought. Because there were words from the Information Officer, that were, to me, significant enough to live by, like the boldness and nakedness in the search for truth and in the pursuit of excellence, the usefulness of work, the importance of intellectual curiosity and the significance of production. I suddenly felt lucky hearing these words.Then accompanied with a female guide, our tour started in the Plant-oil Technology Center of VSU, which was a Germany-funded facility. In their disposal were the cooking stoves displays, the protos lab and oil-analysis lab. In this facility, students are trained extensively in the science of bio-diesel production and eco-friendly machines especially with their regard for the plant oil as alternative for charcoal and kerosene. We knew then that we are in for a lot of treat for what VSU call, Production.Next stop was the National Abaca Research Center and the Philippine Rootcrop Center which exemplified their production. We were hypnotized by the products, facilities and awards that were showed to us. It was nice to know that somewhere in the Philippines there are persons that are capable of such wonders in marketing and production.

After witnessing the wonders of their research and production we visited the Department of Pest Management which housed the VSU Museum. In the museum, we were gripped by the different species of animals that hailed us. Inside were different species of birds, insects, mammals, lizards, snakes, butterflies, bats, frogs, turtles, fishes and many others. There was even a human fetuswhich was the most entrancing object in the room.Later, we took our lunch at the VSU Honeycomb in the Lower Campus, while at the same time witnessing some of the buildings and dormitories that we passed.After dining, we toured the rest of the upper campus, observing the rest of their rooms and dormitories, and of course their Gymnatorium, a combination of a gym and an auditorium, then to the Department of Animal Science where we found the Ostrich Sanctuary. There we were greeted with the nasty smell of dung and manure which for the noses of the VSU faculty and students were the smell of moneyGood for them!

The experience in the ostrich sanctuary was the most enjoyable incident for us. We had fun learning basic facts about ostrichesespecially their attitudes. We also enjoyed feeding them.The Department of Animal Science also allowed us to fish in their lake. And it was a pleasant experience for all of us.

Our last stop was the TechnoMart where we helped ourselves on buying their products.And finally, we were bound home. Our passage in VSU was short but memorable. It was like searching for truth.

I certainly thought of coming back to it someday.