Visayas State University- Main Campus is not just known as a center of excellence for research and the academe but also as a beautiful educational campus situated between the mountains and the Camotes Sea, where beautiful scenery is being witnessed. With a sprawling 1,099.4 hectares from the top of Mt. Pangasugan down to the Camotes Sea and college campuses deliberately designated at significant distances, this molds the reason why Viscans’ are known for their well-toned calves.
When seniors used to warn new Viscans on how "sakaon" the university would be, one cannot truly manage their expectations with what that meant, including me. The Visayas State University gears towards becoming a globally competitive institution, the beacon of success not just of the institution but also of the calves that shape every Viscan’s life. However, as students, faculty, and staff navigate the bustling departments of the university campus, it becomes increasingly apparent that walking from one end to the other is no small feat.
Long before the VSU established their name on different fields of preeminence, walking has been a practice that Viscans’ have experienced in their university life. The departments were situated far further than what we have now, hence, “baktason” and “sakaon” have become the nicknames of the campus from then on.
Consequently, getting a diploma and finishing college is just as hard as reaching every class in Visayas State University’s different departments. Navigating long distances across campus can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially since the next classes will be held on the other side of the campus, thus, a 10 minute walking allowance is never enough to do so.
In spite of that, a walkable campus has been contributing to the well-being of the Viscans’ in that when you are having a stressful day of class, walking decreases the stress, as does the beautiful scenery you witness within the campus. The “tuyok”- known as the VSU’s transport system, is also provided to give students options to either wander around the campus or go on a quick move to easily reach the desired destination.
Yet, as we progress as a “globally-competitive” university and a fast-paced university life occurs, time and energy are of the essence. Given also that “Tuyok” was not allowed by the admin to fully operate route by route, therefore students have no choice but to walk despite how far the department is because there is no efficiency on the transport system and also out of necessity because not everyone has their own transportation. Unless you’re a tourist with enough time to wander and enjoy the beautiful surroundings within the campus.
Long distances between departments can be detrimental to productivity, especially when Viscans’ have to frequently traverse the campus in extreme weather conditions. The energy intended for class will be consumed in walking. That even when you leave your boarding house or dormitory; you look your absolute best, but eventually show up with a sweaty and out-of-breath facade for everyone in the class to see. Not only is this experienced by the students, but it also goes beyond the faculty and staff, who have no transportation to accommodate the long walks inside the campus.
A walkable and pedestrian-friendly campus gives its stakeholders the choice of either walking or the convenience of a sustainable public transportation system, otherwise, the claim is just a work of commercialized fiction: sensationalized for brand reputation.
This boils down to the fact that even if VSU is walkable enough, with the current landscape of the campus, it is difficult to wander the school premises with ease that I myself go through everyday. And even if I wanted to look great and feel comfortable attending classes, it is hard to maintain a presentable composure.
The current landscape cannot be adjusted since we can’t move buildings, but this struggle that Viscans’ with no transportation face can be alleviated if only the administration will utilize enough available mobility services to ease such a struggle. Such as allowing ‘Tuyok’ to fully operate route by route to help in reaching the different departments, and using other transportation to accommodate this dilemma.
After all, VSU cannot become a fully globally competitive university if Viscans are not afforded the same convenience. Therefore, the ease and comfort of the students should be considered because a student's success is the success of the university— so that a Viscans’ life won't be filled with the never-ending question, “Lajo pa?”.