College of Veterinary Medicine building soon to rise in Ligao City

The Bicol University administration has confirmed that the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
building will be constructed at Ligao City, Albay, after the BU Board of Regents has approved the
continuation of offering the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program in the university in the
upcoming academic year.

The DVM program will be housed temporarily at the BU College of Agriculture and Forestry (BUCAF)
Mauraro Campus, offering an intensive six-year curriculum aimed at producing competent and highly
skilled veterinarians who are capable of serving exemplary animal health care services to their
communities and the public.

The DVM program is a professional training course that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment,
and management of illnesses that affect animals, including both terrestrial and aquatic species. The
program includes courses on general education, fundamental science, zootechnics (animal science), and
veterinary medical science, as well as professional skills that graduates need to carry out the duties of
safeguarding animal health, public health, and the environment.

There are only 19 schools that offer DVM in the country, and only one institution in the Bicol region. BU
is the second state university to offer the said program and currently have freshmen students in BUCAF.

Students who are interested in enrolling in the DVM program must be a senior high school graduate
from a DepEd-recognized institution, ideally with a good foundation in sciences and related subjects. In
addition, the student must pass all entrance exams and fulfill all requirements set forth by the institution
for the DVM program. To ensure that only those who have the capability and skills to complete the DVM
program can be admitted, applicants are expected to meet the stringent academic requirements set by
the university.

It can be recalled that the original plan was to establish the CVM in Ligao City, but during the initial visit,
there was no suitable area for the program yet. As of writing, the university has now confirmed that a
land area has been secured to build CVM in Ligao City.

The BU administration has established a temporary installation of the program at the BUCAF Mauraro

Campus, where its on-campus resources and experienced personnel are suited for veterinary
medicine facilities in order to ensure that the program can still be launched. However, CVM will be
transferred in Ligao City after the program met its final phase of approval compliant to the requirements
and demand of the BU BOR.

The addition of CVM to BUCAF would expand and improve the agricultural programs already provided,
thereby paving the way for the construction of more facilities in Ligao City by 2024.

There are currently three buildings proposed for the DVM program: (1) a three-storey Lecture Building,
(2) a three-storey Veterinary Medicine Laboratory Building, and (3) a two-storey Veterinary Teaching
Hospital Building.

In a Facebook post, Albay 3rd District Congressman Fernando “Didi” Tibor Cabredo posted an update
regarding the building construction of DVM in Ligao City.
“Construction of Bicol University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ligao City with Php 250 Million
appropriation in the National Budget FY 2023,” he wrote.

The said construction is part of the commitment of the National Government to build additional
veterinary schools in various regions in order to support and promote the advancement of veterinary
education and practice.

Further updates will be released on this program once the university has complied with the
documentary requirements. As of writing, the program is offered to incoming freshmen students,
according to the BU Admissions Office.

BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas will lead the ground breaking ceremonies of the CVM building
before his term ends.