Tarlac State University key officials and descendants of Serafin and Lucinda David led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Records, Archives, and Museum on Monday morning (July 27) at the Lucinda Campus, Elmina Gateway.
The university museum, designed to resemble books arranged on a shelf, will feature a Brutalist architectural style. It will include the Silay Lounge, a dedicated space honoring the David family for their significant contribution to the development of the Lucinda Campus, as well as an open lounge where visitors and alumni can relax and enjoy refreshments.
According to Ar. Zedric Gando of the Office of Facilities Development and Management, the three-story museum will house exhibition spaces, seminar areas, and offices. The ground floor will feature the university room and the Silay Lounge, while the second floor will accommodate the Records and Archives Office, the Cultural Office, and a gallery for university exhibits. The building will also provide spaces for various programs and activities.
He said their goal is to create a building that is functional, sustainable, and iconic.
Moreover, University President Dr. Jasper Jay N. Mendoza and Mr. Serafin “Chito” C. David Jr., president of S.G. David Realty and Development Co. Incorporated, led the signing of the memorandum and usufruct agreement stipulating the use of land for the development of the RAM building.
The agreement additionally contains the intent to donate additional lands for the intended site of the College of Medicine (2162 sq.m) and another area for the Academic Building 2 for the Laboratory School (2455 sq.m). It also provides for the use of 300 sq.m of their property as a designated motorcycle parking area for students.
Joining Pres. Mendoza during the signing were Vice President for Administration Dr. Marlon V. Gamido and Ms. Maria Regina Esmundo, SG David Corporate Secretary.
According to Pres. Mendoza, ‘a university that forgets where it came from will not know where it is going’. He said TSU has grown from a humble provincial school into a university that now states its mission plainly.
“Every teacher formed in that College of Education now serving in classrooms across Tarlac and Central Luzon and the world, every one of them began on the land, your family gave away,” he said in his speech.
On behalf of the David family, Atty. Alvin Hernandez reflected on the family's legacy and the significance of their contributions to the university.
"Life is short. We are just travelers and temporary custodians of the possessions entrusted to us by the Almighty. Serafin Gomez David is dead; Lucinda Carilio David is dead. We, too, will all die; and we will all be remembered temporarily as we leave our footprints on the sand. Our value is measured by the legacy we give to our family and the people whose lives we have touched," Atty. Hernandez said.
Other members of the David family also attended the ceremony. University officials and representatives present included Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Brendalyn A. Manzano; Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension Dr. Niño B. Corpuz; Presidential Assistant Atty. Brigido B. Corpuz; Executive Assistant Mr. Deyo Carlos L. Dela Cruz; members of the Administrative Council; the Records and Archives Unit, led by Ms. Victoria G. Seguira; and representatives from the Office of Facilities Development and Management.
The late David couple was the donor of the 10-hectare land of TSU’s Lucinda campus, named after the late Lucinda David. At present, the Lucinda campus houses the College of Education, College of Criminal Justice Education, College of Medicine, College of Public Administration, College of Science, Laboratory School, and College of Business and Accountancy.
Photo by: John Michael D. Esteban
