Filpino high school students who are gifted in math and science enter the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) system to gain specialized learning and opportunities in the aforementioned fields. As a public high school and an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), PSHS already has several campuses all over the Philippines.
The latest addition to these existing campuses would be the 4.6-hectare Infinitum learning resource center, which recently broke ground in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac. This development is the result of a partnership between PSHS and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and is envisioned to become the center for 21st-century learning and service continuity for the entire PSHS system.
Features of the Infinitum campus
Targeted to be operational by 2026, the Infinitum will serve as a campus for PSHS’ senior high school students and a resource center for teachers and professionals. It will house a multi-purpose academic building with 24 classrooms, case rooms, a library, a faculty room, and a dining hall; a research center for chemistry, physics, environmental science, and biology; a technology hub for computer science, mathematics, and humanities; an innovation center; a training center; dormitories; administration building; and a summer camp area.
Under the approved master development plan, 80 percent of the total campus area will be left as open space, and only 20 percent will be occupied. This is aligned with New Clark City’s sustainability guidelines.
In the spirit of nation-building
One of the ways by which the PSHS system contributes to nation-building is by helping the country attain a critical mass of professionals and leaders in the fields of science and technology.
PSHS Central Luzon Campus Director Theresa Anne O. Diaz said that the Infinitum’s state-of-the-art facilities, advanced laboratories, and immersive academic spaces form part of the modernization efforts of PSHS, which are aimed toward the continuous development of its students and its teaching/non-teaching employees.
During the groundbreaking event, BCDA President and CEO Aileen R. Zosa said, “At a time when Central and Northern Luzon are primed for growth, the rise of the state-of-the-art Infinitum in New Clark City will enable us to provide more opportunities for quality education to the next generation of leaders here. This way, we can ensure that, in decades to come, the next generation can sustain—or even surpass—the growth we are helping to build here.”
BCDA Senior Vice President for Conversion and Development Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang highlighted the importance of continuous and well-rounded education and learning in the economic and national development of communities. “One of my selling points, when I present and market abroad to business leaders on why they should invest in New Clark City, is the Philippine Science High School. I said that New Clark City will be the home of brilliant minds… students today who will produce great ideas in the future,” he said.
In a written message read during the program, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. said that he is pleased with the continuous evolution and the high education standards of PSHS. He added that its students are fortunate to have the opportunity to gain quality education and learning experiences through modern facilities.