UPLB, Land Bank sign student training agreement
More UPLB students will now have the opportunity to pursue their internship, practicum, and on-the-job training at the country’s largest formal credit institution in the rural areas – the Land Bank of the Philippines.
UPLB and Land Bank signed the Academe-Industry Cooperation Agreement for the latter’s Student Training Program on June 3 at the Executive Conference Room, BM Gonzalez Hall, UPLB.
“We, at UPLB, are delighted to collaborate with the Land Bank of the Philippines for the internship of our students,” said Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr., who signed the Agreement on behalf of UPLB.
“As we pursue outcomes-based education fit for the learners of the 21st century, it is crucial for our students to develop competencies and skills in their respective fields of expertise – and such could only be reinforced by actual experience in the industry,” Chancellor Camacho continued.
Aside from students of agricultural sciences, agribusiness, and other allied agriculture disciplines, Land Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Cecilia C. Borromeo, the Bank’s principal signatory, specified that Land Bank also needs experts in mathematics and engineering.
“UPLB is a very good training ground for the young Filipinos to serve the nation,” said President Borromeo, a UPLB BS Agribusiness alumna and recipient of the 2021 UP Alumni Association Distinguished Alumna Award in Corporate Governance (Banking and Finance).
“One unique trait of UPLB graduates is the aspiration to give back to the country – and Land Bank is a very good institution [for them] to do that,” she added.
Aside from the student training program, the Academe-Industry Cooperation Agreement between the University and the Bank also cites provisions on possible employment of qualified graduates, conduct of recruitment activities and career fairs, research, and other potential collaborations in the future.
Serving as witnesses to the Agreement were UPLB’s vice chancellor (VC) for administration Rolando T. Bello and VC for planning and development Fernando O. Paras, Jr.; and Land Bank’s executive vice president and head of the Branch Banking Sector Julio D. Climaco, Jr. and senior vice president and head of Human Resource Management Group Atty. Joselito B. Vallada.
After the Agreement signing, the top officials of the two government institutions, including some of the Bank’s senior vice presidents, vice presidents, and assistant vice presidents, discussed the details of the next collaborative activities that they may pursue soon.
The attending UPLB officials were VC for community affairs Roberto Cereno, College of Economics and Management Dean Agham C. Cuevas, assistant to the chancellor and Alumni Relations director Eileen Lorena M. Mamino, assistant to the vice chancellor (AVC) for planning and development Rachel S. Mojado, Office of Student Activities director Maria Rowena Beatriz Q. Inzon, and Learning Resource Center director John Mervin L. Embate.
VC for student affairs Janette Malata-Silva and AVC for student affairs Jickerson P. Lado took part in the event via virtual conferencing. (Mark Jayson E. Gloria)
