THE new San Rafael campus of the Bulacan State University (BulSU) in Barangay San Roque, San Rafael, Bulacan was formally inaugurated on Dec. 14, 2022.

Dr. Cecilia Gascon, BulSU president, said it is the only external campus of the university that was established by virtue of a statutory law as Republic Act (RA) 11329, which fully became law on April 22, 2019.

The P200-million budget for the construction of the BulSU-San Rafael campus' facilities came from the 2021 national budget.

Additionally, another P100 million was allotted for a campus auditorium.

Bulacan Third District Rep. Lorna Silverio, the proponent of the project, together with San Rafael Mayor Mark Cholo Violago attended the event and led the ribbon-cutting during the inauguration.

Among the completed facilities are the main gate, academic buildings 1 and 2 and dedication markers.

The fully air-conditioned academic buildings, both four stories, have 20 classrooms that each are expected to house 3,000 to 4,000 students.

Silverio said buildings for laboratories are still needed and a hospital is being planned.

Violago said they will provide 'libreng sakay' (free transportation) for students.

The student population of the San Rafael campus is expected to increase from 189 to around 600 starting next school year.

The BulSU targets to start a medical curriculum in the campus in the next three years for future scholars of 'Doctor for the People Act' or Republic Act 11509.

The San Rafael campus is the sixth campus of the BulSU in Bulacan.

The first was the Malolos main campus built in 1904, Bustos campus in 1976, Sarmiento campus in San Jose Del Monte City in 1998, Meneses campus in Bulakan in 2000 and Hagonoy campus in 2011.