By Benjamin Cuaresma
The City Government of Manila is moving to expand Universidad de Manila (UdM) into a modern university campus capable of accommodating up to 20,000 students following a property agreement with the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso led the signing of the Contract to Sell with Land Bank President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz, marking a major step toward securing a permanent home for the city-run university.
Domagoso stressed that the property would be dedicated to education, not commercial development, describing the project as a long-term investment for generations of Manila students.
The proposed development will expand UdM’s existing 37 classrooms to 84, with modern laboratories, improved learning facilities, parking areas and two entrances.
The mayor said the planned campus would provide students and faculty with a more spacious and modern learning environment.
Domagoso underscored UdM’s role in providing free and accessible tertiary education, particularly to poor students who cannot be accommodated at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) because of limited space.
He said the city wants to ensure that financial difficulties, even transportation expenses, will not prevent deserving students from pursuing higher education.
The mayor credited Land Bank for helping make the property acquisition possible, recalling the city’s efforts to secure a 1,900-square-meter property previously held under the Department of Finance’s Property Management Office.
He also emphasized that the project must be supported by responsible financial management, stressing the importance of disciplined spending and proper collection of revenues.
The UdM expansion forms part of Manila’s broader 2027 development priorities, which include education, healthcare, housing and employment.
For the city government, the new campus represents an investment not only in infrastructure but also in the future of Manila’s next generations.
ia/xf
