Warner faculty housing rises again 4 years after dreadful fire incident

Nearly half a decade after a fire engulfed the whole Warner Apartments and displaced 20 families composed of faculty members and staff, the VSU administration finally completed the restoration of the apartment complex with its new and improved housing units.

Although the physical appearance of the building is still under completion, President Tulin expressed his gratitude for finally opening the Warner Apartments to house qualified faculty and staff.

This is one of the infrastructure developments of VSU under his administration. The housing facility was officially inaugurated on January 16, 2023. It has a total of 20 housing units, with each room having its kitchen sink and toilet. 

Priority faculty members who are expected to occupy this new housing facility were those who were displaced by the fire incident four years ago. Most of them are currently residing in the ASEAN House, a relatively new apartment complex located near the Renewable Energy Research Center (RERC) which was mainly built as the official relocation site for the Warner Apartments fire victims.

VSU President Edgardo E. Tulin (center) led in the ceremonial blessing and inauguration of the restored Warner Apartments that will soon be the home to 20 qualified faculty and staff of the VSU Main Campus.

Meanwhile, a major restoration project is also expected to be started anytime this year to fix the current International House (IH), another apartment complex that is currently being occupied by selected VSU faculty members and staff. With this restoration in the pipeline, current residents of IH are expected to be relocated to the ASEAN House.

During the ceremonial blessing and inauguration of the Warner Apartments, VSU President Edgardo E. Tulin can’t help but recall the sad incident that changed the lives of affected VSU faculty members and staff.

“We should rejoice that this day has come to inaugurate this facility. If you recall, in December 2018, 20 families living in this facility were affected because of the fire. I can still recall that very morning when we were already in the office, there was this sound of the siren, and news broke that Warner Apartments was on fire. And we rushed forward and saw that the westside part of the building was already consumed by the fire,” President Tulin said.

Warner Apartments was built in the 1980s during the administration of former ViSCA President Fernando Bernando. Even before the accident happened, the old building needed major repair and renovation but had been parked because of budgetary constraints related to faculty housing.

Warner Apartments was named after Fred Warner, the Principal of the Baybay National Agricultural School (BNAS) which was the previous name of VSU from 1939 to 1958 before it was converted into the Visayas Agricultural College (VAC).

The old Warner Apartments was on fire on the morning of December 3, 2018, and was found to be caused by faulty electrical wiring inside one of the units.

The completion of the housing facility was made possible because of the works of Engr. Mario Valenzona, General Services Division (GSD) Head, Dr. Daniel Leslie Tan, Vice President for Administration and Finance, and Dr. Dilberto Ferraren, BAC Chairman and VSU Vice President for Planning, Resource Generation, and External Affairs. 

“I would like to thank Engr. Valenzona, Dr. Tan, and Dr. Ferraren for working hard to have this facility completed. I’m glad that it’s done, with the improved facility,” President Tulin expressed in his message.

Rev. Fr. Jerome Dejarme officiated the ceremonial blessing of the Warner Apartments. 

The launching of the new building was attended by VSU officials together with the identified faculty members and staff who are expected to reside in the new housing facility.

President Tulin requested the occupants of Warner’s to take good care of their new home. He hoped that the respective families would abide by the housing rules and regulations of the university.

“I’m hoping that with you being given this opportunity to be the first occupants of a newly restored apartment complex, you will take good care of it and cherish the many memories that you will build in this new home. Our housing system involves a competitive process for one to qualify for this privilege and I hope that this will inspire you to contribute more to the continued growth and progress of our beloved VSU,” Dr. Tulin concluded.

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