Bacolod city: The Negros Occidental provincial government unveiled the new Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) Global Campus, an innovation hub designed to be future-ready, industry-responsive, and globally connected.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PHP135-million structure is situated on a 2.5-hectare donated land in Barangay Matab-ang, marking its permanent home after nearly 17 years at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City. The NOLITC Global Campus features a three-story building equipped with classrooms and laboratories for courses including Contact Center Services, Animation and 2D Animation, Visual Graphics Design, Computer-Aided Design, Robotics, and e-sports.
The main building also includes the administration office, business hub, faculty room, guidance office, library, and auditoriums. Additionally, a dormitory and cafeteria for students are located near the entrance. The unveiling event was led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jose Benito Alonso, alongside Mayor Rowena Lizares, other provincial government officials, and representatives from government agencies and industry partners.
Governor Lacson emphasized that the event heralded a new chapter in the educational landscape of Negros Occidental and for Negrenses, whose futures would be shaped by knowledge, skills, and opportunities. He highlighted the campus as a testament to a larger vision for inclusive, innovative, and accessible education, particularly in rural areas.
Accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), NOLITC is the first and only government-run language and IT school in Western Visayas and the Negros Island Region. Since its inception in 2008, it has produced 8,888 graduates with an employment rate of 83 percent. Lacson also noted that the transformation of NOLITC into a provincial innovation hub would see an expansion of focus to include artificial intelligence training, micro-credential courses, and international certification programs.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II described the new campus as 'NOLITC 5.0', emphasizing the provincial government's commitment to ensuring that the infrastructure and resources match the potential and capabilities of the NOLITC staff and its partners. TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, through Focal for Local Government Unit Linkages Jason Tupas, remarked that the inauguration represents a significant advancement, transforming NOLITC into a center of innovation that will deliver industry-calibrated, demand-driven training and support for both the information technology and business process management sectors, as well as other emerging industries.
