Campus Gourmet starts renovation

Photo by Justine Bea Bautista

The Campus Gourmet will serve as an extension of Hotel Rafael in 2017 to provide additional venues for various activities within the University, as confirmed by Buildings and Facilities Maintenance Office (BFMO) Director Arch. Dennis Pontanilla and College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) Dean Rowell Paras.

The renovation of the Campus Gourmet, the igloo-shaped buildings located at the back of the CTHM building near Hotel Rafael, began this October and will end approximately in January 2017.

“The Hotel Rafael needs expansion because we are having a hard time to accommodate more guests and activities or events of the students,” Paras said.

According to Pontanilla, the Campus Gourmet, which CTHM has utilized for 15 years, needed renovation to avoid further deterioration of the facility.

“It’s (Campus Gourmet) an old structure. It’s about time we do some improvements such as the rewiring, repainting and waterproof application on the exterior part of the structure,” Pontanilla said.

Paras said the Campus Gourmet was originally a cafeteria which later on turned into a laboratory for the Hotel and Restaurant Management students’ culinary classes.

Meanwhile, Pontanilla said the renovation might cost approximately more than P4 million due to expenses for electrical wiring, plumbing, and air-conditioning systems.

Paras clarified the budget for the renovation is not solely charged to the CTHM students although they will more benefit from the Campus Gourmet since it is a laboratory intended for the programs in their college. He elaborated that the campus has a budget for its infrastructures.

For CTHM activities, Paras said that students would not be charged for the utilities since they are paying for it in their laboratory fees. However, students from other colleges would have minimal charges if they wish to use the facilities of Hotel Rafael.

Travel and tours laboratory

Paras furthered that a proposal providing a functional travel agency for the Tourism students within the Campus Gourmet has been passed.

The said area is in accordance with the recommendation of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities or PAASCU, Paras mentioned.

As of press time, Paras and General Services Office Director Edwin Bunag are closely working on the process of reviewing rates and reservation procedures of all facilities within the campus.