History

The construction and development of the PUP ICT Center, a long cherished dream of PUP Management, would not have become a reality without the financial help of two Philippine Presidents - Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Ejercito-Estrada. From the President’s Fund, both generously provided the seed money for the construction of the ICT Center in a renovated wing of the NInoy Aquino Learning Resources Center that started in 1999 and began operation in April 2000.

The Center has been recognized as CHED’s Center of Development for Excellence in IT, DOST’s Virtual Center for Technology Innovation in Information Technology and ICT Training Hub, and Implementing Program of the IT21 Project of the Philippine Government. The Center also has been a favorite venue of local and international events.

Highlights

October 11, 1997
President Fidel V. Ramos, through a note sent to the Department of Budget and Management Secretary, ordered the release of the fund earmarked for the construction of the PUP ICT Center.

October 22, 1997
PUP President Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan wrote DBM Secretary Hon. Salvador M. Enriquez requesting for the release of said funds.

November 4, 1997
DBM issued special allotment release order.

November 26, 1997
Funding was released for PUP IT Center’s design concept.

January 27, 1998
The “PUP Website Project” was formally renamed "PUPWebSite" and became the official Internet site of the University. It was formally launched in GeoCities.com.

February 6, 1998
The University hired Lor Calma Designs Inc.’s services for the ITC project.

March 20, 1998
A handwritten note of then President Fidel V. Ramos was given for the release of the fund.

May 4, 1998
A Letter to Atty. M. P. Bravo regarding request for the release of the fund pledged by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

June 26, 1998
Agreement between PUP and LCD Inc. for the Interior Design of the proposed PUP IT Center.

June 29, 1998
LCD submitted the engineering design of PUP IT Center.

August, 1998
President Joseph Estrada, during his visit to the University as guest in its Linggo ng Wika celebration, pledged his support for the PUP ITC.

August 10, 1998
A letter was sent to then DBM secretary Benjamin Diokno regarding the additional fund, which will be taken from Pres. Estrada’s contingency fund for the PUP IT Center.

1999
The PUP IT Center was recognized by the IT Foundation of the Philippines to be part of its Implementing Program of IT21. Construction of PUP IT Center started.

January 2000
Construction of PUP IT Center was finished.

February 2000
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) conferred PUP as Center of Development for Excellence (CODE) in Information Technology.

March 2000
PUP was designated Virtual Center for Technology Innovation in Information Technology (VCTI-IT) and Information Technology Zone in its year-end commencement exercises by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

April 3, 2000
PUP IT Center started operation with Prof. Mely R. Luya as the pioneer Director.

June 1, 2000
The Center changed its name to PUP ICT Center (PUP Information and Communications Technology Center. In partnership with CCMIT, the Center introduced Specialized Tracks where graduating CCMIT students could choose their specializations. Initial offerings included Networking, Web Development, Database Administration, Multimedia and Digital Design, and Systems Development.

June 30, 2000
PUP ICT Center for a time was conferred by Microsoft Philippines as a Certified Government Technology Education Center (GTEC).

August 2000
PUP ICT Center became the venue of the Philippine Computer Society’s National Programming Competition, where

September 2000
Developed and maintained Application Monitoring System to keep track of all applications for the use of computers in the center. This project was entered in the 2nd Annual Search for IT Excellence sponsored by DOST and adjudged one of the finalists in the Malaysian-sponsored 1st Asian IT competition.

October 2000
PUP ICT Center became the venue of the 17th Annual Council of Deans and Heads in Nutrition and Dietetics (CODHEND).

November 2000
PUP ICT Center became the venue of the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation (SEARCC) International Software Programming Competition and SEARCC Web Conference; Paved the way for the offering of the Master of Science in Information Technology; Conducted ICT Trainings for 300 faculty and employees of the University thereby increasing ICT literacy rate as manifested in the Change Management Program reports; Contracted by the Professional Regulations Commissions to process 40,000 licenses of teachers generating revenue of more than PHP 2M for the University.

2001
Designed technical specifications for ICT Center Phase II; Designed and supervised installation of fiber optic cable to connect the ICT Center and the main building; Conducted basic and advanced trainings for both faculty and employees. More than 350 benefited from the free trainings provided by the Center in cooperation with the Center for Training and Development; Upgraded the network from 10/100 to Gigabit technology to accommodate increasing demand on the use of the Center’s network; Generated income for the University through rentals, Internet access and other services

Summer 2001
Installed Internet access to 18 offices and branches with direct lines; Maintained 700 re-loadable Internet ICTC accounts; Maintained PUPWebSite; Participated in the CITEM’s e-services outsourcing exhibit and conference; Started implementing online courses.

School Year 2001-2002
Serviced more than 10,000 students and users; Provided ICT services and assistance to various units of the University; Generated PHP 2.2M gross revenue for the University; Launched trainer’s training for b2bpricenow.com, a virtual marketplace supported by Land Bank of the Philippines, Dept of Agriculture, DTI and other NGOs; Delivered lectures in several seminars and ICT exhibits; Hosted the training for the Microsoft Project 2000 for the different government agencies; Hosted the training for the Department of Budget and Management for IT literacy; Hosted the incubation committee meeting for the Overseas Filipino Workers Net Foundation Bank project; Hosted XML training for the ICT Center staff

2002
PUPWebSite Connect, the online services component of PUPWebSite, was launched with PUPWebSite Community and PUPWebSite Forum as its initial services; PUP e-Campus, the e-Learning system of the University was launched with two categories: e-Business and Technical Courses

2003
The contract with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) ended after the first quarter of 2003. Attempts to extend the ISP were disapproved and a new bidding process for a new ISP was not made. Because of this, the University was left with no Internet connection and its Web site became offline since April 2003; The ICTC reported an all-time low in income generation due to the loss of Internet connection, which was the most-used service of the paying customers; As part of the ICTC Extension Services, eleven (11) ICT Books were published. The books are intended for elementary to high school students, or to anyone who is interested to learn certain ICT Technologies.

The Philippine Navy had two (2) technical trainings at the ICTC - Windows Server and SQL Server, with ICTC as its venue and ICTC personnel as resource speakers.

January 12, 2004
Bidding for a new ISP was made.

May 2004
Internet services returned; PUPWebSite Xentrius (the seventh evolution of the site) and PUPWebSite Connect v3 was launched; In preparation of the 100th Founding Anniversary of the University, the PUP Centennial Site was launched.

June 2004
The University through ICT Center was made a member of Microsoft Philippines' Partners in Learning (PIL) Program. The PIL program is part of Microsoft’s worldwide program of long-term commitment to empower teachers and students to achieve their fullest potential by providing greater access to the latest computer technologies and training in how to use them.

November 2004
The University through ICT Center was invited to become a member of Microsoft Philippines' Faculty and Student Ambassador Program (FSAP). It is part of the PIL program which aims to partner with Top Learning Institutions who are willing to share their topnotch technical and business management students and faculty mentors to be groomed as Ambassadors of Knowledge Transfer by serving as conduits of learning to other academic communities who experience the need of technology and yet do not have the resources nor tools to realize it.

January 2005
PUP ICT Center was made a member of FSAP.

May, November 2005
Under the PIL initiative, PUP ICT Center trained faculty members of Antonio A. Maceda High School (Sta. Mesa) in Basic Computer Operation and Microsoft Office.

November 18, 2005
PUP ICT Center held its first ever PUP Technology Day, a conference, seminar-workshop for the PUP Community that showcased latest and upcoming technological innovations. Microsoft Philippines conferred to ICTC the Synergy Team Award for November.

December 1, 2005
The PUP Admissions Office partnered with PUP ICT Center to develop and deploy PUPCET iApply, a Web-based PUPCET Application System.

December 2006 - February 2007
PUPCET iApply was deployed with PUP ICT Center as the iApply Processing Center.

August 8, 2006
As part of its extension services, PUP ICT Center established ATLAS (Advanced Technology Learning Alliance for Students), a student outreach program of ICTC.

February 8, 2007
PUP ICT Center held the second PUP Technology Day.