University News

Murata, PUP formalize MOA for faculty and student growth

Jan Vincent Lanuza, News, Communication Management Office

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata, Inc. (PMM), a Japanese semiconductor and electronics manufacturing company, on May 23 at the First Philippine Industrial Park, Tanauan City, Batangas.

This partnership focuses on providing on-the-job training (OJT) and potential employment opportunities for students of PUP Sta. Mesa Campus, following the earlier collaboration with PUP Sto. Tomas, Batangas Campus. Under the MOA, career-centered initiatives such as internships, student immersions, and knowledge-sharing activities involving students, faculty, and staff will be implemented. PMM will also participate in university-led programs such as Career Talks, Mock Recruitment, and Job Fairs.

Broader opportunities for the University and its students
Vice President for Student Affairs and Services, Prof. Tomas O. Testor expressed optimism about this new endeavor. Alumni Relations and Career Development Office Director Engr. Florinda H. Oquindo highlighted that this partnership will give students “broader opportunities to give them hands-on learning and skills development [and] abridging the academia and the industry.”

Aside from its student-centric initiatives, Oquindo added that this agreement opens doors for the University in Industry Collaborations, Research and Development, Potential Funding and Sponsorship, Curriculum Enhancement, and Faculty Development. She hopes that this new association will pave the way for more engagements in the future.

PUP: Home of disciplined and hardworking minds
PMM Director of Administration, Mitsuki Notsu, shared that the University’s strong reputation, commitment to academic excellence, and producing disciplined minds were the key reasons behind their enthusiasm to join forces.

“We have great trust in the University, its professors, and the quality of education it provides. More so, PUP stands out as an institution known for resiliency, hardworking students, making them ideal candidates for future career opportunities and collaboration,” he said.

Notsu also noted that the Iskolar ng Bayan are hardworking, proactive, and highly responsible. One such graduate, he stated, joined the company at its inception and has since risen to become one of the Section Managers.

PUP’s contribution
That section manager is Engr. Wilson D. Mareja, Senior Manager for the Machinery Engineering Department and a proud PUP alumnus. In an interview, he discussed how his experiences in PUP shaped his professional journey.

“Itinuro nito kung papaano maging matatag, itinuro sa amin kung papaano tayo haharap sa kinabukasan. Maraming pagkakataon na madadapa tayo pero ito yung mga nagbigay sa amin ng inspirasyon kung nasaan kami ngayon at kung nasaan ako ngayon dito sa industriya.”

(It taught us how to be strong; it taught us how to face the future. There were many times we would fall but those were the moments that inspired us to get to where we are now—and where I am now in this industry.)

A BS in Mechanical Engineering graduate, Mareja credited the University for molding him from a young and aspiring learner into a seasoned professional.

“PUP ang naging daan para sa akin na magkaroon ng isang magandang karera, ng isang magandang buhay, at isang magandang kinabukasan. Hindi lamang para sa pamilya ko kundi para mas sa kung ano man ang maco-contribute ko pa sa society,” he relayed.

(PUP was the path that gave me a good career, a good life, and a bright future. Not just for my family, but also for what I can contribute to society.)

Joining Notsu, Mareja, Testor, and Oquindo during the MOA signing were PMM’s HR Junior Section Manager Abegail Santiago and its team members and PUP’s Alumni Relations and Career Development Office (ARCDO) representatives: Career Development and Placement Services Chief Assoc. Prof. Jane S. Pulma and Alumni Relations Services Chief Dr. Emeteria Leonila A. Perez.

Through collaboration with PMM, the University continues to uphold its commitment to the PUP Community, specifically in alignment with its Strategic Goals for Teaching and Learning Pillar—focused on Innovative Curricula and Instruction, Empowered, Expert, and Productive Faculty Members, and Holistic Student Development.

_{(Note: English Translation and Grammar Check generated by AI.)}