USC Signs Agreement with the Philippine Navy
Photograph by Christine Suson
A ceremonial memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing between the University of San Carlos (USC) and the Philippine Navy (PN) was held yesterday at the Theodore Buttenbruch Hall, USC Downtown Campus. The event was held in order to formally approve the addition of the degree Masters in Strategic Management to the USC graduate school program.
The signatories present were Dr. Challoner A. Matero, CPA, MBM, Dean of the School of Business and Economics; Fr. Generoso B. Rebayla, Jr. SVD, MM, Vice President for Finance; Fr. Anthony S. Salas, SVD, MM, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Ramon S. Del Fierro, PhD, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs; Rear Admiral Jose Renan S. Suarez, AFP, Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command; LCDR Joel C. Cabigon, Commandant MTG; and ENS Dianna Jane A. Elnar, PN, Acting AC of ETS for Plans, T5, NETC. The signing was witnessed by the students who are taking up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Entrepreneurship. It was also open to other courses.
The degree in strategic management will be an offshore graduate program run at the training center of the Philippine Navy in Zambales. Classes will be taught by USC professors and the module will run for one year. At the end of each module, the students will be asked to prepare a strategic paper in the form of a proposal. Oral defense on these proposals will be held not in Zambales, but at any USC campus.
Since it was the Philippine Navy’s first time to sign a MOA with any school, the degree in strategic management is only offered in the USC. According to Fr. Salas, courses on strategizing are currently being offered in the university but it is the first time that it is being offered as a degree. The program is open for businessmen, middle to top ranking corporate personnel and any undergraduate from any discipline. It will also be opened to other sectors of the military like the Army, the Air Force and the National Police. When asked if the Philippine Navy has any plans on coordinating with other school for a joint program on strategic management, Rear Admiral Suarez said they are unsure about the matter as of the moment.
