The Visayas State University (VSU) has been named as the Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School in the Philippines (College Category) during the 2013 National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools. The plaque was received by VSU President, Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, and Dr. Maria Juliet C. Ceniza, former Director of the Institute of Tropical Ecology, on November 20, 2013 during the Awarding Ceremonies held at the 3^rd Floor, Activity Center of SM City-North EDSA, Quezon City. Attached to the award was a cash prize of PhP50,000. Aside from the major award, VSU also bagged the “Meralco Energy Leadership Award” for promoting practices and initiatives in electrical safety, energy efficiency and conservation. It received a plaque of recognition and cash award of PhP20,000.

The destruction caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda did not hinder VSU community to celebrate annually the advent season. Though the celebration this year was quite different from the previous years wherein there were fireworks displays, the occasion salvoed with a thanksgiving mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Brian C. Flandez, Co-Pastor of the Holy Spirit Parish, and a candle lighting ceremony on December 17, 2013.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) accorded the Visayas State University (VSU) the 2013 Tanglaw Award as the Most Outstanding Research Institution throughout the country during the PCAARRD Awarding Ceremonies on November 8, 2013 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. The trophy with a cash award of two million pesos (PhP2,000,000) research grant was received by Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, VSU President, from Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, PCAARRD Executive Director.

The Tanglaw Award was conferred to VSU for the fourth time because of its significant contributions to the advancement of agriculture, aquatic and natural resources (AANR) research and development in the Philippines.

After the Letter of Agreement between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Visayas State University (VSU) for the project “Gawad Patnubay (Gawad Pag-aaral Tungo sa Maunlad na Bayan) Scholarship Program” was signed on July 24, 2013 by Ms. Corinta Quijano Guerta, IRRI Director for External Relations, and on September 2, 2013 by Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, VSU President, five college students of VSU shall avail of the IRRI-Landbank Gawad Patnubay Scholarship Program effective second semester of school year 2013-2014.

Super Typhoon “Yolanda” hit the VSU Main Campus and its satellite campuses on November 8, 2013 from 5:30 until 9:30 in the morning that destroyed academic buildings, research facilities, staff cottages, dormitories, experimental sites, forest reserves, and other infrastructures. Even the century old trees in the VSU Main Campus were not spared from the devastating wind of Yolanda.

The estimated cost of the damages caused by the super typhoon to the VSU System properties, as revealed by VSU President, Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, amounted to one hundred fifty million pesos (PhP150,000,000) distributed as follows: VSU-Tolosa – PhP64 million, VSU Main Campus – PhP38 million, VSU-Isabel – PhP33 million, VSU-Alangalang – PhP10 million, and VSU-Villaba – PhP5 million.

At the Hilongos Agro-Panginabuhi Caravan, VSU staff demonstrated food processing methods from different commodities as livelihood options for farmers and rural women in Hilongos, Leyte, Dec. 17-20.

The Visayas State University (VSU) and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture jointly undertake the Livestock Waste Management Program (LWMP).

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the project was signed on October 4, 2013 by Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, VSU President, and Dr. Rubina O. Cresencio, Acting Director IV of BAI, in the presence of Mr. Hernando F. Avilla of BAI and Dr. Julius V. Abela of VSU.