Alumni and students of the Holy Name University will hold “CAMPOUT: SAYING FAREWELL”  on Saturday, July 30, 2016, to give honor and to say farewell to the old buildings and  old campus of the university which is bounded by CPG Avenue, Grupo, Gallares and Lesage Streets in Tagbilaran City. “CAMPOUT: SAYING FAREWELL” is a program spearheaded by the Holy Name University Alumni Association of Tagbilaran, Inc. (HNUAA-TI) for the purpose of gathering once again alumni and students who feel deeply for the old campus, the buildings of which were severely damaged in the earthquake of October 15, 2013.

Engr. Tiburcio Bullecer, Jr., president of HNUAA-TI, announced that the farewell  program will be held at Lesage Street and will start at seven o’clock in the evening. While it is expected that there will be a spontaneous response of attendees due to the common heartbreak among those who spent a better part of their lives in the old campus, Bullecer extends invitations to Holynamians to be present at the program.

The educational institution that was first known as Holy Name College (HNC) was founded in the year 1947 by the American missionary priest, Fr. Alphonse Lesage, S.V.D.  The first building occupied by the HNC is the same building which is located at the corner of CPG Avenue and Grupo Streets, where all classes for both high school and college were held.  Then there was the elementary building at the corner of Zamora and Grupo Streets. In the very early 1960s, the gymnasium was built.  It was ony the second gym in Tagbilaran at that time, the first being what is now known as the Bohol Cultural Center.

With the ever-increasing number of students, the large building at Zamora and Lesage streets was constructed and dedicated on September 8, 1964.  It housed the college classrooms, while the high school remained at the CPG building.  Sometime in 1990, the school acquired property in Dampas and built first the structure for the high school, and later came the arts and sciences and nursing buildings.  When the earthquake struck, all the buildings at the old campus suffered extensive structural damage and the whole universty was transferred to Dampas.

Over the years, the institution was known as Holy Name College, then Divine Word College of Tagbilaran, and now Holy Name University. The old Holy Name  remains, but it is now in Dampas District.  Thousand of Holynamians are deeply touched by the fact that the buildings of the old campus where they spent hundreds of hours, the buildings that appeared indestructible, will be demolished and forever taken out the Tagbilaran skyline and out of their sight.  The administrators of HNU have decided that they cannot repair the old buildings and cannot construct new ones. The site is leased to a well-known business entity.

Mr. Marianito Luspo of the HNU’s Office of Culture and Arts Development (OCAD), who is in charge of putting up ““CAMPOUT: SAYING FAREWELL”, said that the program will consist of two parts: the first which will consist of dances and speeches, after which there will be a candle light procession/recession around the whole old campus. The alumni association encourages attendees to bring candles. Snacks will be served, courtesy of fans of Holy Name.  The second part will be available for all those who desire to express their feelings for the time they spent in the old campus. Holynamians who wish to give contributions of whatever nature and kind, including live performances,  can coordinate with Mr. Jose Nazareno, HNU Alumni Coordinator, at his office at HNU Dampas campus.