BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Bacolod City has been selected as the site for the Philippine Science High School System’s largest campus to date, with ground set to break this November ahead of its targeted opening in School Year 2027-2028.
Spanning nearly 10 hectares in Barangay Granada, the Philippine Science High School Negros Island Region Campus (PSHS-NIRC) will become the premiere science high school system’s 17th campus, completing its legislated nationwide network and exceeding the land area of its seven-hectare main campus in Quezon City.
The site selection followed a year-long evaluation of several proposed locations across the region by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-PSHS System, with Mayor Greg Gasataya receiving formal notification from PSHS System Executive Director Ronnalee Orteza earlier this month.
“This is a breakthrough; not all urban centers or provinces have a PSHS campus. This will trigger the growth in one area here in Bacolod,” Gasataya said in a statement.
Secretary to the Mayor Jose Marty Go confirmed on Monday that preparations for the facility are underway, noting that “Groundbreaking will be in November as scheduled.”
The establishment of the campus will widen access to advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for academically gifted students from Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and neighboring localities. Designed to eventually accommodate up to 720 students, the institution will welcome its pioneer batch of 120 Grade 7 scholars in 2027.
“This will complete our 17 campuses all over the country based on the law. This will be the biggest campus so far – bigger than our seven-hectare main campus in Quezon City – and we want to start things right,” Orteza earlier said.
The DOST-PSHS System is currently conducting an information campaign across elementary schools in the region to encourage eligible Grade 6 pupils to apply for the PSHS National Competitive Examination on January 30, 2027. Enrolled scholars will receive full government benefits, including free tuition, learning materials, and monthly living allowances.|
