Senator Lujan was the guest of honor during the 2005 Grand Centennial Celebration of the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology.

The group met Guam government leaders, contractors association and trades academy officials, major employers of Philippine overseas workers, leaders in the academic community and the Philippine Consul General in Guam for consultative meetings on labor force demand and outlook, employment opportunities for WVCST-ISAT graduates and potential avenues for institutional development.

Heading the delegation is Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr., WVCST college president. Other members of the delegation were Atty. Leo S. Sombiro, who is the alumni trustee and legal counsel of the college; Engr. Roly J. Gambol, faculty trustee and ICT coordinator; Engr. Adrian N. Moncada, former private sector trustee and leader in power industry; Dean Susan Marie R. de la Cruz of the Student Affairs; and Dean Ricardo B. Abaleña of the Graduate School.

Philippine consul Raquel Rayel-Solano and WVCST-ISAT Guam alumni presidents Lino Escalona and Al Siaotong accompanied the delegation in consultative meetings.

Representing the Guam panel are Vice Senate Speaker Edward J. B. Calvo, Senators Jesse Anderson Lujan, Judith P. Guthertz and David L. G. Shimizu, James Martinez and Bert Johnston of the Guam Contractors Association and Trades Academy, Pres. Harold S. Allen of the University of Guam, Pres. John Camacho and Dean Lolita Reyes of the Guam Community College, Supt. Luis SN Reyes of the Guam Public School System, Greg Mossey and Davod Dell’Isola of the Department of Labor and Atty. Peter Sgro, Jr., top businessman and President of International Group, Inc. Mr. Darryl Taggerty, Policy Advisor of Sen. Jesse Lujan acts as moderator and coordinator to all the consultative meetings.

Korean top contractor Core Tech International and the Smithbridge Company expressed their need for deployment of skilled workers.

It was, however, stressed that skilled workers with H2B visa must be US certified and must pass the OSHA and EM 385 safety standards.

In the legislative roundtable conference at the Guam Legislature presided by Sen. Jesse Anderson Lujan, the Guam panel stressed the need for overseas skilled workers to meet the demand for the $10 to $15 billion military base expansion project as well as the large-scale construction and maintenance projects in Guam.

It is estimated that local workers in Guam can only provide 50 per cent or less of the expected 66,000 workers cap. Senators who were present in the meeting said they will work for the passage of the bill lifting the H2B visa cap and the creation of a friendship program with foreign institutions that will focus on the training and recruitment of workforce to address the military build-up, immigration process and certification and training of H2B workers.      

Aside from the need for skilled workers, the Guam academic community likewise needs additional teachers to be employed in their public school system and state-run tertiary educational institutions.

After viewing the profile and technical capability of the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology as a premiere technical, vocational, engineering and teacher training institution, the academic community expressed their desire for a possible exchange program for WVCST teachers and students.

The top employers of foreign workers in Guam and those present in the legislative roundtable conference vowed to give priority to WVCST-ISAT graduates because of their proven technical competence and attitude towards work.

They cited as example the members of the WVCST-ISAT Alumni Association in Guam who compose the majority of the Camp Roxas Team that rehabilitated Guam in the 50’s and 60’s.

The WVCST Delegation was accorded with very warm welcome and accommodation by the WVCST-ISAT Alumni Association Guam Chapter as well as the Iloilo Association in Guam, “Migs” Group, Guimaras Association, Negrosanons, Mayor Melissa B. Savares of the Municipality of Dededo who hails from San Joaquin, Iloilo and Mayor Carol S. Tayama of the Municipality of Agat where a large Ilonggo community can be found.