Information technology entrepreneur Ramon Garcia Jr. and a group of businessmen are set to invest up to P500 million in a new school south of Metro Manila oriented toward producing graduates for the country’s booming service industries.
In an interview, Garcia said that the new school—South Forbes City College (SFCC)—is situated on a sprawling campus in Silang, Cavite, and is inspired by Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
The school is set to start classes for its pioneer batch Tuesday, offering courses like business administration, hotel and restaurant management and tourism management.
“We envision SFCC to become a university with not only competitive educational programs but also a peaceful atmosphere that is conducive for learning,” Garcia said, adding that the institution is targeting students looking for “value for money” education.
Garcia, who is also the president of information technology firm DFNN Philippines, began in the education business with his Global City Innovative College venture, which is now an internationally recognized school located at Bonifacio Global City.
Garcia explained that SFCC aims to reduce situations where fresh graduates need to be trained further by companies that hire them, to equip them with professional skills in their chosen fields.
“We will do this by providing students with constant on-the-job training by being exposed to companies in their fields of study,” he explained. “You won’t get this anywhere else.”
SFCC features an expansive nature park campus with school-wide Internet access, modern air-conditioned classrooms and amenities and outdoor areas modeled after those of Ivy League schools.
Garcia said his partners in the venture include Michael Tan and Johanna See who will oversee the management team, led by Delia Aquino, “in working toward the vision of putting up one of the best colleges in the country.”
SFCC’s location also allows the school to expand its facilities and course offerings over time.
“With the location in the Silang-Sta. Rosa area, one may make analogies with the interaction among Stanford University or Harvard University and Boston, where industrial and educational institutions coexist to provide a lifestyle that is no longer available in a tight city environment,” he said.
“Manufacturing, BPO and tourism concerns are all within 30 minutes of the area, and coincidentally, these are the industries that the first three courses in SFCC will cater to,” he added.
Garcia also said the school will offer programs the focus on the development of hard and soft skills required in the various fields of business.
In the pipeline is a fully dedicated trading room where business students can participate in activities that simulate stock market trading.
SFCC also has a 10-year plan for its IT infrastructure that will eventually include networks, content delivery, laboratories and case studies in a practical environment with industry participants.
The school is situated on a 3.1-hectare campus, which will have space for up to 10,000 students once fully developed, Garcia said.