By Madelaine B. Miraflor
The expansion of National University (NU), which is being led by the family of the late tycoon Henry Sy, is now in progress, with additional branches set to open in two new locations in Bulacan and Cavite with estimated investments of P800 million.
Hans Sy
NU Chair Hans Sy said the five-year expansion strategy of one of the oldest universities in the Philippines has already been laid out.
“So far, we have NU Laguna, NU Mall of Asia, and NU Fairview and they are all operational. We will continue for the next five years,” Sy, who also serves as a director at SM Prime Holdings, Inc., said on the sidelines of ASEAN Family Business Conference.
According to Sy, such expansion will take place in Baliuag, Bulacan and Dasmariñas, Cavite. Sy said that investment to build a new campus ranges to about P300 million to P400 million each.
“It's a combination with SM Prime providing the location building over things. Just literally, the construction cost should be about P200 million to P300 million. That's only the shell. Then NU will come in on its own with about P100 million for every school,” he explained.
“Where I want to focus is Metro Manila first, then Greater Manila. Then now Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon then we will go to Visayas and Mindanao,” Sy further said.
When the SM Group of Companies acquired majority ownership of the 116-year old institution, NU had only one campus located in Sampaloc, Manila. Then the group led the construction of NU Calamba, which is the first NU campus outside the capital. It started operations in school year 2018-2019.
The long-term plan for SM Group is to build NU branches in different locations in the country, especially in areas where SM Prime already has a presence. At present, SM Prime has 74 malls in the Philippines and seven malls in China.
Built in 1900, NU is a founding member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and is a pioneer of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities. Its international affiliations and memberships include the Association of Southeast Asia Higher Institutions of Learning and the International Association of Universities.