𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙂𝘼𝙍𝘼, 𝙇𝙀𝙔𝙏𝙀 — An Intellectual Property (IP) Foundation Course held at the campus library on May 4, 2026, was cut short after a powerful magnitude 6.1 earthquake forced faculty and student participants to evacuate the building. The seminar, facilitated by Campus IP Coordinator Instructor Ryan Aguilos, was intended to provide a comprehensive look at legal protections for academic work. Despite the sudden disruption, the event successfully covered its primary technical sessions before the tremors began.
The activity featured intellectual property experts from the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) Main Campus who provided critical insights into the landscape of Philippine intellectual property. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐌𝐚. 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐂. 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞, 𝐏𝐡𝐃, 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 discussed the vital role of the university in fostering a culture of innovation and the strategic value of IP in the digital age. She was joined by 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐀. 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, who provided technical guidance on patent searches and the procedural steps for securing trademarks and copyrights.
The training lasted just over half a day as participants were engaged in key points discussions. At approximately 2:09 PM, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the region. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS-DOST) reported the epicenter at San Julian, Eastern Samar, prompting an immediate halt to the proceedings. Instructor Aguilos emphasized that the safety of students and faculty remained the absolute priority, noting that while the quake prevented the completion of afternoon workshops, the morning sessions successfully established a solid foundation for the participants.
Following the tremors, the library was evacuated in an orderly manner. No injuries were reported among the attendees, though the event was officially suspended to allow for a thorough inspection of the campus facilities. Organizers expressed gratitude to the guest speakers for their expertise and noted that the successful delivery of the core lectures ensured that the day’s primary educational goals were met despite the natural interruption.
