Newly renovated bathrooms reopen in DLSU

The ground floor bathrooms of Miguel Hall, St. Joseph Hall, and Velasco Hall have officially been reopened for use since the first week of January this year, after they were closed as early as June 30 for renovations that spanned between September and December last year.

In a help desk announcement sent by the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management (OACVFM) last July 27, the office mentioned that the renovations were done in an effort “to serve better the Lasallian community,” and apologized for any inconvenience that closing the bathrooms would cause.

The newly renovated bathrooms are architecturally remodeled and feature updated technology. The layouts of the bathrooms have also been changed. Similarly, the equipment and tiles have been replaced with new ones. Air conditioning systems have also been installed in each of the bathrooms. The faucets, soap dispensers, and urinals are all equipped with motion sensors, while the toilets have bidets provided for. Some toilets also have assistance bars to aid disabled and injured users.

Modernizing comfort rooms

Civil and Sanitary Works Office Director Engr. Rolando Oliva shares, “The main reason [for renovating] is to modernize the toilet facilities and bring comfort to students, faculty and employees.”

Oliva explains that particular bathrooms were prioritized for renovation because of their age. According to him, gradually, more bathrooms in campus will be renovated in the future.

“[Each bathroom was] evaluated according to its age. [The priority was] all toilets [on] the ground floor level. Once finished the second floor will be next and thereafter,” he states.

Aside from choosing which bathrooms to prioritize for renovation, other factors were also considered. Many consultations were made before the proposal could be approved and implemented.

Oliva narrates, “Everything has to be considered, even what [people will] say on the air conditioning. We consulted not only [with] one architect about the finishes. We did benchmarking with other toilets outside of the campus.”

Considering that the renovations included the addition of significant technological updates, cost was also another issue that had to be discussed before implementation.

“We plan and do the budgetary estimates subject to the approval of the top management,” Oliva notes, “and we only implement as soon as it is approved by the top management.”

Almost three months have passed since the opening of the renovated bathrooms. Aside from renovating other bathrooms, the next challenge will be preserving the functionality and status of the facilities and its equipment.

“During the first three months from the time of operation, people are excited to see and will want to feel the ambience of the newly renovated air conditioned toilet,” Oliva posits. “[During] this period, the maintenance personnel should not miss their regular schedule to oversee and make sure that the toilet is in good condition,” he contends.

Students’ thoughts, opinions

Students also shared their insights on the renovation of certain washrooms in the three aforementioned buildings.

Monica Arenas (I, BS-APC) points out the PWD-friendly nature of the newly-renovated comfort rooms—having one bigger stall with installed bars for assistance—as it reflects the Lasallian community’s sensitivity to such an issue. She states, however, that washrooms in Mutien Marie Hall, St. La Salle Hall and the Science and Technology Research Center need renovation.

Similarly, Rogel Villapaz (I, BSBCHEM) suggests that renovations should also be done to the bathrooms located in William Hall, pointing out malfunctioning toilets and lack of space within the facility.

On the other hand, John Camarines (III, DSM-MKT) shares that although ideally every bathroom in campus should be renovated, it is important to focus on those that are often congested. “Focus should be centered on high-density areas, meaning those bathrooms that have a lot of people using them,” he says. He also emphasizes that the top priority of bathroom renovations should be the availability of sanitary materials.