The Laguna Campus saw major expansions toward the end of Academic Year 2024-2025, not only receiving a new, state-of-the art building, the Enrique K. Razon Hall, but also a renovation of the John Gokongwei Innovation Center.
According to Vice President for Laguna Campus Dr. Jonathan Dungca, the facilities were built to develop the campus into an innovation hub of the future and cater to the need for more learning spaces for its unique student body, composed of those from the multidisciplinary School of Innovation and Sustainability (SIS), The Academy, and Integrated School.
A Learning Commons at Laguna
A ribbon cutting ceremony on April 24 officially launched the Learning Commons @ Laguna Campus, an expansive library and learning space to match that of the Manila campus at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall. The Laguna counterpart is also significantly larger than the campus’ already existing College Library and Learning Center Library.
Dungca informed The LaSallian that although Laguna has fewer undergraduate students than the Manila Campus, the demand for study spaces for the Academy and Integrated School had increased. He also emphasized that Lasallians from other campuses can use it for their studies, events, and other endeavors.
During a tour of the facility, Associate Director for Laguna Libraries Candy Schijf stated that the new Learning Commons is not just meant to be an extension of the Learning Commons in Manila; it highlights the hands-on, multidisciplinary education of the Biñan-based campus.
Although the Laguna’s Learning Commons is smaller in scale than Manila’s, Schijf told The LaSallian that it aims to be more “agile,” with integrated classrooms and “makerspace components” to promote its spaces as incubators for collaborations and student projects.
Additionally, SIS Vice Dean of Student Affairs Nelca Villarin mentioned that the “Laguna version places particular emphasis on sustainability, science and technology integration, and innovation-driven programs.”
The Innovation Center, after Ubisoft
After Ubisoft Philippines’ academic partnership with DLSU ended in December 2023, it soon paved the way for the John Gokongwei Innovation Center’s renovations to become the headquarters for the De La Salle University Innovation Hub on June 30.
The innovation hub is a 50,000-square meter area in the Laguna Campus that was designated as a Knowledge, Innovation, and Science Technology (KIST) Ecozone last August 1. KISTs are economic zones within educational institutions that support science and technology-based start-ups and spin-offs.
According to Dungca, the new Innovation Labs provide students access to specialized equipment and resources that support the prototyping, testing, and refinement of new technologies.
“With facilities such as 3D printers and sophisticated AI-powered simulation software, teams can rapidly develop and experiment with their designs in a collaborative, hands-on setting, accelerating the innovation process,” the Vice President shared. He added that the center could also be used to hold various workshops and events.
What the students think
The new facilities have been received well by the students at the Laguna Campus. Charmis Lane Adriano (III, BSIET-AD2) shared that fact after the addition of the Enrique K. Razon Jr. Hall, “There is a comfortable space for everyone. It is refreshing to use the new facilities for studying.”
Meanwhile, Precious Tatianpact (III, BSBIO-MED) described the new Learning Commons as a “game changer” and that “the modern facilities make studying much more enjoyable (especially in our major subject; more collaborative),” in a message sent to The LaSallian. “The natural light streaming in from the large windows really boosts my mood and keeps me energized while I study,” Tatianpact detailed.
Villarin says the development of the new library is modeled after the Manila Campus, but with considerations for the Laguna Campus’s unique focuses. To Dungca, the new developments highlight the Laguna Campus’ unique learning culture, focused on interdisciplinary research and alternative learning methods stating: “At the Laguna Campus, we recognize that learning extends beyond traditional classroom settings.”
ERRATUM: November 11, 2025
An earlier version of the article incorrectly referred to The Academy, DLSU’s Senior High School, as the Academy Lane, the admissions program for students in The Academy. The publication has since corrected the error and apologizes for the oversight.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s October 2025 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSOct2025.
