The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Wednesday, April 21, confirmed that Oriental Mindoro now has its first state university - the Mindoro State University (MinSU).
This after CHED certified the compliance of Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT) with the requirements for its conversion into MinSU by virtue of Republic Act No. 10596.
CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III said that MinSCAT has “successfully passed through a series of rigorous evaluations and assessments” conducted by the Commission.
De Vera added that MinSCAT “has fully complied with the criteria for conversion in the areas of faculty qualification, libraries and laboratories, research capability, linkages and extension services, accreditation of its degree programs, and other academic policies, systems and procedures.”
MinSCAT, with campuses in the Municipalities of Victoria (main), Calapan and Bongabong, all in the Province of Oriental Mindoro is the first state college in the Island of Mindoro to have been converted into a state university.
Meanwhile, De Vera noted that the signing of Republic Act (RA) 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) law by President Duterte has increased access to 8,531 students of MINSCAT who no longer pay tuition and miscellaneous fees, including more than a thousand Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and Tulong Dunong (TD) beneficiaries.
“Under the rigorous evaluation of CHED, the conversion of MinSCAT into MSU ensures that access to quality education for Mindoreños is now assured under the Duterte administration,” he dded.
As stated in Section 9 of RA 10596, the incumbent President of MinSCAT, Dr. Levy Arago shall serve as the first President of the university.
“This long sought after conversion MinSCAT into MinSU is the institution’s greatest stronghold to respond to the clamor of Mindoreños particularly the poor but deserving ones for the expanded program offerings at reduced cost,” Arago said.
Arago also thanked the support and collegial efforts from numerous stakeholders, both local and international, since the quest for a university status has commenced.
As a university, MinSU shall contribute to building a quality nation by providing highly specialized educational experiences to train experts in the various technical and disciplinal areas, and by emphasizing the development of new knowledge and technological innovations through research and development.
Arago said that whole MinSCAT Community conveys its deepest gratitude to the inspiring support and guidance of the CHED-MIMAROPA, the Office of Institutional Quality and Governance (OIQAG), the MinSCAT Board of Trustees chaired by Commissioner Lilian De Las Llagas, and the Commission en Banc headed by De Vera.
Meanwhile, CHED MIMAROPA Regional Director Joselito Alisuag also congratulated Mindoro State University for having attained University Status in their 25th year of existence as a State College and 58th year as a higher education institution.
“This is a testament to the commitment of the University’s officials and staff to provide excellent higher education programs in Oriental Mindoro,” Alisuag ended.