The province of Basilan now has a state university.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law House Bill 7697 and Senate Bill 1936 which converts the Basilan State College into a state university during ceremonies in Malacañang palace on June 23.
The law on the creation of the new university is now known as Republic Act No. 115544 entitled an Act Converting the Basilan State College in the City of Isabela into a state university known as the Basilan State University.
The ceremonial signing was witnessed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, House Majority Floor Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go.
House Bill 7697 authored by Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman converting Basilan State College into a university was passed on final reading in September 2020.
The bill hurdled discussions in three House committees: Ways and Means, Appropriations and Higher and Technical Education.
The Senate’s counterpart measure, Senate Bill No. 1936 authored by Senator Sonny Angara and sponsored by Senator Joel Villanueva, is one among seven bills to convert colleges into universities that was passed in May this year.
The conversion of the state college into a university will allow the educational institution to offer more courses in its curriculum.
Basilan State University has extension campuses in Lamitan, Sta. Clara, Maluso, and Tipo-tipo.