Deputy Speaker and Basilan Representative Mujiv Hataman on Thursday, Dec. 30 announced the dramatic increase in funds for Basilan State College (BASC) - soon to be Basilan State U - for the year 2022 in the P5.024 trillion national budget.
The increase in the budget of the State University and College (SUC) is phenomenal - from P113.1 million separately approved by both houses of Congress, to P233.8 million during the bicameral conference committee, he said.
President Duterte signed the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA or national budget) today.
"Malugod kong ipinapaalam sa mga Basileños na higit pa sa doble ang itinaas ng pondo para sa ating Basilan State College bilang paghahanda sa napipinto nitong conversion para maging Basilan State U (I am happy to inform my fellow Basileños that funds for BSC has been doubled in preparation for its conversion into a university),’’ Hataman, former governor of the now-defunct Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said.
Hataman thanked his fellow lawmakers at the House of Representatives for this development.
For 2021, the approved budget for Basilan State College is P117.2 million. The proposed 2022 funds for BASC in the Senate and the House of Representatives stood at P113.1 million, but was revised in the bicameral conference committee to P233.8 million. For 2019 and 2020, its budget is in the amounts of P105.6 million and P105.1 million, respectively.
This year, the President signed into law Republic Act No. 115544, or an Act Converting the Basilan State College in the City of Isabela into a state university, known as the Basilan State University (BSU).
"So we are very grateful for this opportunity that we can plan and start a better Basilan State U for the future of our children,’’ Hataman explained.
The Basilan lawmaker explained that there are still some requirements that needed to be fulfilled by BASC to become a full-fledged State U under the rules of CHED, like upgrades to its facilities and other changes.
Once CHED approves its university status, Basilan State U can then offer more options for higher education. As of now, BASSC offers several Bachelor of Science and Arts courses, as well as post-graduate education and some non-diploma programs.
At present, it has a Level I and II accreditation from the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. In fact, Basilan State College offers a Doctorate in Education Major in Education Administration, a Masters in Public Administration and a Masters of Arts in Education.
If it becomes a State U, it has the mandate to “provide advance education, higher technological, professional and vocational courses, and training in arts and sciences, education, agriculture and industrial fields, management, criminology, maritime, medical education, legal education, non-traditional courses and other relevant fields of study,’’ Hataman pointed out.