Cotabato officials cite proposed PSHS campus
Published Jul 23, 2025 01:10 pm
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Officials in Cotabato province are upbeat on the proposed Philippine Science High School (PSHS) campus in the town of Carmen.
CARMEN Mayor Roger Taliño (middle) with local government officials and DOST officials. (DOST-12)
Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza lauded the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region-12 for its initiative to build the campus, saying this could provide further opportunities for the youth in the province.
Mendoza said the proposed campus in her hometown of Carmen is a transformative investment in the province's future.
The school could offer top-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education to promising students, especially those from far-flung areas, the governor added.
She emphasized that PhilScience could also help develop a new generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.
“For the youth of Cotabato, the PSHS campus will open doors to opportunities that were once out of reach. It will not only raise the standard of academic excellence but also foster a culture of research, innovation, and leadership,” Mendoza said.
“By making quality science education more accessible, we empower young people to dream bigger, compete globally, and contribute meaningfully to the sustainable development of their home province.”
The DOST-12 said that the local government of Carmen will donate a 10-hectare land for the facility.
It added that the proposed location is strategically situated to cater not only to students from the province but also from neighboring provinces in Region 12.
“This aligns with the intent of Senate Bill No. 2974, also known as the Expanded Philippine Science High School System Act, that seeks to institutionalize the establishment of at least two PSHS campuses per administrative region, ensuring equal access to STEM education across the country,” the DOST-12 added.
On July 22, DOST-12 officials Regional Director Engr. Sammy P. Malawan and Provincial Director Michael Mayo met Carmen Mayor Rogelio Taliño and presented the proposal as well as the vision, goals, and long-term benefits of hosting a campus.
Carmen municipal administrator Moises Arendain said that the mayor is very happy with the proposed campus in the municipality.
Arendain added that once it is realized, PSHS could provide better learning opportunities not just for the youth in the province but also the youth in the neighboring province of Bukidnon and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
He emphasized that the establishment of a PSHS campus in Carmen could also benefit the indigenous peoples (IP) in the area since one of the proposed location is Barangay Liliongan, a known IP-dominated village. "We have a lot of intelligent IPs that could make it to the PhilScience," he added.
Arendain, a former mayor of Carmen, said that the other site that Mayor Taliño is eyeing is Barangay Gen. Luna.
Arendain said that they are bent on building the school in Barangay Liliongan since it is more strategic than Gen. Luna.
Vice Gov. Ella Taray is optimistic on the proposed campus in the province saint that it could become a STEM hub for talented youth, especially those from rural and underserved communities in the province.
Taray, who also hails from Carmen, said the provincial government will fast-track the approval of the proposal in support of Senate Bill No. 2974 or the Expanded PSHS System Act.
She assured that the provincial council will swiftly act to ensure that students could gain access to high-quality education aligned with future workforce demands.
The proposed campus could become the second PSHS campus in Region-12. The first was in Koronadal City in South Cotabato.