By Brian Jules Campued
Underscoring the importance of accessible quality education, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Feb. 15 has signed four laws benefiting state universities, Malacañang revealed over the weekend.
Republic Act No. 11978 establishes a college of medicine at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – South La Union Campus (DMMMSU-SLUC) in the municipality of Agoo which will offer a Doctor of Medicine program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine program.
Aiming to develop a corps of professional physicians to bolster the Philippine healthcare system, the new program will consist of basic science and clinical courses using learner-centered, competency-based, and community-oriented approach.
RA No. 11978 responds to the human resource development needs in La Union and the Ilocos Region as well as mandating the DMMMSU-SLUC – College of Medicine to conduct research and extension services in said areas.
President Marcos likewise signed RA No. 11977 creating the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) – Floridablanca Campus which will provide short-term, technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate courses within its areas of competency and specialization.
In the four-page RA 11977, the law mandates the PSAU-Floridablanca Campus to “undertake research and extension services, and production activities in support of socio-economic development and to provide progressive leadership in these areas.”
Meanwhile, RA No. 11980 or the Revised Bulacan State University Charter expands the curricular offerings and the powers of its governing board to strengthen the Bulacan State University (BulSu).
The BulSu is mandated to provide advanced education, higher technological, professional courses and training programs offered such as engineering and technology, arts and sciences, education, agriculture and industrial fields, accountancy, business and public administration, and medicine and allied health courses.
“Other courses include hotel and restaurant management, tourism, aeronautics, artificial intelligence and robotics, law, nontraditional courses and other relevant fields of study, and will also undertake research and extension services and production activities, supporting Bulacan and Central Luzon’s socioeconomic development,” the 16-page document stated.
Other law signed by the President was RA No. 11979 converting the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Parañaque City into a regular campus.
“The campus of the PUP located in the City of Parañaque, National Capital Region (NCR) is hereby converted into a regular campus of the PUP to be known as the PUP-Parañaque City Campus,” Section 2 of RA 11979 declared.
PUP-Parañaque will offer short-term, technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate courses within its areas of competency and specialization as well as provide research and extension services and production activities in support of socio-economic development.
All four laws will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. – avds
