Basilan is now brewing up its first University, as House Bill 1581, the bill that will convert the present Basilan State College (BasSC) into a university is now approved by the House of Representatives. The bill was proposed by Basilan Lone District Representative Mujiv Hataman and Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Representative, Amilhilda Sangcopan.
Basilan is now brewing up its first University, as House Bill 1581, the bill that will convert the present Basilan State College (BasSC) into a university is now approved by the House of Representatives.
The bill was proposed by Basilan Lone District Representative Mujiv Hataman and Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Representative, Amilhilda Sangcopan.
"We need more education options for our people now. The decline of terrorism and the rise of eco-tourism and commerce in our province has left our people hungry for more opportunities that they cannot find in Basilan State if it were not converted into a university.", says Hataman
TALKING POINT
"We have people who dream of becoming doctors, engineers, architects - professions that I believe we can give them without going out of Basilan to study,"
Representative Mujiv Hataman
Established in 1966 as UP Land Grant High School in Barangay Sta. Clara (now part of Lamitan City), it was converted and renamed as Basilan National Agro-Industrial School in 1978 under Presidential Decree No. 1303. It became a regular college in 1983 under the name Basilan National Agro-Industrial College, but was soon converted into a State College as Basilan State College by then President Ferdinand Marcos and Chairman Gerry Salapuddin a year after.
When the once charted city of Basilan was converted into a province, the main campus was moved to a 4-hectare lot in Sumagdang, Isabela City, while satellite campuses were opened in Maluso and Lamitan.
BY LS
While currently working for a consumer electronics company, LS spends his free time as a freelance video editor. He is also the head writer for TransportPH.