TAGUM CITY—Saying it will destroy the whole university system, a high ranking school official of the government-ran University of Southeastern Phillippines (Usep) here wanted the bill junked that seeks to merge state universities and colleges in Davao del Norte province.
On Wednesday, Usep-Tagum University Chancellor Daniel T. Ugay, Jr, said that House Bill 4480, which seeks to merge all State universities and colleges, would affect the operation of each government-ran school when merged.
“We wanted the bill to be abolished immediately,” Ugay said.
House Bill 4480 was filed by Davao del Norte Rep. Anthony del Rosario to merge Usep’s Apokon campus here, including its satellite campus in Mabini, with Davao del Norte State College in Panabo Ciy and to be known as the Davao del Norte State College-Apokon campus.
“Why fix something if it’s not broken? We have toiled for more than 30 years just to earn the Level 4 university status and reputation of being one of the best schools in Asia,” he said.
He said that students were enrolled the Usep-Apokon campus because of its “reputation, honor, competence and prestige of why they are here in our university,” Ugay noted.
Ugay said Usep-Apokon is one of the Top 10 schools in the Philippines per Quacquarelli Symonds study in 2014, one of the top 300 academic institutions in Asia per Quacquarelli Symonds in 2014 and ranks 5th
among the country’s universities in the 2011-2013 Asian university rankings done by Quacquarelli Symonds.
“We have achieved already the highest status being a state university which is Level IV. We have been recognized also as center of development for agriculture, among other recognitions. So what kind of
quality education they are looking for?” asked Ugay.
A copy of the bill obtained by DavaoToday said that the integration of the two State schools “will bring about an expeditious realization of common goals of improving the quality of education in
these areas”.
Ugay cites the effect of the bill on “faculty loading as well as the faculty movement” in the two Usep campuses.
“At risk to this scenario are our faculty experts who are extending services in Mabini campus. This bill will also destroy the balance of faculty complementation among campuses of the university,” said Ugay.
Ugay also said that “separating the USEP-Apokon from the university will create negative impact in the spheres of research and extension”.
We strongly appeal to junk the bill. The whole USEP community have spoken and we are totally against it,” Ugay said.
Formerly known as the Davao National-Regional Agricultural School (Danras), the Usep-Apokon campus was established as in 1978 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 12. Its main campus is located at Barrio Obrero in Davao City. (MART D. SAMBALUD/davaotoday.com)
