Basilan to have its own state university

MANILA, Philippines — Efforts to establish a state university in Basilan in Mindanao have paid off after Congress increased the school’s budget for this year.

President Duterte signed recently a law converting the Basilan State College into a state university.

“We are very grateful for this opportunity… we can plan and start a better Basilan State University for the future of our children,” House Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said, referring to Republic Act 11554 or An Act Converting Basilan State College into a State University.

Hataman thanked his colleagues in the House of Representatives as well as their counterparts in the Senate for the “phenomenal” hike in the budget from P113.1 million to P233.8 million.

“More students will benefit from this and our people will have opportunities to improve the quality of their life,” he said.

Basilan, a former lair of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group, has seen a dramatic spurt in development since terrorism was defeated by state security forces, local government units, religious groups, community members and families, he said.

The proposed 2022 funds for the college in the Senate and the House stood at P113.1 million, but was revised in the bicameral conference committee to P233.8 million.