Bill grants Samar university campuses full status

BORONGAN CITY, Philippines — The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill converting the Eastern Samar State University extension units in Arteche and Balangiga towns into regular, full-fledged ESSU campuses.

Under House Bill 9464, authored by Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, the two extension units will be upgraded and expanded, each with its own campus director.

“This measure will significantly expand access to state-subsidized higher education across Eastern Samar,” Gonzales said. “Students in and around Arteche and Balangiga will no longer have to travel far from home to pursue the college degree programs they want.”

Gonzales said the move supports greater access to quality, state-funded college education in the province.

“There’s no question that higher learning opens more opportunities for gainful employment and gives families a better chance to improve their quality of life,” he added.

Under the bill, the new campuses will be required to offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs, technical-vocational courses as well as research and extension services.

ESSU is the only state university in Eastern Samar, serving nearly 25,000 students with 721 faculty members.

The Arteche and Balangiga upgrade brings the number of campuses to seven provincewide.