Mariano Marcos
State University

CHED-RO1 inspects Bangui, Nueva Era sites for proposed MMSU expansion

By Jedd Bryant Boado

Officials of the Commission on Higher Education – Regional Office 1 (CHED-RO1) conducted an environmental scan of the university’s proposed extension class locations in the towns of Bangui and Nueva Era from April 22 to 23. This inspection was initiated following a directive from the MMSU Board of Regents to assess the feasibility of expanding MMSU to other areas in Ilocos Norte.

The team was led by Dr. Cherrie Melanie Ancheta-Diego, Director IV of CHED-RO1. She was accompanied by Chief Education Program Specialist Dr. Danilo Bose, Supervising Education Program Specialist Dr. Angelica Dolores, and Education Supervisors, namely Dr. Al Gerald Barde, Atty. Dessa Estrada, Engr. Leonora Quarte, and Mr. Albert Subang.

On their first day, the team visited the Municipality of Bangui and received a warm welcome from Mayor Denton Lawrence Garvida. In a productive meeting, Mayor Garvida was joined by members of the Sangguniang Bayan, other local officials, and representatives from Bangui National High School. They engaged in discussions with CHED-RO1 officials on the advantages of opening MMSU extension classes in Bangui.

In his message, Mayor Garvida assured CHED-RO1 officials that Bangui is ready to accommodate students from Ilocos Norte and nearby provinces such as Cagayan and Apayao, as evidenced by the town’s continued commitment to public security and development.

“We would like to assure you that Bangui is a safe municipality and is actively engaged in projects and programs that uplift the lives of our people. We believe that these achievements and initiatives prove our readiness for MMSU extension classes here in our municipality,” Mayor Garvida said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ancheta-Diego expressed optimism that, with Bangui’s existing educational infrastructure and strong support from the local government unit, MMSU extension classes in the municipality could be realized in the near future.

“We believe in a trifocal approach to education, where DepEd, TESDA, and CHED work together to ensure employment for graduates. We hope that with the opening of extension classes in Bangui, the municipality will be able to integrate its future graduates into the local workforce,” Dr. Ancheta-Diego said.

On their second day, the CHED-RO1 team proceeded to Nueva Era for a meeting to discuss the possibility of establishing MMSU extension classes in the municipality. They were warmly welcomed by members of the Sangguniang Bayan and Atty. Elreneo Castro, who represented Mayor Aldrin Garvida.

In his message, Atty. Castro thanked CHED-RO1 for visiting their municipality and engaging with local officials regarding the proposed extension classes. He expressed hope that the inspection would provide insight into the challenges faced by students from Nueva Era and nearby provinces such as Abra and Apayao, who travel long distances to reach the MMSU campus in Batac.

“While it is true that Nueva Era and Batac are neighboring areas on the map, we need to understand the realities on the ground, such as the long travel time required for students to reach Batac. Establishing MMSU extension classes here in Nueva Era will help address this concern,” Atty. Castro said.

Representing MMSU, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Aris Reynold Cajigal echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that MMSU extension classes in the municipality would allow the university to offer degree programs to families who cannot afford to send their children to the City of Batac.

“As Ilocos Norte’s sole state university, we hope that CHED will approve the establishment of MMSU’s extension classes here in Nueva Era to provide free and high-quality education to the people of the municipality and beyond,” Dr. Cajigal said.

Plans for expanding MMSU into extension classes and eventually campuses in Bangui and Nueva Era are pending approval from CHED, in compliance with a rigorous process that includes a full feasibility study. This initiative aims to provide accessible and high-quality education to more students. Additionally, Pagudpud, the northernmost town in Ilocos Norte, has earlier expressed interest in accommodating an MMSU campus.