31/03/2026
๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐จ๐๐จ๐ | ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐ช ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ก๐ก๐๐๐โ๐จ ๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐
The transformation of Sulu State College into Sulu State University stands as a historic and defining milestone in the landscape of Philippine higher education, one deeply rooted in legacy, shaped by perseverance, and realized through collective vision.
It is a journey that traces its origins from the enactment of ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ด. ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ด, which laid the foundation for accessible public education in the province, to the landmark passage of ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐ผ. ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ต๐ฒ, which elevated the institution into a full-fledged state university.
For decades, Sulu State College served as a beacon of hope for the people of Sulu, expanding access to higher education in a region rich in culture yet challenged by geographical and socio-economic barriers. Through the years, the institution steadily grew in academic capability, offering diverse programs, strengthening its faculty profile, and enhancing research and extension services. This continuous development reflected its readiness to transition into a university.
At the forefront of this legislative journey was ๐๐ผ๐ป. ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ป, ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐น๐, who served as the principal author of House Bill No. 9334 during the 19th Congress. This bill became the primary legislative vehicle that advanced the long-standing vision of converting the college into a university.
Equally significant were the earlier efforts of ๐๐ผ๐ป. ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ป-๐ง๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐๐, representative of the Kusug Tausug Partylist, championed previous versions of the measure in earlier congresses. Her steadfast advocacy laid the groundwork that ensured the continuity of the initiative, demonstrating that the journey to universityhood was not a single effort but a sustained commitment across time.
In the Senate, the measure found strong and decisive support under the leadership of ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป. ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. His sponsorship of the bill, along with the issuance of Committee Report No. 467, paved the way for its unanimous approval on June 3, 2025, marking a crucial step toward institutional transformation.
The Act, entitled โ๐ผ๐ฃ ๐ผ๐๐ฉ ๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐ช ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ ๐
๐ค๐ก๐ค, ๐๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐ช, ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ก๐ช ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ผ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ง,โ was passed by the House of Representatives on ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฎ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ, amended by the Senate on ๐๐๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฏ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ, and concurred in by the House on ๐๐๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ.
The measure lapsed into law on ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ญ๐ฑ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Philippine Constitution, and is now officially recognized as Republic Act No. 12296. This legislative triumph signified not only the formal establishment of Sulu State University but also the fulfillment of decades of aspiration and effort by the Sulu State College community and its stakeholders.
However, the passage of the law marked not the end but the beginning of a more rigorous phase. Following the enactment of Republic Act No. 12296, Sulu State College was required to comply with the standards and requirements set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for universityhood. This process involved a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that the institution met the criteria expected of a state university.
The evaluation covered critical areas such as academic excellence, faculty qualifications, research productivity, governance systems, infrastructure, and community extension services. It required not only compliance on paper but also the demonstration of actual institutional capability, evidence of years of preparation, improvement, and commitment to quality education.
Through the leadership of Charisma Samparani-Ututalum, CESE, the institution successfully aligned its operations and academic systems with CHED standards. Her visionary guidance ensured that Sulu State College not only met but embodied the qualifications necessary for university status, reinforcing its readiness to serve as a center of higher learning and innovation.
A defining moment in this journey came on March 28, 2026, when Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, formally declared the successful conversion of Sulu State College into a state university. This declaration followed the institutionโs successful compliance with CHEDโs evaluation process, affirming its academic maturity, institutional readiness, and capacity to operate as a full-fledged university.
With this historic declaration, Sulu State College extends its deepest and utmost gratitude to all the champions, leaders, and partners who made the transformation into Sulu State University possible.
This remarkable milestone reflects the power of unity, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to uplifting higher education in the Province of Sulu.
We sincerely thank Hon. Samier Tan, Representative of the First District of Sulu, for authoring House Bill No. 9334 in the 19th Congress, which became the primary vehicle for our long-envisioned universityhood.
We also recognize Hon. Shernee Tan-Tambut, whose steadfast advocacy in previous congresses laid the strong foundation that carried this vision forward.
Our profound appreciation also goes to Office of Senator Alan Peter โCompaรฑeroโ Cayetano for his leadership in the Senate and for sponsoring the measure that led to its unanimous approval.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Commission on Higher Education, led by Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, together with CHED Regional Office IX, for their guidance, thorough evaluation, and invaluable support throughout the universityhood process.
We also thank our valued stakeholders and partner institutions whose continued support strengthened our journey.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the Sulu Provincial Government of Sulu, under the leadership of Governor Abdusakur Toto Tan II and Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan, for their unwavering support in advancing education and development in our province.
We are especially grateful for the visionary leadership of Prof. Charisma Samparani Ututalum,CESE, whose leadership and commitment ensured that Sulu State College met and surpassed the standards required for university status.
Finally, we thank the Stalwarts Community, our steadfast backbone throughout this journey, whose collective support, pride, and belief in this institution made this achievement possible.
From Sulu State College to Sulu State University, this is more than a transition. It is a shared triumph, a legacy of perseverance, and a promise of greater opportunities for generations to come.
๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐๐จ๐!