BACOLOD City Representative Greg Gasataya said Sunday, September 16, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) will conduct a validation and inspection for the conversion of Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC) into a state university in October.
Gasataya said by the second week of October, it’s expected the CHED will inspect the CHMSC campuses in Talisay City, Bacolod City, and the town of Binalbagan.
“The validation is a requirement because the House Bill 7081 was already approved in the committee level, as well as in the committee on ways and means, so all the committees are required to evaluate the bill,” he said.
The proposed bill was authored by Gasataya and co-authored by Representatives Alfredo Benitez of the Third District and Alejandro Mirasol of the Fifth District of Negros Occidental.
House Bill 7081 sought to bring educational opportunities to underprivileged but deserving students in Negros Occidental that unable to pay for quality but expensive education and costs of living in private institutions.
Gasataya said the CHMSC offers higher technological, profession and vocation education and training in science, agriculture, and industrial fields, as well as short-term or vocational courses to the people of Negros Occidental.
“Let’s wait for the outcome of the consultation and inspection of Ched in October because the committee report will be submitted to the plenary for the approval of the conversion on second reading,” he said.
Once it will be converted, Gasataya added it will be the pride of the school to be a university and its budget will also increase.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives had earlier approved on third and final reading a House Bill 8140, an act establishing a provincial office of Ched in the province of Negros Occidental.
The proposed bill was authored by Gasataya.
Gasataya said there are more than 40 colleges and universities in Negros Occidental and about 20 colleges and universities are located in Bacolod.
“It’s better that there’s an office of Ched here for the convenience of our scholars and school administrators as they don’t need to travel to Iloilo City to process their documents,” he said.
He added the bill will be forwarded to the Senate on the committee on education.