HOUSE Bill 8732 that seeks the conversion of Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC) into a university was approved on third and final reading on Monday, January 14.
The proposed bill was authored by Bacolod City Representative Greg Gasataya and co-authored by Representatives Alfredo Benitez of the Third District and Alejandro Mirasol of the Fifth District of Negros Occidental. They filed the bill in 2018.
Gasataya said on Tuesday, January 15, the bill will be forwarded to the Senate and they will wait for its version.
He said the office of Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV also inquired to his office if they could file a counterpart bill on the conversion of CHMSC.
He added the Senate will also conduct a series of public hearings on the said bill and once it will be approved, it will be forwarded to the Office of President.
The CHMSC in Talisay City, formerly known as Paglaum State College, has three satellite campuses in Barangay Alijis and Fortune Towne, Bacolod City and in Binalbagan.
Gasataya said he is thankful to his colleagues in the House of Representatives for the approval of the bill, as well as to the committee on higher and technical education.
“I’m also thankful to the Commission on Education as well as to the administration and staff of CHMSC who prepared the necessary documents for the approval of the bill,” he added.
The bill sought to bring educational opportunities to underprivileged but deserving students in Negros Occidental who were unable to pay for quality but expensive education and costs of living in private institutions.
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.
Gasataya said it will be the pride of the school to be a university and its budget will also increase so they can offer more courses.
“We filed this bill because it’s an advantage to our students and to improve the quality of education,” he said.