THE Senate approved on second reading the proposed bill to convert Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC) into a university.
House Bill 8732 that seeks the conversion of CHMSC into a university 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.
Gasataya said on Wednesday, January 30, he is thankful to Senator Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on education, and Senator Paolo Aquino IV for sponsoring the bill.
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.
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.