(Photo Courtesy, DARWIN BIBAR)
TACLOBAN CITY — The University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents has approved the elevation of UP Tacloban College into the ninth constituent university of the UP System, marking a historic development for higher education in Eastern Visayas.
The approval was granted during the 1409th Meeting of the UP Board of Regents held at the UP Asian Institute of Tourism in Quezon City.
House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairperson and Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre welcomed the decision, describing it as a major milestone not only for the region but also for the country’s national university.
Acidre, who serves as a member of the UP Board of Regents and is also an alumnus of UP Tacloban, said the elevation recognizes decades of academic excellence, public service, institutional resilience, and regional leadership demonstrated by the university.
“This is more than an institutional milestone. It is a recognition of UP Tacloban’s maturity, excellence, resilience, and faithful service to the people of Eastern Visayas,” he said.
He added that the elevation affirms UP Tacloban’s growing role as the University of the Philippines’ primary academic presence in Eastern Visayas, particularly in the fields of disaster resilience, community governance, culture and heritage, regional development, and public service.
Acidre also commended UP Tacloban Dean Patricia Arinto for her presentation before the Board of Regents and for her leadership throughout the transition process.
He likewise congratulated the university’s faculty, students, staff, alumni, administrators, and partners, saying the achievement reflects the collective efforts of generations who contributed to the growth and development of the institution.
“This achievement belongs to everyone who defended, strengthened, and believed in UP Tacloban through the years,” he said.
According to Acidre, the elevation would provide UP Tacloban with a stronger mandate and greater capacity to expand higher education, research, innovation, and public service initiatives in Eastern Visayas and neighboring regions.
“With this elevation, UP Tacloban receives a stronger mandate to serve, to lead, and to grow. It becomes a larger platform for higher education, research, innovation, and public service in our region,” Acidre said.
“The elevation of UP Tacloban as the Ninth Constituent University is a promise fulfilled and a responsibility renewed. It brings UP closer to the people. It allows excellence to grow more deeply in the regions. It gives Eastern Visayas a stronger voice in the national university,” he added.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
