City of Mati, Davao Oriental — This easternmost province known as the Sunrise Capital of the Philippines celebrate the official conversion of its lone State College into a State University.
Top officials of the Commission on Higher Education headed by its chair, Dr. J. Prospero De Vera III, and top local government officials in the province graced the historic University Declaration ceremony on Saturday evening that officially converted the province’s sole state college, the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology into a Davao Oriental State University. An Investiture ceremony was also held for the new state university President, Dr. Roy Guanco Ponce, at the A57 Technopark Convention Center in the capital City of Mati.
Among the three original provinces of the Davao Region, composed of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental, it is this province that lagged behind in higher education program of the government as it is the last to open a state-run university. Large and well-equipped state universities have long been established since the 1990s in the provincial capitals of Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.
“It is a great pleasure and privilege to take part in this historic event. I am extending my warmest greetings and congratulations to the highly esteemed higher education institution of our province, the Davao Oriental State University for your successful conversion into a State University. As a trailblazing institution, you are the province’s biggest hope and biggest pride that fulfills our collective beautiful dreams of transforming Davao Oriental into a highly progressive premiere province of the Davao Region. I am also extending my warmest congratulations to Dr. Roy Ponce on his well-deserved investiture as the University President. Your worthy contribution in the shaping of this great institution is truly exemplary like no other. We are extremely glad that as this institution officially transform into a highly prestigious State University, you are steering it to new heights like never before. With your extraordinary passion and vision as an academician par excellence, backed by years of meaningful experience, may you make DORSU your best outstanding legacy for the people of Davao Oriental. With you, this institution is in good hands. Bring out the very best in everyone. I will always be by your side, always ready to give my all-out support for this institution,” says Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang.
Davao Oriental State University was established through Republic Act No. 11033 signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte. The law was authored by Davao Oriental Second District Rep. Joel Mayo Almario and Senator Joel Villanueva.
“With the conversion, the University envisions continually taking part in nation-building by offering advanced technological instruction and pursuing highly specialized research, extension and production programs in various fields of science and technology. It played a valuable role in producing professionals and experts who contributed to the advancement of the Davao Region and beyond. Its charter mandates offering of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs in agriculture and environmental studies, pure and applied sciences, behavioral and social sciences, law, culture and arts, tourism, business, nautical science and maritime transportation, industrial technology, engineering, education and teacher training, communication and information technology, health sciences, developmental management and leadership, and other areas of specialization,” says the Davao Oriental State University in a statement.
The university’s rich history dates back to 1972 as a Mati Community College founded by then Mati municipal Mayor Thelma Almario, mother of incumbent Davao Oriental Second District Rep. Joel Mayo Almario. With the goal to expand its operation and provide more opportunities to residents of Davao Oriental and its neighboring provinces, it was converted into Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology on December 13, 1989 by virtue of Republic Act No. 6807 authored by former Davao Oriental Rep. Thelma Almario. In 1991, the college transferred to its present sprawling campus in Guang-Guang, Barangay Dahican in the City of Mati, the land being a donation by the heirs of Don Jose Corro Martinez. The university then expanded its services across the province. Campuses were established in the municipalities of San Isidro in November 1997, in the town of Cateel in June 1999 and in the town of Banaybanay in June 2015.
During the Investiture ceremony for its first University President Dr. Roy Ponce, Rep. Almario recalled that in 1980s, local professionals, including her mother and siblings had volunteered to teach in Mati Community College for their collective goal of transforming the then sleepy town of Mati into a progressive community by making it the education hub in the province. During the ceremony, incumbent local government officials in the province are one in praising the Almario political clan for their “extraordinary passion and huge sacrifices” for transforming the higher education institution in Davao Oriental.
“I am happy to be here in the Davao Region, a place where we have a lot of universities and a lot of very good universities. And since yesterday, I have been attending one activity after the other to highlight the recognition of very good universities in the Davao Region, very responsive local governments. We opened the newest medical education program in the Davao Region under the University of Southeastern Philippines. I congratulate everyone in the Davao Region particularly the higher education institutions for a job well done,” says the chair of the Commission on Higher Education, Prospero De Vera III. | By Ferdinand Zuasola
