TACLOBAN CITY-The bill converting the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU)-Dulag Satellite Campus into a regular campus has already been approved at the House of Representatives.
This was disclosed by An Waray party-list Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel said.
House Bill 04949 which aim to convert the Dulag Satellite campus located in the municipality of Dulag, Leyte, into a regular campus is now referred to the committee on Higher and Technical Education chaired by Senator Joel Villanueva.
Noel along with Leyte 2nd District Representative Lolita “Karen” Javier authored the said bill.
“As a regular campus, EVSU-Dulag will have autonomy and will be able to offer more courses. Its conversion shall promote inclusive growth and development which will encourage the expansion of its services and facilities,” the solon said.
Moreover, the conversion would also allow the campus to be subsidized by the Commission on Higher Education (ChEd), Noel added.
More students from the towns of Dulag, Mayorga, McArthur, La Paz, Julita, and Tolosa could now be accommodated and enrolled once the satellite school become a regular campus, Noel said.
Noel added that both the House of Representatives and the Senate are hastening the approval of the bill after the ChEd said that they will stop in providing fund to the school because Commission on Audit disallows it.
“ChEd said that they will stop supporting the campus not until it becomes a regular campus under EVSU,” he said.
The bill states that once approved, aside from undergraduate courses, EVSU Dulag must also offer technical-vocational education training, and graduate programs.
At present the school offers three courses, namely, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Bachelor of Secondary Education.
A campus administrator shall render full time service and must be appointed by the Board of Regent.
The bill also states that until such time funding for the operation and maintenance of EVSU Dulag Satellite campus is included in the annual General Appropriations Act, the municipality of Dulag shall provide the necessary amount in the initial implementation of the law.
EVSU Dulag campus, formerly Leyte Institute of Technology Dulag Campus, become part of EVSU in 2000.
Prior to the bill of Noel and Javier, in the 17th Congress, former An Waray Representative Victoria Isabel Noel also filed the bill the convert EVSU Dulag as a regular campus.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

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