Basilan State University (BasSU) is a public higher education institution in the island province of Basilan, Philippines. Its main campus is located in Isabela City with satellite campuses in Lamitan, Maluso and Tipo-Tipo and an agricultural campus in Santa Clara, Lamitan. The current college president is Dr. Haipa A. Salain.
In 2021, Republic Act No. 11554 was signed into law, providing for the conversion of Basilan State College into a state university.
History
Agricultural high school
The institution was founded in 1966 as the UP Land Grant High School in Santa Clara, Lamitan, Basilan. Its establishment was authorized by the Santa Clara Barangay Charter. During its first year of operation, the school accommodated a total enrollment of 120 students divided into two classes each for the first-year and second-year levels. A key asset in the formation of the school was a donation of 18 hectares of land from the UP Land Grant in 1966, providing the physical space necessary for agricultural and trade instruction.
Ten years later, in 1976, the school was converted to the UP Santa Clara Barangay High School through the same barangay charter5. This conversion was enacted to expand educational access for the growing youth and adult populations in the province.
In 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1303 renamed the institution to the Basilan National Agro-Industrial School. During this period, the institution operated with an annual budget of ₱650,000.00. The administration integrated secondary curricula for agriculture and trade into the high school program. This curricular shift was supported by the availability of agriculture graduates working as high school teaching personnel and the utilization of the 18-hectare land grant for practical applications.
Elevation to college status The transition to tertiary education was initiated through the coordinated efforts of then Department of Education, Culture and Sports. The objective was to maximize the use of the 18-hectare property. On April 7, 1983, Batas Pambansa Blg. 363 converted the high school into the Basilan National Agro-Industrial College.
Initially, the college limited its course offerings to agriculture and manpower skills. The administration focused on the physical development of the campus, establishing demonstration farms and a mini forest, and designing college curricula based on agro-industrial theories.
A broader structural transformation occurred in 1984. Gerry Salapuddin, the former Chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front who had reintegrated into the political system, requested the establishment of a state college in Basilan to support socio-economic development. Then President Ferdinand Marcos approved this request by issuing Presidential Decree No. 1943 on June 27, 19846. This decree converted the Basilan National Agro-Industrial College into Basilan State College.
The first president of the newly formed state college, Dr. Carolina San Luis, directed the relocation of the main campus to a 4-hectare lot in Sumagdang, Isabela. The original campus in Santa Clara, Lamitan, was retained for agricultural programs. The administration augmented school infrastructure, increased teaching items for the high school and college levels, and established extension sites in the municipalities of Maluso and Lamitan. Starting in 1985, funding for the operation and maintenance of the state college was formally included in the annual budget of the National Government.
Conversion to University Status The institution functioned as a state college for 37 years before undergoing legislative action for university status. Originated in the House of Representatives, the legislation was sponsored by Basilan Representative and House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman, alongside co-authors Representative Amihilda Sangcopan, Representative Joey Salceda, and Representative Eric Go Yap. The proponents articulated that the conversion aimed to supply the province with skilled professionals and support post-conflict stabilization efforts.
It was passed by the House on September 28, 2020, and by the Senate on May 24, 2021. Then President Rodrigo Duterte approved and signed Republic Act No. 11554 on June 24, 2021. The law established the main campus in Barangay Sumagdang, Isabela City, and formally integrated the extension campuses located in Tipo-Tipo, Maluso, Lamitan, and Isabela City.
Board of Regents Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11554 grants Basilan State University the general powers of a corporation as defined under Batas Pambansa Blg. 68, the Corporation Code of the Philippines. The exercise of these corporate powers is vested exclusively in the Board of Regents and the President of the university. Section 5 establishes the Board of Regents as the governing body. The composition of the Board is defined by law and includes representatives from national government agencies, legislative bodies, and university stakeholders.
Chairperson: Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education Co-Chairperson: University President Member: Chairperson of the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education of the Senate (or its representative) Member: Chairperson of the Committee on Higher, and Technical Education of the House of Representatives (or its representative) Member: Regional Director of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Member: Regional Director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Member: Regional Director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Member: Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture Member: President of the federation of faculty associations of the university Member: President of the federation of student councils of the university Member: President of the federation of alumni associations of the university Members (Two positions): Prominent citizens from the private sector distinguished in their professions
The two prominent citizens are appointed by the Board from a list of at least five qualified persons in the Province of Basilan, recommended by a search committee. These citizens serve a term of two years, while the federation presidents serve terms coterminous with their respective offices.
Powers and duties of the board Section 6 of Republic Act No. 11554 outlines the specific powers of the Board of Regents. The Board is authorized to promulgate and implement policies on education, science, and technology in accordance with the Constitution and Republic Act No. 7722, the Higher Education Act of 1994. The Board holds the authority to fix and adjust tuition fees and other necessary school charges after consultation with concerned sectors. The law dictates that any income generated by the university from tuition fees, charges, auxiliary services, and land grants constitutes a special trust fund deposited in an authorized government depository bank. The Board is empowered to disburse these funds strictly for instruction, research, and institutional development. If the university cannot pursue appropriated projects due to external factors, the Board may authorize the use of funds for any purpose necessary to attain institutional objectives.
Republic Act No. 11554 grants the Board the power to adopt modern and innovative modes of transmitting knowledge, including information technology, dual training systems, open distance learning, and community laboratories. The Board may award honorary degrees in recognition of public service or academic contributions and authorize the awarding of certificates for nondegree and nontraditional courses.
Section 6 also authorizes the Board to collaborate with the governing boards of other state universities and colleges under the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Budget and Management, to restructure the university for efficiency. Furthermore, the Board can absorb non-chartered tertiary institutions within Basilan and Region IX as branches and external centers to promote equal access to educational opportunities.
Section 15 guarantees the university academic freedom and institutional autonomy as mandated under paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Philippine Constitution.
University administration The university administration is led by a President, who is appointed by the Board of Regents based on the recommendation of a duly constituted search committee. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 11554 establishes the President's term at four years, with eligibility for reappointment. The legislation mandated that the incumbent President of the former state college serve as the first President of the university to ensure administrative continuity, provided they met the required qualifications.
The administrative framework includes an Academic Council, detailed in Section 12, which is responsible for formulating academic policies, reviewing curricular offerings, setting admission and graduation requirements, and enforcing rules of discipline, subject to Board approval.
Financial allocations Operating the university is accompanied by modifications to the national budget allocation for the institution. Financial records indicate a steady increase in the general appropriations assigned to the institution prior to and during the conversion process.
Funding on the annual budget (General Appropriation Acts) was designed to support the facility upgrades and structural reforms mandated by the Commission on Higher Education for full university operations. The university is also subsidized by Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. Section 6 of the university charter requires the Board to adopt a socialized scheme of tuition to grant free tuition and exemptions from miscellaneous fees for qualified Filipino students enrolled in undergraduate programs.
Academic Colleges and Course Offerings Basilan State University is organized into several academic colleges that deliver instruction across a range of disciplines. The curriculum is structured to address the specific agricultural, educational, commercial, and technical workforce demands of the region.
College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Arts in English Bachelor of Science in Biology Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies Bachelor of Science in Social Works
College of Education Bachelor of Elementary Education Bachelor of Secondary Education (Majors in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies) Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
College of Business and Public Administration Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Bachelor of Science in Office Administration Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
College of Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science in Criminology
College of Health and Sciences Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics
College of Information, Communication, Computer and Technology Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Technical-Vocational Education
College of Agriculture Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Bachelor of Science in Fisheries
Graduate School Doctorate in Education (Major in Education Administration) Master of Science in Public Administration Master of Arts in Education.
Accreditation and Quality Assurance The university subjects its academic programs to periodic evaluations by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP). This process assesses the institution's readiness, identifies weaknesses in educational programs, and provides a basis for strategic improvement.