PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte pledged to sustain the government’s advocacy of providing accessible and quality education to Filipino students.

In his speech during the presentation of newly enacted laws on various state universities and colleges in Malacañang on September 10, the President said that the upgrading of the statuses of five SCUs is part of his administration’s commitment to strengthen tertiary education.

The conversion of SUCs, he pointed out, aims to provide students with advanced professional instruction and training and a more conducive learning environment.

“To all our students, let me assure you of this administration’s continuing commitment in advancing initiatives that will enable you to excel in your chosen fields of study and reach your full potential,” Duterte said.

The new laws include Republic Act 11574 that converted the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology into a state university that will be known as the University of Abra; RA 11585 that converted Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology into a state university, renaming it Southeast Asian University of Technology;

RA 11574 that renamed the Compostela Valley State College as the Davao de Oro State College; RA 11584 that changed the name of Surigao del Sur State University into North Eastern Mindanao State University; RA 11586 that renamed the Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology as Agusan del Sur State University; and RA 11587 that renamed the Occidental Mindoro State College in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro as Occidental State University.