MARIANO Marcos State University celebrated the 104th birth anniversary of its founder, former President Ferdinand Marcos, on Saturday.

As cited by the university, the late strongman issued Presidential Decree 1279 in 1978 which merged then the Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Science and Technology with the Northern Luzon State College, paving the way for the founding of MMSU.

Prior to the establishment of MMSU, Marcos issued PD 614 which converted the Ilocos Norte Institute of technology into MMMCST.

The university recalled the Commencement Address of Marcos at the 1st MMSU Commencement Exercises in 1978, where the former Chief Executive shared his dream that “the graduates of this university now and in the future will all be imbued with a passion for justice as they are with the necessary skills for development.”

MMSU added Marcos envisioned the university to serve as a model for all the regional universities that his administration established throughout the country. It aimed to serve the less affluent members of the society who may not be financially able to attend a university, especially in Metro Manila.

Furthermore, PD 945, issued in 1976, integrated the Currimao School of Fisheries, the Dingras National Agricultural School, and the Ilocos Norte School for Craftsmen in Paoay into the MMMCST.

The latter three institutions are now the MMSU College of Aquatic Sciences & Applied Technology, College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development – Dingras campus, and College of Industrial Technology – Paoay campus.