Eastern Samar State University

Eastern Samar State University: A legacy of love for Eastern Samareños

The EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY was first established as the Eastern Samar National Regional School (ESNRAS) on February 14, 1960 through Republic Act 2424 authored by the late former Congressman Felipe Abrigo. Its pioneer classes started with 120 students holding sessions in a rented building owned by the late former Mayor Teodoro Cidro in Songco, Borongan, Eastern Samar.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Before the school year was over, ESNRAS settled on a site in Malbog, a far-flung sitio of Borongan, reachable only by climbing steep mountains and crossing numerous creeks. This site was in the midst of a forest where the climate was very cool throughout the year.

The 4,500 hectares of forest area was remarkably transformed into a "little Baguio of the East", where school buildings, and teachers’ and students’ cottages mushroomed in between wide plantations of pineapple, cabbages, bananas and breathtakingly beautiful rows of everlasting flowers, violet chrysanthemums, sunflowers and roses set in rolling hills and terraces. The ESNRAS campus in Malbog was indeed a fascinating scenery to behold and undoubtedly a tourist paradise, if it was still existing in our time. This was all because of the devotion, support, unity and solidarity of the students and faculty and the dynamic leadership of its school heads.

Three competent leaders successively managed ESNRAS, which offered secondary courses in Agriculture and Homemaking: former principals Antonio Jamon (1960–1963), Furtonato Ruiz (1964–1965), and Dr. Pablito Picardal (1965 –1967).

In 1967, when hopes dwindled for the opening of a road to Malbog, Dr. Picardal boldly took the step to transfer ESNRAS to its present site, called Canuctan, between the barrios of Tabunan and Maypangdan.

Dr. Picardal again led the students and faculty into another painstaking action – clearing the dominantly muddy woodlands, putting up buildings out of dismantled materials from Malbog and hauling rocks for the road network. The same admirable qualities of devotion, cooperation, unity and solidarity, as well as dynamic leadership brought about a new scenic campus but the new site, already situated along the national highway remained to be called ESNRAS.

Still under the leadership of Dr. Picardal, ESNRAS became the Eastern Samar Junior Agricultural College (ESJAC) in 1973, offering a two-year Agricultural Technician Curriculum (ATC). In 1976, ESJAC became the Eastern Samar College of Agriculture (ESCA) offering a four-year college course, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) with majors in Animal Science, Crop Science and Agricultural Engineering.

In 1981, Dr. Picardal requested for transfer to Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in Bacnotan, La Union, his homeplace; hence, Dr. Antonio Mendoza, assumed as officer-in-charge of the new state college.

Due to the increasing demand of Eastern Samareños to offer other courses, Dr. Picardal conceived the idea of converting ESCA into a state college, which was realized through the assistance of the late Assemblyman Victor Amasa, Sr. Thus, by virtue of Batas Bilang 394, the Eastern Samar College of Agriculture or ESCA become the Eastern Samar State College (ESSC) on May 18, 1983.

In 1985, Dr. Benigno Villanueva was appointed as first president of ESSC until his demise in 1987. Dr. Pedro Destura took over as the next president until 1990 when he transferred to the University of Eastern Philippines as president. Dr. Mendoza took over again as OIC and in 1992, he was finally appointed as ESSC president.

R.A. 8292, enacted on June 6, 1997, mandated the Commission on Higher Education – supervised higher education institute of the province to be integrated into a state college or university system. As ESSC was the only existing state college in the province, the Felipe Abrigo National Memorial College of Arts and Trades (FANMCAT) in Guiuan, the Southern Samar College of Agriculture, Science and Technology (SSCAST) in Salcedo, and the Can-avid National Agricultural College (CNAC) in Can-avid were integrated into the Eastern Samar State College in Borongan, and each of the above schools were renamed ESSC – Guiuan, ESSC – Salcedo and ESSC – Can-avid.

In 2002, Dr. Mendoza retired from government service, leaving behind him the gigantic task of converting the ESSC System into a university system. Through the dynamic and competent leadership of Dr. Reynaldo Lombrio, who was elected as the next president, ESSC became the Eastern Samar State University. Working behind the university conversion were Congressman Marcelino Libanan at the House of Representatives and Senator Francis Pangilinan at the Senate.

Thus, on August 7, 2004, the university conversion came into reality when R.A. 9312 was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This conversion added another campus to the university system. The former Maydolong National Agricultural School in the town of Maydolong, about 25 kilometers away from the main campus, is now called ESSU Maydolong and is the fourth external campus of ESSU.

PRESENT TIMES

The conversion of this institution into the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) last year was a great milestone in the educational growth and development of Eastern Samar. It is the best legacy to the people from leaders who have worked for its conversion. The existence then of ESSU in this depressed province of Eastern Samar does not only mean having access to quality education for the poor and middle class sectors but also having a strong partner in improving the quality of life of Eastern Samareños and bringing about development to the province.

From a handful of 120 high school students attending classes in a rented house in the poblacion of Borongan as the old ESNRAS, ESSU now has a booming population of 7,472 college students in its five campuses strategically situated in the province of Eastern Samar. Added to this figure are 375 students enrolled in various advanced education courses. Thus, ESSU now has a total enrollment of 7,829, the greatest bulk of which (4,325) is found at the main campus of Borongan, the capital town of the province.

ESSU now has 36 curricular programs offered across the five campuses. These programs range from Doctorate to Basic Education Program. To ensure quality instruction, programs at the ESSU main campus are now accredited by the Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP). Four programs are already granted Level II re-accredited status while the rest are either Level II or I. Except for ESSU Salcedo campus which received Level II re-accredited status for its Elementary and Secondary Teacher Education programs and Level II candidate for its Agribusiness program, other ESSU external campuses have already started complying with all requirements for accreditation.

In March 2004, ESSU bas produced 1,011 quality graduates, 61 percent of whom came from the Borongan campus. The highest graduate turnout was in Teacher Education and in Associate in Computer Science from the degree and non-degree courses, respectively. The College of Law saw 2004 as a year of accomplishment with its first batch of 12 graduates.

ESSU graduates are showing notable performances in board examinations conducted by the Philippine Regulatory Commission. The following passing percentage were obtained last year: 100 percent and 75 percent in two board exams for Electrical Engineering; 42.86 percent also in two board exams for Civil Engineering; 75 percent and 100 percent for two Registered Master Electrician Examination; 14.29 percent for Agriculturist Examination; and an average of 28.50 percent for all ESSU campuses in the Licensure Examination for Teachers.

From a total of 348 faculty, there are now 35 doctorate degree holders, another 35 are still pursuing doctoral degrees, 63 are master’s degree holders, and 62 are either finishing master’s degree or with units. The rest are baccalaureate degree holders with various specializations, but most had graduated as honor students or with special talents. Many of the senior faculty members are authors of books and instructional materials, have earned advanced education abroad, researchers and paper presentors, international and national awardees, and often invited as resource speakers, lecturers and consultants in seminar- workshops, training and conventions both within and out of the university.

In the pursuit for academic excellence, the university has been aggressive in enriching the library holdings of each ESSU campus. In this effort to provide adequate library services to its clientele, there are now 19,683 book titles, 50.81 percent of which are in the main campus; 24.89 percent in ESSU Salcedo; 17.41 percent in Guiuan; and 6.89 percent Can-avid.

The students in the university have been bestowed with various awards along varied concerns ard areas. Most notable are Regional Editorial Writing and Photo Journalism second placers Lanie Alamin and Peter Simon Lobrio, respectively; PASUC Regional Cultural Festival Dance Sports first placer Jocelyn Cadalin and Jabar Ibao; Regional Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants Convention Debate Contest champions ESSU–JPIA Team; and Debating Competition Best Debating Team ESSU College of Law Debating Team.

To date, there are 15 accredited student organizations in ESSU Borongan, five in ESSU Salcedo, 15 in ESSU Guiuan, four in ESSU Can-avid, and five in ESSU Maydolong – a total of 44 student organizations in the whole university system. Their projects and activities range from sponsorship of symposia, literary-musical-sports contest, gift-giving to extension beneficiaries in adopted barangays, clean and green activities, fund-raising, and other academic related activities. The latter is carried out by majority of students and faculty on Fridays.

To help poor but talented students, the university gives scholarship and assistantship to deserving applicants. For school year 2004-2005, there were 1,581 recipients of various scholarship grants funded by both government and private agencies/groups. The biggest scholarship grant came from the local government units, Diosdado Macapagal Agrarian Scholarship Program, CHED Congressional Grants and the Student Financial Assistance Program (STFAP).

The university strongly believes that it cannot exist in isolation from other agencies. It has to forge linkages with other government, nongovernment agencies, or even private individuals for mutually beneficial relationship. The list of agencies with Memorandum of Agreement with ESSU is long and impressive. All of these agencies/groups have been instrumental in the successful implementation of instruction, research, extension and production programs of the university.

Guided and inspired by the university’s vision and mission, the entire ESSU community cannot afford just to sit back, relax and reminisce the laurels it has achieved. Now that it has gained university status, the more that it has to be pro-active in its role in the socio-economic transformation of Eastern Samar. The 10-point agenda proposed by president Dr. Reynaldo Lombrio and supported by students, faculty and non-teaching personnel through their unity, loyalty and commitment will surely propel the university and the province to greater heights.

-anben-

www.boronganon.blogspot.com

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