DEPUTY Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman on Tuesday thanked senators for supporting the passage of the proposed conversion of the Basilan State College (BASSC) to Basilan State University, stressing making higher education accessible is a huge step in completely eradicating extremism in the province.

“Naniniwala ako sa nagsabi na, ‘education is a silver bullet against crime, poverty, unemployment, drugs, terrorism and hatred.’ And with the approval of this measure, lalong mas maraming Basileños ang makakapag-aral at uunlad para sa kanilang mga pamilya,” Hataman said a day after the Senate voted 22-0 to approve a bill that seeks to convert the BASSC to a full university to be called Basilan State University.

“Basilenos are now celebrating this huge victory!” Hataman, former regional governor of the now-defunct Autinomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said. “Isa itong panaginip na natupad para sa aming lalawigan! Masayang masaya kami at dadami at lalawak na ang mga kursong mai-aalok ngayon hindi lang sa Basileños, kundi sa mga karatig probinsya din namin tulad ng Sulu at Tawi-Tawi.”

“Ang kakulangan sa edukasyon dala ng kahirapan ay isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit naaakit ang mga tao sa extremism at makibahagi sa terorismo. Ngayong abot-kamay na ang Basilan State U, isang hakbang muli ito para mapuksa na ang violent extremism sa aming lalawigan,” he added.

“At hindi lang yun, kapag lumaki na ang Basilan State U, makakapagbigay tayo ng mas maraming trabaho para sa mga teachers at staff ng paaralan.”

Hataman expressed gratitude to Sen. Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education who sponsored the measure, and Sen. Sonny Angara who filed the counterpart measure in the Senate.

“At maraming salamat din kay Senate President Tito Sotto, Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon at sa 22 senador na bumoto para aprubahan ang bill na ito. Tatanawin naming malaking utang na loob ang ginawa nyo para sa Basilan,” the human rights activist said.

“Pirma na lang po ni President Duterte ang kulang, dahil same version lang din naman Kamara ang pinasa ng Senado. Sana po ay mapirmahan na ng Pangulo natin upang ganap nang maging State U ang BASSC.”

If the measure becomes a law, the newly converted Basilan State U can now offer, in time, more options for higher education. As of now, BASSC offers several Bachelor of Science and Arts courses, as well as post-graduate education and some non-diploma programs.

At present, it has a Level I and II accreditation from the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. In fact, Basilan State College offers a Doctorate in Education Major in Education Administration, a Masters in Public Administration and a Masters of Arts in Education.

According to the bill, Basilan State U will have the mandate to “provide advance education, higher technological, professional and vocational courses, and training in arts and sciences, education, agriculture and industrial fields, management, criminology, maritime, medical education, legal education, non-traditional courses and other relevant fields of study.

“Hindi na kailangang pumunta ng mga Basileños na pumunta sa Maynila, Zamboanga, Davao o Cagayan de Oro para lamang makakuha ng de-kalidad na edukasyon dahil pwede na dito sa Basilan State U. Ang iba, hindi na lang nagpapatuloy sa pag-aaral dahil napakamahal ng edukasyon lalo na sa ibang lugar,” Hataman said.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco