Western Mindanao State University

Western Mindanao State University
Pamantasang Pampamahalaan ng Kanlurang Mindanao
Established	1904
Type	State University
President	Dr. Grace J. Rebollos
Academic staff	999
Undergraduates	17,000
Postgraduates	2,000
Location	Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines
Campus	Baliwasan, San Ramon, Tampilisan,Tungawan, Ipil, Siay, Imelda, Diplahan, Bayog, Alicia, Mabuhay, Olutanga, Labason, Pagadian, Molave
Hymn	WMSU hymn
Mascot	Fighting Crimsons
Website	www.wmsu.edu.ph

Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) is the premier and only state university in Zamboanga City. It is said to be one of if not the oldest university in Mindanao. It has two campuses: the main campus of 79,000 square metres and 9,147 square metres is in the city (Barangay Baliwasan) and the satellite campus of 200,000 square metres occupied by the College of Agriculture and the College of Forestry lin San Ramon, 20 kilometers from the city. Campuses comprising the external studies units are in the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay, including the newly integrated formerly CHED-supervised institutions in Molave and Tampilisan. It has a student population of over 22,000, regular faculty members of over 600 and over 150 administrative personnel.

It has 12 colleges, three institutes and two autonomous campuses offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses specializing in education, engineering, nursing, arts and humanities, social work, science and mathematics. Along with these major fields of concentration, WMSU offers courses in agriculture, architecture, forestry, home economics, nutrition and dietetics, social work, criminology, Asian and Islamic Studies and special degree courses for foreign students. It also offers external studies and non-formal education courses.

WMSU ranked sixth among 68 universities all over the country, according to a survey on the Top Academic Institutions in the Philippines conducted by the Commission on Higher Education. The university's College of Education is a Center of Excellence; the College of Architecture is a Center of Development; and the College of Social Work and Community Development was awarded the Best School for Social Work in the Philippines.

History

With the cessation of the hostilities that marked the end of the Spanish American war in 1898, Filipino and American educators agreed that the best way to rebuild a devastated nation was through the establishment of a sound education system. Eight Normal schools were then established in the Philippines by the Americans. One of them was the Zamboanga Normal School established in 1904. As a secondary school, the ZNS offered a general academic curriculum under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu primarily designed to cater to the needs of cultural minorities in the provinces of Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga.

In June 1921, the secondary normal curriculum of the Zamboanga Normal School had to be phased out for lack of enrollees. It was re-opened the following year and produced its first batch of graduates in 1926. Until the end of school year 1939-40, the general secondary academic and normal curricula continued to be simultaneously offered. As a result of the opening of the Zamboanga City High School in 1939, the general secondary academic curriculum was discontinued but was offered at the college level. It was briefly disrupted with the outbreak of the Second World War.

After the war, the school resumed operations enabling those who started first year in the two-year collegiate normal curriculum before the war to continue as sophomore students. In April 1946 they were awarded the Elementary Teacher's Certificate (E.T.C.). The secondary normal curriculum was offered only during the summer term until 1952.

Upon its conversion to the Zamboanga Normal College on June 17, 1961 by virtue of Republic Act (RA) No. 3272, the ZNC was placed under the direct supervision of the Bureau of Public Schools (BPS) until its autonomy in 1963. Gradually, it started to offer new degree programs.

The amendment of RA 3272 on June 26, 1969 by RA 5492 resulted in the conversion of the Zamboanga Normal School into the Zamboanga State College (ZSC). Considering the demands of a growing population in a rapidly changing society, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed P.D. No. 1427 on June 10, 1978, marking the birth of the Western Mindanao State University.

Since its conversion into a state university, three university presidents have taken its leadership: Dr. Juanito A. Bruno, in an acting capacity from 1977 to 1986; Dr. Bernabela L. Ko as first full-pledged president from 1986 to 1991; and Dr. Erdulfo B. Fernando, who served from 1991 to 1997. Dr. Eldigario D. Gonzales, DPA, CSEE had served as university president from 1997 to 2007. Today, WMSU has a total of 1,000 teaching and administrative support staff catering to over 20,000 students.

WMSU now has 12 colleges and three institutes. It has become the Center of Excellence (COE) and for Teacher Education and Project for Basic Education (PROBE) Center.

WMSU's university and Board Secretary is Engr. Armando A. Arquiza, who was a recipient of the first-ever Loyalty Award given by the WMSU Alumni Association. Arquiza finished his Pre-Elementary, Elementary, High School and Bachelors degree in this institution in 1964, 1972, 1976 and 1981 respectively, and has served as a full-3time employee since June 1982.

Campuses

Main campus

• Zamboanga City

Satellite campuses

• Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur
• Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Malangas, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Molave, Zamboanga del Sur
• Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur
• Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur
• Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay
• Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay

Notable faculty and alumni

• Evangeline Macaraeg-Macapagal, the former First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines and mother of the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She is an alumna of the College of Education of the University.

List of Presidents of the University Student Council

Year	Name	Party
1983-1984	Edgar Araojo (appointed)	Alyansa Estudyanteng Makabayan
1984-1985	Edgar Arajo	Alyansa Estudyanteng Makabayan
1985-1986	Mahmor Edding	United Students Party
1986-1987
1987-1988
1988-1989
1989-1990
1990-1991
1991-1992
1992-1993
1993-1994
1994-1995
1995-1996
1996-1997
1997-1998	Esnaen Catong - AB Polsci/Bachelor of Laws	United Students Party
1998-1999
1999-2000	King Salih - AB Islamic Studies	United Students Party
2000-2001	Mark Santos - BS Nursing	United Students Party
2001-2002	Jason Climaco - AB PolSci/ Bachelor of Laws	United Students Party
2002-2003	Mark Siason - BS Industrial Management Engineering	United Students Party
2003-2004	Mark Fidel Infante - BS Nursing	United Students Party
2004-2005	Leah Miñoza - AB Political Science	STAND WMSU
2005-2006	Michael Angelo Filoteo - BS Nursing	United Students Party
2006-2007	Amor Rodriguez - BS Industrial Management Engineering	Buklod Team
2007-2008	Mark Floyd Bilang - BS Nursing	Buklod Team
2008-2009	Daryl Jane Barrios - Bachelor in Secondary Education/ Bachelor of Laws	Buklod Team
2009-2010	Joseph Van Bue - BS Nursing	Buklod Team
2010-2011	Alvin Rex Lucero - AB PolSci/Bachelor of Laws	United Students Party
2011-2012	Alvin Rex Lucero - AB PolSci/Bachelor of Laws	United Students Party

See also

• Zamboanga del Sur Agricultural College
• Zamboanga del Norte Agricultural College

External links

• Official website