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Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) is the lone State University in La Union, Philippines.

DMMMSU was created through Presidential Decree 1778 on January 15, 1981 by Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Founded on the philosophy “total human development with appropriate competencies,” DMMMSU was born from the merging of five (5) former schools of La Union namely:

•        Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State College at Bacnotan, La Union;

•        La Union School of Arts and Trade at City of San Fernando, La Union;

•        Community College of La Union at City of San Fernando, La Union;

•        Southern Ilocos Polytechnic State College at Agoo, La Union; and

•        Sapilang Elementary School at Bacnotan, La Union.

The late Dr. Bienvenido P. Agpaoa served as the first President of the University until October 1988. As a Higher Education Institution, DMMMSU started with seven (7) colleges namely College of Agriculture (Bacnotan), College of Fisheries (Balaoan), College of Liberal Arts (San Fernando), College of Engineering (San Fernando), College of Arts and Sciences (Agoo), College of Fisheries (Sto. Tomas), and College of Agriculture (Rosario).

During the time of Dr. Manuel T. Corpus, who succeeded Dr. Bienvenido P. Agpaoa in February 1989, the University was reorganized into three (3) major campuses namely the North La Union Campus in Bacnotan, the Mid La Union Campus in San Fernando City, and the South La Union Campus which is sprawled in the towns of Agoo, Sto. Tomas, and Rosario, La Union. DMMMSU also houses the Open University System which is located in San Fernando City, La Union.

In 1999, Dr. Dionisio Gat Ducusin succeeded and was followed by Dr. Ernesto R. Gapasin in 2001. Following Dr. Gapasin, Atty. Benjamin P. Sapitula became the President from 2011 to 2019.

Dr. Jaime I. Manuel, Jr., the current President, assumed his office in February 2019.

DMMMSU is the home of two national centers – the National Apiculture Research, Training, and Development Institute (NARTDI), and the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI).

Anchored in seven core values namely, service, productivity, excellence, commitment, innovativeness, advocacy, and leadership, DMMMSU envisions to become a globally competitive University, and is empowered to provide high quality instruction, research, and extension. Its undiminished goal is to lead in transforming human resources into productive, self-reliant citizens, and responsible leaders.

Living with its mantra, embracing world class standards, DMMMSU is ISO certified. Through the strong leadership of the current President, Dr. Jaime Ipac Manuel, Jr. and the Vice Presidents and the team work and commitment of all DMMMSU personnel, DMMMSU passed ISO 9001: 2015 on November 19, 2020. The audit scope includes the provision of instruction, research, extension, and support services. Overall, 24 processes were audited. The ISO 9001:2015 Certificate (No. 20.67.PH112906.00) originally approved on November 19, 2020 was issued on November 29, 2020.

Further on November 8 to 12, 2021, DMMMSU passed the 1st Surveillance Audit and the certificate attesting that the University QMS conforms to the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 (No. 20.67.PH112906.01) was issued on November 29, 2021.

As an affirmation of DMMMSU’s excellent systems in Rewards and Recognition (R&R), Learning and Development (L&D), and Recruitment Selection and Performance Management, the Philippine Civil Service Commission (CSC) conferred DMMMSU with Certificates of Recognition. These implies that the three systems have reached Maturity Level II.

Also, DMMMSU’s North La Union Campus, passed the Institutional Sustainability Assessment by the Commission on Higher Education.

DMMMSU has 109 academic programs broken down into 13 doctorate degree programs, 31 master’s degree programs, 58 baccalaureate degree programs, and 7 diploma/certificate programs.

In addition, the University boasts of 20 academic programs that have been reaccredited to Level IV status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP).

These programs are:

Level IV Accredited Programs
1 BS Industrial Technology
2 BS Agribusiness Management
3 BS Agroforestry
4 Bachelor of Elementary Education
5 PhD Science Education
6 MA in Technology Education
7 PhD in Technological Education Management
8 BS Computer Science
9 BS Mathematics
10 BS Biology
11 MA in Mathematics Education
12 MA in Science Education
13 MA in Teaching Music 
14 MA in Guidance and Counselling
15 BS in Information Systems
16 BS in Environmental Science
17 BS in Business Administration
18 BS in Hospitality Management
19 PhD in Development Administration
20 MDA majors in Business Administration and Public Administration

Likewise, 18 programs are Level III Reaccredited, 15 are Level II Reaccredited, and 22 are Level I Accredited. New program offerings have also been subjected to Preliminary Survey Visit for the assessment of their readiness for accreditation. 

Because of DMMMSU’s rigorous engagement in accreditation endeavors, DMMMSU was recognized by AACCUP as Top 1 in the Highest Number of Level IV Accredited Programs in 2020, Top 2 in the Highest Number of Level III Accredited Programs in 2020, Top 3 in the Highest Number of Level IV Accredited Programs in 2019, and Top 3 in the Highest Number of Level I Accredited Programs in 2021. 

Moreover, the Colleges of Education, Information Technology, and Computer Science are recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as Centers of Development.

DMMMSU implements strong programs for faculty, staff and student development. It initiates numerous trainings to upskill and cross skill, and to equip and empower its 577 faculty members and 514 nonteaching personnel.

To provide a quality environment and to ensure quality processes, DMMMSU continues to build state of the art infrastructure projects equipped with cutting edge tools, equipment and machineries. In fact, DMMMSU is already gearing towards becoming a Smart University.

As a result of quality curriculum, quality processes, and quality academic environment, DMMMSU has been producing quality graduates who are among the most preferred graduates in the Philippines and abroad. What’s more, DMMMSU maintains excellent performances in various licensure examinations. In fact, DMMMSU ratings in licensure examinations are much higher than that of the national passing rates.

For the past several years, DMMMSU has produced topnotchers in national board examinations in the fields of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agriculture, Fisheries, Agricultural Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Teacher Education, Psychology, Guidance and Counseling, Midwifery, and Master Electrician.

What’s more, as surveyed by the Commission on Higher Education in 2001, DMMMSU ranked among the top ten higher education institutions in the Philippines and seventh among the more than a thousand private and public colleges and universities in the Philippines. Areas evaluated were faculty, student admission, library, academic offerings, research and extension.

DMMMSU was also listed in the CHED 2011-2016 Roadmap for Public Higher Education Reform as one of the 19 Leading State Universities and Colleges in the Philippines.

As for research, DMMMSU’s research program is one of the biggest programs in Northern Luzon in terms of the number of ongoing research undertaken and budget allocation. Its research commodities include fiber crops, fruit crops, beef and chevon, pork, orchids, bamboo, agroforestry, poultry, agricultural engineering, farming system, applied rural sociology, macroeconomics, purple yam, bananas, sericulture, and apiculture. In fact, DMMMSU has recently been named by DOST-PCAARRD as Top Intellectual Property Filer.

Meanwhile, extension programs of the University are anchored in commodity-based services that create an impact on the life of the clientele in terms of productivity, profitability, and services for the enhancement of local governments and non-government organizations. DMMMSU Techno Pinoy, also known as Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS), has been named by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) as one of the country’s active and functional centers. Kapihan sa DMMMSU, an extension program which is aired online, has also been reaching thousands of clienteles.

Acknowledged for its distinct competence, expertise and resources, DMMMSU is home to a number of special projects. These include the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI), the National Apiculture Research, Training and Development Institute (NARTDI), Fisheries Research and Training Institute (FRTI), DMMMSU Pig Extension and Research Farm (DPERF), the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), the Affiliated Non-Conventional Energy Center, the Metal Crafts and Innovation Center, and the Agri-Aqua Technology Incubation Center.

At present, the University is sprawled on a 1,120 – hectare land area, cozily splintered in seven major units, the Central Administration, the National Apiculture Research Training and Development Institute, the Sericulture Research and Development Institute, the North La Union Campus, the Mid La Union Campus, the South La Union Campus, and the Open University System.

True to its goal of transforming human resources into productive, self-reliant citizens and responsible leaders, DMMMSU takes pride in its commitment in fulfilling its vital role in the country’s national development. (By Dr. Maricon C. Viduya)