Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), officially hosted the Luzon rollout of the Unified College Admission System (UCAS) at DMMMSU-North La Union Campus (NLUC) International Convention Center on April 28 to 29, 2025.
The two-day event marked the second phase of CHED’s project, “Empowering Equity Target in SUCs in Regions I, VIII, and XII,” which aims to improve and equalize access to higher education in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) nationwide.
Developed by CHED’s Office of Planning, Research, and Knowledge Management (OPRKM) in collaboration with DMMMSU, Samar State University, and the University of Southern Mindanao, UCAS seeks to streamline the admission process across public higher education institutions. It features a key innovation called the Equity Target Student Identifier, which identifies potentially vulnerable applicants at registration to enable early and targeted institutional support.
The rollout event was attended by 65 participants, including admissions and IT personnel from CHED Regional Office I and SUCs across Luzon. These included Catanduanes State University, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Laguna Polytechnic State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Palawan State University, Pangasinan State University, Philippine Normal University, Tarlac Agricultural University, and the University of Northern Philippines.
Participants were given a detailed walkthrough of the UCAS platform, including a system demonstration to familiarize institutions with its features and implementation protocols.
The UCAS initiative supports the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) and aligns with the objectives of Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, by promoting inclusive and equitable access to college education.
The Luzon rollout followed an initial launch in Tacloban on April 21–22. The third leg is scheduled in Iloilo on May 5–6, covering the Visayas region, while the final rollout will take place in General Santos City on May 8–9.DMMMSU’s hosting of the Luzon rollout underscores its central role in advancing educational equity and innovation in the region. (By Cyntarah Zandy B. Advincula)
