ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 24 Sept) — The Josefina H. Cerilles State College (JHCSC) in San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur has now become a state university as Republic Act No. 12295, which converts the academic institution into the Zamboanga del Sur State University (ZDSSU), has lapsed into law.
RA 12295 (“An Act Converting the J. H. Cerilles State College Located in Barangay Mati, Municipality of San Miguel, Province of Zamboanga Del Sur into a State University to be known as the Zamboanga Del Sur State University and Appropriating Funds Therefor”), according to the Official Gazette, was passed by Congress on July 22, 2024 and lapsed into law on September 15, 2025.
The measure elevates JHCSC into a full-fledged state university, marking a significant milestone in the province’s education sector. With its new university status, ZDSSU is expected to broaden access to quality higher education, expand academic programs, and enhance research and development initiatives for students and communities across the province.
Board Member Glendell Oyo-a, in a Facebook post, said that the key benefits a state college gains when it transitions into a university are academic advancement, increased funding and resources, community and regional impact, faculty and staff development with their professional growth, student benefits to include wider academic choices, enhanced employability, and exposure to research, and national and global recognition.
Dr. Edgardo Rosales, university president, said in an interview via Messenger that “this elevation allows us to expand academic programs that are responsive to the region’s unique socio-economic realities, such as agriculture, fisheries, education, and halal studies, while strengthening research and extension services that directly support community development.”
He added that the academic institution will be producing a more skilled workforce and fostering innovation, and “help uplift local industries, generate livelihood opportunities, and improve access to quality higher education for students who might otherwise be unable to pursue it in urban centers.”
In its website, the college said that since 1983 when the school was founded—then called the Josefina H. Cerilles Memorial Barangay High School—it has developed 21 satellite campuses in Dumingag, Lakewood, Pagadian City, Dumalinao, Tabina, Vincenzo Sagun, Molave, Aurora, Guipos, Sominot, and others.
It was converted into the Josefina Cerilles State College on August 11, 2011 with Dr. Filomena G. Montealto as the first president. (Frencie L. Carreon / MindaNews)
