With eyes set on new academic frontiers and deeper academic synergy,  Biliran Province State University formally inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Normal University (PNU) on April 15, 2025, at the BiPSU HAVC.

BiPSU President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr. signed the MOU with PNU President Dr. Bert J. Tuga.

The understanding centered on entering into a formal partnership agreement based on the foundation of mutual trust for the mutual benefit and development of the two institutions and the promotion of international understanding and goodwill. 

It covers potential collaborations in student, faculty, and researcher exchange programs, joint research initiatives, curriculum development, capacity building, the exchange of academic publications, and co-hosting of international research conferences. Furthermore, the partnership supports both institutions’ commitment to internationalization and excellence in education.

In his message during the signing ceremony, Dr. Cañezo emphasized the transformative potential of the partnership. “This partnership signifies our shared commitment to nurturing future-ready educators and researchers, and creating a ripple effect of academic excellence not just in our institutions but across the nation,” he said.

Dr. Cañezo also expressed BiPSU’s gratitude to PNU for its openness to collaboration. “We are truly honored to be in partnership with PNU—the country’s National Center for Teacher Education,” he added. “More than a document, this MOU is a symbol of trust and shared vision.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Tuga clarified that while the MOU contains general provisions, specific agreements will be drawn up in the future based on identified programs and needs. “We could pull possible arrangements that we may have based on the identified needs of both institutions,” he said.

He also highlighted the collaborative and reciprocal nature of the partnership. “There are things that are already done at BiPSU, and it's not yet done at PNU,” Dr. Tuga added. “There are things we can share with you, and there are things that you can share with us in terms of institutional practices.”

Following the ceremonial signing, a consultation meeting was held where the two university presidents exchanged best practices. Dr. Tuga shared some of PNU’s institutional strategies, including a strengthened faculty development program, comprehensive curriculum alignment, and a “selective” student admission process. 

In response, Dr. Cañezo introduced BiPSU’s newly launched Electronic Human Resource Management and Information System (eHRMIS), an integrated system that streamlines HR processes—an initiative Dr. Tuga expressed interest in benchmarking.

The event was also witnessed by PNU Vice President for Finance and Administration Dr. Lordinio Vergara, along with BiPSU Vice Presidents Dr. Susan S. Bentor, Dr. Roland A. Niez, Dr. Vivencio Pelesco, Dr. Erwin G. Salvatierra, Faculty Regent Hon. Vennie Coton and the deans of the School of Teacher Education from the two campuses’ Dr. Maribel Zipagan and Dr.  Naneta Panit. 

PNU, a public coeducational teacher education and research university established in 1901, was designated as the National Center for Teacher Education through Republic Act No. 9647 in 2009. The institution is widely recognized for its leadership in shaping teacher education standards in the Philippines.

A delegation from PNU, led by Dr. Tuga and Dr. Vergara, is currently at BiPSU as part of a team teaching program aimed at strengthening the newly formed collaboration. The visiting team also includes distinguished professors Dr. Celia Ilanan, Dr. Brando Palomar, Dr. Marivilla Lydia Aggarao, and Dr. Voltaire Villanueva, who will be engaging with BiPSU faculty and students through lectures and academic consultations.

[This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education.]

To ensure that the school continues to produce quality teachers who uphold the university’s values, the School of Teacher Education (STED) of Biliran Province State University Naval Campus conducted a Gender-Fair Communication Seminar and Welcome Back ceremony for Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) on April 11 at the university gymnasium.

PSTs returned to the university to complete their graduation  requirements after completing their 360-hour Teaching Internship in the Department of Education.

Leading the seminar, Mr. Fernando Quiroz, former head of Gender and Development-GRASS, discussed the importance of creating gender-fair classrooms, and promoting inclusivity, respect, and equality among learners.

Moreover, Dr. Bienvenido G. Mergal, Education director of Southeast Asia Pacific Division (SSD) of Seventh-day Adventist Church, who also served as a guest speaker of the event, emphasized the value of education and how it equips future educators to serve this world. “Education is expensive, but it is more expensive to be ignorant,” Dr. Mergal said.

He also mentioned the possible partnership of BiPSU and SSD for international on-the-job training (OJT) for education programs in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Further, Senior Lecturer from the Falculan Twin’s Review Center Mr. Froilan Obeal led the interactive review session on Professional Education (ProfEd) subject to equip PSTs for the upcoming Pre-board examination on April 22.

Attendees of the event include Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Susan Bentor, Dean of STED Dr. Maribel N. Zipagan, OJT coordinators, and ProfEd Experiential Learning (ExL) instructors, and students.

[This article aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) no. 4: Quality Education]

The vision of establishing a law school at Biliran Province State University is steadily moving toward reality, following a recent seminar workshop that discussed the application process and requirements for offering the Juris Doctor (JD) program at the university.

A Technical Working Group (TWG), composed of selected university officials, faculty members, and unit heads from various schools and offices, participated in an intensive four-day training from April 8 to 11, facilitated by resource persons from the Arellano University School of Law (AUSL).

The training aimed to equip BiPSU’s TWG with in-depth knowledge of law school administration, curriculum development, faculty training, and the operational standards set by the Legal Education Board (LEB) for JD programs. The activity also provided insights and best practices from AUSL, a renowned institution in legal education.

Founded in 1938, AUSL is recognized as one of the country’s premier law schools and ranked third among the top ten legal education institutions with the highest number of successful bar examinees from 2011 to 2022.

The AUSL delegation was led by Atty. Gabriel dela Peña, executive director of the Arellano Law Foundation, along with Lorina Pascasio, dean of Student Affairs; Atty. Maureen Kay E. Patajo, head of Administrative and Legal Affairs and Data Privacy officer; Jasmin P. Horlina, finance director; and Ronald M. Aguvida, supervisor at the Dean’s Office.

The three-day training, spearheaded by BiPSU’s Legal Officer Atty. Dick Guiller Delfin, provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the critical operational, administrative, and academic frameworks required for opening a law school.

Discussions focused on financial management and sustainability, institutional governance, administrative structures, formulation and implementation of academic policies, strategic program management, and compliance with regulatory requirements for securing permits and licenses. The training also addressed qualifications and responsibilities of deans and faculty members, effective curriculum delivery strategies, and the development of vital facilities and library resources essential for supporting quality legal education.

University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr. expressed gratitude to the officials from Arellano University School of Law (AUSL) for their support in “BiPSU’s journey toward realizing its goal of establishing a law school.”

Meanwhile, in his message during the closing ceremony of the seminar, Atty. Gabriel dela Peña narrated the challenge the AUSL had to go through and endure over the years including “remaking the school and reviewing the policies after a significant decline of student population, in order to regain our stature and position amongst all other law schools in Metro Manila.”

“Where we are right now is a product of not just years, but decades of trying to pursue excellence in the field of legal education,” the AUSL executive director said. “The challenge also cascades to our BiPSU family for you to ensure that the program does not exist temporarily as a trending thing but actually as a move of transferring knowledge to the next generation.”

Atty. dela Peña also emphasized that BiPSU’s initiative to offer a Juris Doctor program will answer the drought of lawyers in the country. “With BiPSU’s move to start a law school, we can see more lawyers in Biliran.”

A vision materializing

In his message during the opening of the three-day training, Dr. Cañezo emphasized that the plan to establish a law school in the province is not just a dream of the university, but a shared aspiration of young Biliranons who envision a future in the legal profession and are committed to serving their community.

“This is more than just a milestone for BiPSU; it is a door of opportunity for our youth,” Dr. Cañezo said. “Through this initiative, we are empowering future lawyers from Biliran to achieve their dreams and serve our province.”

Dr. Cañezo also reiterated the impact that opening a law school would have on the province of Biliran, especially its potential to transform the local legal landscape.

A recently conducted feasibility study affirmed the growing demand for legal education in the province, with 74% of respondents expressing strong interest in pursuing a Juris Doctor (JD) degree at BiPSU.

To further understand its prospective students, the study collected demographic data. Results showed that 37.4% of respondents are aged 20 years or younger, while 26% fall within the 21–25 age range. Another 14.6% are between 26–30 years old, with the remaining respondents spanning older age groups.

Occupational data revealed that 37.8% of respondents are full-time college students, while 30.1% are professionals working in government roles. 74.3% of those in government service hold permanent positions, indicating a stable pool of potential enrollees.

Atty. Delfin revealed that a significant majority—78.2%—of respondents expressed willingness to remain and work in the province after completing their law degree. This suggests that BiPSU's planned JD program could play an important role in strengthening the local legal profession and expanding professional opportunities within the region.

Meanwhile, during the training workshop, Dr. Cañezo shared that the university is targeting to submit its application for the Juris Doctor program on or before June this year.

Learning from reputed institutions

From September 4 to 5, a team from BiPSU, led by University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr., conducted a series of benchmarking activities and consultations with law schools and regulatory institutions in Manila to gather insights and best practices in legal education. 

The delegation sought to deepen their understanding of law school administration, operational strategies, facilities management, faculty recruitment, curriculum design, and student support systems.

As part of their benchmarking activity, the BiPSU team visited Arellano University School of Law and the San Sebastian College-Recoletos College of Law (SSC-R Law). They also conducted a consultation with the Legal Education Board (LEB) to gain clear guidance on the application process for establishing a law school, including the specific requirements and procedures mandated by the LEB.

In line with their goal of ensuring that the proposed law program aligns with the needs of the local legal community, the team engaged with Atty. Raul S. Grapilon, President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) — Biliran Chapter, to seek endorsement and support from the province’s legal practitioners.

[This aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions]

Biliran Province State University, through the Cultural Affairs Development Unit (CADU) and in collaboration with the university Physical Education (PE) teachers, organized a free concert titled “National Arts Month 2025: A Celebration of Dance, Theater, Music, and Art,” at the university gymnasium on April 8.

Anchored with the theme, “Sinag Sining: Rhythms of Expression,” the event  aimed to promote and preserve our cultural heritage through performances and artistic expression in dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

The event featured performances in marching band exhibition, dance numbers, theater play, and choral renditions.

BiPSU Avant Tigers hyped the crowd with their marching band exhibition, followed by Panamao Dance Troupe with their series of dance performances including hiphop, and traditional and cultural. The Dance Sports Team also showcased their covers of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs through latin and standard dance styles.

Further, Teatro Biliran staged a comedy play from an excerpt of Mr. Felipe Durano-Bacay’s “Ambot, wa’ koy labot”.

University Chorale also showcased their renditions of classic Visayan songs. 

Said event was also graced by the University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr., Vice President for Student and External Affairs Dr. Erwin Salvatierra, PE instructors, and students.

[This article aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals No. : Quality Education]

Biliran Province State University is setting a new bar in streamlining human resource operations after successfully launching the Electronic Human Resource Management Information System (eHRMIS), the first of its kind to be launched among State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the whole region.

The launching of eHRMIS, held on April 8 at the OP Convergence Room after months of rigorous planning and system development, was attended by University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr., Vice President for Student and External Affairs Dr. Erwin G. Salvatierra, Vice President for Administration and Finance Engr. Vivencio Pelesco, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Susan Bentor, Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension Services Dr. Roland Niez, school deans, directors, and unit heads.

The launching activity, led by the Human Resource Management Office, aimed to demonstrate how the system will improve employee management, HR processes and Records Management, such as payroll, and document tracking; and lay the foundation for smooth adoption and integration into BiPSU’s HR processes and Records Management.

Pioneering implementation

In his message, Dr. Cañezo mentioned that BiPSU is the first SUC in the region to implement an electronic HRMIS.

“Today, we officially launched the Electronic Human Resource Management Information System—this is a significant milestone in our pursuit of innovation and excellence,” Dr. Cañezo said.  "In fact, this initiative places BiPSU at the forefront of digital transformation among higher education institutions in the region, proving our commitment to continuous improvement and service excellence."

The eHRMIS integrates essential HR functions into a single, user-friendly platform. It covers critical areas such as recruitment, onboarding, payroll processing, performance evaluation, leave management, employee records archiving, and real-time document tracking. With this integration, BiPSU aims to eliminate redundant paperwork and minimize processing times for HR transactions.

The development of the eHRMIS took a long process. BiPSU, through the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), led a series of benchmarking activities, consulting with institutions that had successfully integrated digital HR systems and studying their best practices in electronic HR management.

In preparation for the system rollout, the HRMO, in partnership with the Management Information Systems (MIS) Office, also conducted a series of intensive training workshops for HR personnel and administrative staff. 

These trainings covered system navigation, data privacy protocols, document management, and troubleshooting processes, ensuring that employees were well-equipped to maximize the benefits of the new system.

Dr. Cañezo also mentioned that technology should be seen as an enabler not a replacement of human potential. “As I mentioned in our previous gathering, technology is not here to replace us but to re-focus our energies on meaningful tasks,” he remarked.

The pioneer implementation is part of the university’s commitment to improve and modernize its operations to enhance efficiency and service quality.

Groundbreaking move

The groundbreaking system is poised to revolutionize the university's internal operations, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and employee experience across the institution.

One of the most notable advantages of the new system is its ability to provide real-time data and analytics, allowing the university's leadership to make more informed, data-driven decisions. With centralized access to employee records, performance metrics, and payroll histories, the administration can better allocate resources, forecast staffing needs, and streamline compliance reporting.

Moreover, employees will now have direct access to their personal employment records and HR services through a self-service portal. This empowers faculty and staff to update their information, file leave requests, and track the status of their documents anytime, anywhere—promoting transparency and enhancing employee satisfaction.

Dr. Cañezo highlighted the wider impact of the initiative, emphasizing that the eHRMIS aligns perfectly with BiPSU’s strategic goals under the WoWBiPSU 2.0 development plan. "This is more than just a technological upgrade—it is part of our holistic effort to build a smart university that embraces digital solutions to better serve our internal and external stakeholders," the university president said.

The integration of electronic systems to HR operations is also expected to bring long-term benefits including cost savings on paper supplies, printing services, and manual labor hours.

[This aligns with SDG)16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.]

The successful collaborative teaching and faculty development program between Biliran Province State University and Adamson University (AdU) is generating buzz in the region, with Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) Ormoc Campus visiting BiPSU for a benchmarking activity.

EVSU Ormoc visited BiPSU on April 8 to learn more about the successful collaboration between BiPSU and AdU, particularly the implementation of the team teaching approach and faculty development program for BiPSU's engineering programs.

The delegation from EVSU Ormoc Campus, composed of 11 members, includes Engr. Joel Capala, head of EVSU Ormoc's Engineering Department; Engr. Antonio Naboya, Civil Engineering coordinator; Engr. Jomar Navarro, Electrical Engineering coordinator; Engr. Michael Mendoza, Mechanical Engineering coordinator; Engr. Phoebe Lanzaderas, head of the Institutional Planning and Development Office (IPDO), and faculty members Engr. Robert Navarro, Engr. Edrinald Estobañez, Engr. John Albert Laboga, Engr. Rechel Caliwan, Engr. Ruderico Endriano, and Engr. Jerico Agapito

In his message, Engr. Vivencio Pelesco, dean of the School of Engineering (SOE) and vice president for Administration and Finance, mentioned that the visit is a collaborative undertaking between BiPSU and EVSU Ormoc.  He highlighted the value of mutual learning and shared best practices between the two institutions.

"This activity is an opportunity for you to know our best practices here at the School of Engineering," Engr. Pelesco said. "And of course, it is also a great chance for us to know the best practices of EVSU Ormoc which we can learn from." 

Engr. Pelesco led the discussion and provided a comprehensive explanation of the process, organizational structure, operational guidelines, and specific requirements involved in establishing and sustaining a collaborative team teaching and faculty development program with a partner university.

He detailed the stages of partnership formation, including initial engagement and alignment of objectives, delineation of roles and responsibilities between institutions, curriculum mapping, faculty qualification standards, scheduling and coordination of team-taught courses, evaluation mechanisms to monitor teaching effectiveness, and strategies for continuous professional development of faculty members to ensure academic excellence and industry relevance in the engineering programs.

Moreover, the benchmarking activity was also attended by heads and faculty from BiPSU's SOE including Engr. Jude Banico, Electrical Engineering department chair; Engr. Jean Paul Logronio, Civil Engineering department chair; Engr. Ramon Pitao, Jr., Mechanical Engineering department chair; Engr. Bryan Bernil, SOE research chair and EE faculty member; Engr. Carmel Sigrid Docallos, CE faculty member and director of the Sports and Development Office; and Engr. Roosevelt Mendoza, EE faculty member.

The collaborative team teaching is a program where selected faculty from BiPSU and AdU worked together to teach courses in BiPSU’s engineering programs, including Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), Computer Engineering (BSCpE), Electrical Engineering (BSEE), and Mechanical Engineering (BSME). The team teaching was delivered through online or blended learning platforms and in-person classes at BiPSU.

Meanwhile, another provision of the collaboration between the two institutions is the offering of graduate programs of the Adamson University at BiPSU. These include Master of Engineering majors in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering; and the Master of Science in Civil Engineering.

Both these initiatives are products of the collaboration of BiPSU and AdU, made official with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

[This aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.]

Biliran Province State University, through its 565th Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Unit, hosted the Local Annual General Tactical Inspection (LAGTI) on April 7.

LAGTI is an annual evaluation of Naval ROTC units, assessing their tactical proficiency and adherence to military standards, with the winning unit representing the region in the National Annual General Tactical Inspection (NAGTI).

Held at the university oval, a battalion of first year students enrolled under the Navy component of BiPSU’s National Service Training Program (NSTP) offering and NROTC officers participated in the whole-day tactical activity. 

The inspecting team from the Philippines Navy, led by Capt. Randy Japitana, commandant of the 565th NROTC Unit, includes CPO Rey P. Buenafe, PO2 Joel A. Mahinay, PO3 Jerome A. Arquillano, SN1 Jake Malimban, and SN2 Mark Rover Revilla.

The inspection covered various aspects, including military bearing, uniformity, adherence to standards, and tactical proficiency through drills and field exercises. LAGTI also evaluated the cadets’ skills to perform in specialties including M16 Assembly/Disassembly, line throwing, basic life support, knot tying, flag identification, morse code and flashing lights, and semaphore signalling.

Meanwhile, University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr. was invited as Guest of Honor and Speaker (GOHAS). In his message, Dr. Cañezo posed a challenge to the officers to never stop in building future-ready Filipinos even if their works are not widely seen. 

“Your work may not make headlines, but it is the kind that produces future-ready Filipinos,” the university president said.  “I challenge you to continue building young leaders who understand that strength without discipline is chaos, leadership without service is self-promotion, and knowledge without attitude is noise.”

He also emphasized that the inspection may just end in a matter of hours, but the true test of discipline, leadership, and service will begin outside this ground. “How will you act when you’re no longer being graded? What will you do when no one claps?” Dr. Cañezo said. “That’s when it matters.”

The activity was also attended by Dr. Erwin G. Salvatierra, vice president for Students and External Affairs; Dr. Susan Bentor, vice president for Academics; Dr. Roland A. Niez, vice president for Research, Innovation, and Extension Services; Hon. Vennie Coton, acting dean of SCJE and member of BiPSU’s Board of Regents; Benedicto G. Batistis, NSTP director; NROTC reservists, and NSTP officials.

The Local Annual General Tactical Inspection is part of the ROTC program, which is mandated by Section 38 of Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National Service Training Program Act of 2001. 

This is the first inspection conducted after the COVID-19 pandemic.

[This aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 4: Quality Education, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.]

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte—Twelve students and two advisers from Biliran Province State University Main Campus joined the Philippine Association of Campus Press Advisers (PACSA) Inc. National Midyear Convention 2025 held at Tagum City, Davao del Norte from April 2-4.

This year’s convention, themed, “LUPAD: Leading with vision, Uniting for purpose, Promoting inclusivity, Advocating for diversity, Developing future-ready leaders,” aims to empower, inspire, and equip leaders toward building a better society through different talks, featuring experts and national leaders, and team-building activities.

Meanwhile, the delegation, headed by Dr. Ralph Arvic T. Arcenal, University and Board secretary, and Dr. Miguel Supremo, Institutional Education Job Placement officer, reaped multiple awards in the different competitions of the midyear convention.

Kevin Brane, a third-year civil engineering student, clinched the first runner-up placement in the Dagliang Talumpati competition, while Melody Vijuan, a third-year communication student, notched the third runner-up podium in the Photography contest.

In addition, Chazonne Almazon and Dominic Chad Catipay, STED students, bagged the second runner-up award in the Research Presentation- Student category, while Remmie Joy Baluna and Junmark Cabalquinto, both BA Communication students, were hailed third runner-up in the same category. Notably, Almazon was also hailed as a top 5 finalist in the Mr. and Ms. PACSL 2025, where he also bagged two minor awards, namely, Best in Jeans Wear and Best in Advocacy.

Further, Gil Irinco, a third-year BSEd Filipino student, was awarded third best cultural attire and the representative of the Visayas Core Group in the Final Round of the Pagsulat ng Sanaysay competition. Additionally, Kenneth Berdal, Loida Jean Verian, Arian Jay Maala, and Jyle Sabalones were also the representatives of the Visayas for the Streetdance competition.

This year’s national midyear convention, which drew over 400 student-leaders and campus advisers across the Philippines, is anchored on the five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely, SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 5: Gender Equality; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals.

As part of its plan to offer a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) major in Human Resource Management (HRM), Biliran Province State University (BiPSU), led by officials and faculty from the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) conducted a benchmarking visit on April 2-4 to four top universities in Luzon known for their Level IV-accredited BSBA HRM programs. 

The BiPSU team, engaged with officials and faculty at Batangas State University (BSU), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), Unibersidad de Manila (UDM), and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), during the three-day duration.

Dr. Christopher Vicera, dean of SAS, led the eight-member delegation, which included Dr. Vicente Q. Solteo, chairperson of the BSBA program, and faculty members namely  Dr. Jonas Enriquez, Hans Christian Molina, Crismar Hoylar, Prince Seno, Ralyn Jaguros, and Arlou Del Rosario.

“Our goal is to equip our students with the necessary competencies to excel in the human resource field. By learning from the best practices of top universities that  we visited , we are positioning our graduates to be highly competitive in the job market,” stressed Dr. Vicera. 

Dean Vicera added that the goal of the visit was to gather insights and best practices to enhance BiPSU's program offerings in the field of business administration.

BiPSU's BSBA program recently  received Level IV re-accreditation from the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. for the two programs —Financial Management and Marketing Management.

“Since the BSBA program has now achieved Level 4 accreditation, we aim to ensure that our program offerings align with the needs of industry partners,” said Dr. Solteo, BSBA chairperson. “If this plan will push through, our goal is for BSBA in HRM graduates to be well-equipped with the necessary competencies to excel in the field,” he added. 

Moreover, Dr. Solteo  also shared BiPSU ‘s plan to prepare its BSBA students for the Certified Human Resource Associate (CHRA) certification, which will enhance their employability and career prospects.

“This certification will not only add value to our graduates but also make them more attractive to potential employers looking for certified HR professionals,” Dr. Solteo reiterated.

BiPSU delegates were warmly welcomed by Dr. Peter P. Laurel, LPU university president, Atty. Domingo Reyes, Jr, PLM university president together with their dean of the College of Business Administration, Dr. Bernard Letrero, Dr. Gina Bonifacio, associate dean of the College of Business Administration at BSU,  and Dr. Jonathan De Jesus, dean of the College of Business Administration at UDM. 

In an official statement, Dr. Solteo disclosed, “We’re excited about the future of our HRM program. Through continuous benchmarking, we aim to not only meet but exceed the expectations of both our students and the local and global industry.”

[This news article is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.]

Biliran Province State University’ School of Criminal Justice Education welcomed back 126 new criminologists with a testimonial ceremony on April 4 at the university gymnasium.

The ceremony, a regular activity of the criminal justice school, honored the passers of the recent February 2025 Criminology Licensure Examination.

Hon. Vennie G. Coton, acting dean of SCJE and a member of BiPSU’s Board of Regents, mentioned that the activity is one way of giving recognition and appreciation to the passers for bringing honor to the university with a significant institutional passing rate in the competitive national licensure examination. “This is for you, you deserve to be given honor because of your achievements,” SCJE dean said.

BiPSU recently achieved a remarkable 71.52% passing rate among first-time takers and an overall passing rate of 69.61%, surpassing the national passing rate of 60.5%.

Meanwhile, guest speaker PCMS Elmer P. De Vera, PNP OIC of Biliran Airport Police Station, reminded the passers to be grateful of what they’ve learned at school because it will be useful in facing the true battle after the licensure exam. 

He also emphasized that reaching dreams comes with sacrifices. “Continue to sacrifice,” he said. “Do not lose hope on your dreams, lahat ng pangarap mo, ma-aachieve mo yan.”

During the testimonial, passers, including February 2025 Regional Top 2 Steven Bosete and Top 5 Cherry Lou Azur, shared their journey from studying at the university, taking the free review hosted by the university, to eventually passing the licensure examination. They also shared tips in acing the board exam.

The activity was also attended by Dr. Erwin G. Salvatierra, vice president for Students and External Affairs; Dr. Susan Bentor, vice president for Academic Affairs; Hon. Allan Paul Tubis, Sanguniang Panlalawigan member; Roselle Sabornido, chairperson of the criminology department; faculty members, and criminology students.

Dr. Salvatierra reminded the passers to always remember where they started. 

“Remember the journey that brought you here, remember the sleepless nights and your sacrifices, remember your support system,” the vice president said. “Because all those things made you what you have become today.”

[This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education.]