Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) successfully hosted the institutional accreditation conducted by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) from November 17 to 19, 2025. Marking a historic milestone, WMSU became the first state university and college (SUC) in the ZAMBASULTA to undergo institutional accreditation.

The accreditation activities included program presentations and interviews held at the Dr. Juanito Bruno Gymnasium, while site validation was conducted across various offices and colleges within the main campus.

The evaluation covered nine critical areas essential for university development and quality assurance:

1. Governance and Management

2. Teaching, Learning, and Evaluation

3. Faculty and Staff

4. Research

5. Extension, Consultancy, and Linkages

6. Support to Students

7. Library

8. Infrastructure and Other Learning Resources

9. Quality Assurance Culture

The accreditation team was led by Dr. Milabel Enriquez Ho, AACCUP Executive Director, and included distinguished accreditors from higher education institutions nationwide:

Area I – Dr. Anthony M. Penaso, President, Bohol Island State University, and Chairperson, AACCUP Board of Trustees

Areas II & III – Dr. Erwin P. Lacanlale, Dean, College of Education, Tarlac State University

Areas IV & V – Dr. Arnel B. Millesca, President, Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology

Areas VI & VII – Dr. Liza M. Tamargo, Director for Library Services and Museum, Ifugao State University

Areas VIII & IX – Dr. Suzette B. Lina, Dean, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Visayas State University, Member, AACCUP Board of Trustees

The opening program featured remarks from Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Nursia M. Barjose, who emphasized “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥.”

WMSU President Dr. Ma. Carla A. Ochotorena delivered a comprehensive institutional profile, highlighting WMSU’s 121-year history, beginning with the founding of the Zamboanga Normal School in 1904, which became the cradle of teacher education in Mindanao.

Dr. Ochotorena recounted the university’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting to online and flexible learning, and maintaining academic traditions virtually. Under her leadership, WMSU has transformed into a Smart Campus with UNIFI-WiFi connectivity, the Human Resource Information System (HRIS), and the Online Employment Gateway among others. The university has also expanded academic offerings, upgraded laboratories, and strengthened international partnerships.

“𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦-𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘞𝘔𝘚𝘜 — 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥,” she stated.

A video presentation prepared by the Public Affairs Office showcased the university’s accomplishments over the past five years, emphasizing its commitment to excellence in academics, research, extension, and governance.

The accreditation visit concluded on November 19, with accreditors expressing positive impressions of WMSU’s programs and services. Dr. Ochotorena’s closing message addressed the way forward. “𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴. 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴.”

The official results and level of the institutional accreditation are expected to be announced by AACCUP during the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant step in WMSU’s continuous pursuit of quality assurance and institutional excellence. (LMP, PAO)