MSU remains strong despite siege, COVID-19 challenges

MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong shares the achievements during his administration including the promotion of 900 faculty; implementation of new academic programs like Master in EcoGovernance and Social Forestry, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Governance, and Fundamentals of Peace Education; adoption of Strategic Performance Management System; infrastructure development; ICT modernization; and student scholarships; among others.

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur -The Mindanao State University (MSU) System has remained steadfast and tenacious despite the two turbulent storms that visited the institution.

MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong declared the institution victorious  despite the Marawi siege and the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic during his State of University Address, Wednesday, October 27.

"Although for others, mere survival was enough achievement, the University did more than survive and stay on track. It went all-out in flight forward mode. Through these challenging times, we have always looked forward ahead and we keep bravely forging on," he said.

Macaayong spoke on a variety of achievements during his administration including the promotion of 900 faculty; implementation of new academic programs like Master in EcoGovernance and Social Forestry, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Governance, and Fundamentals of Peace Education; adoption of Strategic Performance Management System; infrastructure development; ICT modernization; and student scholarships; among others.

The MSU system president also reported the implementation of a competitive scheme of remuneration for lecturers in the College of Law and College of Medicine.  "The rationale for this was not only equity, but for it to serve as an attraction policy to lure the most fit applicants in the field," he said.

Moreover, applicants for faculty positions in the College of Law, given their Juris Doctor (J.D.) title, are now entitled to the entry rank of Associate Professor.   

Macaayong also highlighted the extension of the geographic reach of the System by opening two extension campuses in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte and Bataraza, Palawan to provide educational opportunities to youth in far-flung areas.

"Since the inception of this institution, we have constantly referred to our area of operation and responsibility as ranging from Mindanao and Sulu to Palawan. But, sadly, Palawan has never been part of the picture. Thus, the opening of an extension campus in Palawan is the long-overdue realization of a dream," he further said.

Macaayong further cited the valuable role MSU has played in helping uplift the lives of Marawi residents by assisting displaced students and opening opportunities for local professionals to pursue advance degrees in science and technology.

According to him, 200 students and 30 science faculty were recipients of  Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI )grant. The DOST-SEI  also named MSU as a delivering institution and continues to dispense scholarship grants to MSU students who pass the required screening.  

Other sources of assistance for students are the national government through Commission on Higher Education for the Tertiary Education Subsidy, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Dompet Dhuafa Republic Foundation based in Jakarta. In addition, 400 students were also recipients of a Chinese scholarship grant.

MSU also made a big stride in promoting and preserving the unique, rich cultural heritage of the Muslim groups and Indigenous Peoples of MINSUPALA through the establishment of the Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center.

Macaayong said the center has relentlessly engaged cultural mapping; research on the various aspects of Meranaw Culture; engaging traditional leaders and Bai’s in the mission of preserving Meranaw cultural heritage.

It is also promoting the living traditions of weaving, poetry, katharo sa lalag; valorization of the Meranaw Language; work on standardization of Meranaw Language orthography; and publication of the Meranaw Culture Coffee Table Book and Manga Forms of select episodes of the epic Darangen. (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur)

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MSU fosters culture of peace through PeaceEd

MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong delivers his State of University Address highlighting the various developments achieved by the university during his administration particularly on academic and administrative reforms, research, extension and production; peace; infrastructure; and cooperation between the university and the community.

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur --The Mindanao State University (MSU) System has institutionalized peace education programs and inculcated peace concepts in its curriculum to promote a culture of peace among its students.

One of its trailblazing peace programs was the development of the course Fundamentals of Peace Education conceptualized after the Marawi crisis as a way to increase the resiliency of students to threats from extremist ideology. 

"A precipitating factor was the Marawi siege and the heightened awareness of the ever-present threat of violent extremism and terrorism, and of the urgency of pro-actively combatting this threat through education," said MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong during his State of University Address.

The course is now implemented system-wide as a general requirement for university students.

Macaayong said selected faculty in the various colleges of the MSU main campus and in the 14 MSU campuses underwent rigorous trainings on peace education sponsored by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies based in Siem Rep, Cambodia and the U.S. Embassy in Manila, among others.

Macaayong, the 7th regular MSU President, gave his first State of the University Address on Wednesday, October 27, where he spoke on the various development achieved by the university during his administration particularly on academic and administrative reforms, research, extension and production; peace; infrastructure; and cooperation between the university and the community. (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur)

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MSU ramps up digital transformation

MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong bares during his State of University Address the ICT modernization program of the institution. (Angelo Dologmandin/PIA Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--Eyeing to transform into a smart campus in the future, the Mindanao State University (MSU) has embarked on an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) modernization program.

Funded through the Presidential Discretionary Fund, the P2 Billion program covers the modernization of the university data center, campus management system, learning management system, provision of laptops to all faculty and students including some of the administrative employees, and boosting its internet connectivity.

MSU System President Habib W. Macaayong said the program also includes the construction and installation of necessary IT equipment and facilities.

"These are the construction of a new audio-visual room, creation of an E-library, creation of E-classrooms in all colleges, the creation of integrated laboratory schools, and the installation of the internal CCTVs," he said during his State of University Address, Wednesday, October 27.

A total of 15,00 laptops were already distributed to students and employees under the program. The 500 units were distributed during the first phase of the program implementation while around 14,500 units were released during the second phase of the program of which 10,444 are for students and  3,103 are for MSU employees.

500 desktops and a number of Smart TVs will also be given to the office and colleges of the university.

The MSU system is also gearing to upgrade its internet connectivity. Yellow hoses, the protective cases for the installation of wirings that boost internet speed up to 1GB per second, are being installed underground. 

Moreover, multiple nodes connecting the whole campus via hybrid fiber optics and wireless backbone are now being created as well.

Macaayong assured that MSU's ICT modernization will continue in the coming years covering the construction of the IT buildings in all external units or Community High Schools of the university.  (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur)

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Livelihood context-based curriculum fosters Maranao culture

With the sealed partnership between the Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office, Mindanao State University (MSU) - Main Campus through its King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS), and the Raheemah Peace Weavers, the cultural identity of Maranaws is deemed preserved. (PIA-Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--The culture of Meranaws is seen to be preserved despite the siege four years ago following the recent signing of a memorandum of agreement for the development of contextualized area-based competencies,

Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office Provincial Director Aleida Mangata said that with the agreement, they will be able to develop competencies that will inculcate in the competencies the teachings of Islam recognized as holistic and such will be something to be proud of once approved at the national level.

“It will give us way para makatulong sa ating Bangsamoro sa [to help our Bangsamoro in] Lanao del Sur because our office sa [in] Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education wanted to help our beaders, handcrafters and all these people who are promoting the cultural identity of Maranaws,” she said during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement Friday, October 15.

Mangata further said they were not yet given a chance to help and developing the identified competencies encouraged them to serve scholarships to beneficiaries which they believe will pave the way for the recovery of the siege-stricken city including the province of Lanao del Sur and the Bangsamoro region. 

She highlighted that if the developed competencies will be given approval and a training regulation will be fully implemented through the sealed partnership, skills experts and traditional workers will have their own livelihood while promoting the cultural identity of Maranaws not only in Mindanao but also in the whole Philippines. 

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary and TFBM Chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario emphasized, on the other hand, that at this point where everyone else is recovering from the impacts of the warfare years back, the continuation and institutionalization of the cultural identity remain significant while also pivoting on the livelihood component.

“When we say institutionalization, it will go on forever and we develop more expertise in the process. From the present skills of our community specialist, this will be further honed so that the next generation will be equal or even better from the present group of mentors that we have in the different communities of Lanao del Sur… It would mean permanence in the cultural identity of Maranws,” he said. 

Under the agreement, four livelihood context-based curriculums will be developed, specifically for competencies on kapangantowiras (sequins and beadworks), kapangaol (weaving), and Meranaw brass and baor making. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

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Gov’t, org ink deal for livelihood context-based curriculum

From left to right, TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Aleida Mangata, MSU-KFCIAAS' Dr. Abdulcader Ayo, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra, DHSUD Secretary and TFBM Chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario, and Save the Children's Edwin Horca sign into a Memorandum of Agreement for the development of livelihood context-based curriculum. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur​--To respond to the preservation of the cultural identity of Maranaws while ensuring their day-to-day living, the Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office under the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) entered into an agreement Friday, October 15, with the Mindanao State University (MSU) - Main Campus through its King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS), and the Raheemah Peace Weavers for the development of contextualized area-based competencies.

“This is a MOA signing kung saan natin irerecognize ang kakayahan ng ating mga community specialist. Sila iyong sa umpisa pa lang, nagpakita kung papaano iyong kanilang craft sa ilang mga taon [wherein we are recognizing the ability of our community specialists. They are the ones who, from the start, showed how their craft is for years], that is part of their custom and tradition in their respective communities. It could be their beadwork and weaving, and all of these works actually represent the tradition and culture of the people,” said Edwin Horca of Save the Children, an international non-government organization backing the Raheemah Peace Weavers in some of its programs. 

He said that this is one of the first area-based competencies developed and recognized by the ministry of the Bangsamoro region under the Recovery and Rehabilitation to Sustain the Gains Program.

Dr. Abdulcader Ayo of KFCIAAS conveyed that the initiative signifies that everything is moving forward for more accomplishments and improvements with the continuous support of particular partners.

As they are grateful for the project, he delivered his full support on behalf of the university through rendering assistance in any means.

TESD Lanao del Sur Provincial Director Aleida Mangata also committed that as the effort is part of the healing of the city and the region as a whole, they will develop competency for the four identified beneficial skills, including the kapangantowiras (sequins and beadworks), kapangaol (weaving), and Meranaw brass and baor making.

City Mayor Majul Gandamra lauded the initiative and said that efforts done by the national government in rehabilitating the city through the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and other line agencies are complemented through enhancing and developing skills of the constituents. 

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary and TFBM Chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario further stressed that for this time, the continuation and institutionalization of the cultural identity are vital while still taking into consideration the livelihood component. 

“It will go on forever and we will develop more expertise in the process. From the present skills of our community specialist, this will be further honed so that the next generation will be equal or even better from the present group of mentors that we have in the different communities of Lanao del Sur,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mahadir Natangcop Tugaya, the President of Artisans in the municipality of Tugaya in the province of Lanao del Sur, conveyed his gratitude for pushing this kind of endeavor which is seen to be an opportunity to share their knowledge, especially in baor and brass making. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

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