Abra Gets Its First University as ASIST Is Elevated to University of Ab
Key Takeaways
- •The Abra State Institute of Science and Technology was elevated into the University of Abra, becoming the first and only university in Abra province and the fifth state university in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
- •The conversion originated from House Bill No. 2652, filed in 2019 by Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño 'JB' Bernos, which led to Republic Act No. 11574, signed into law on July 23, 2021.
- •University status took effect only after ASIST satisfied Commission on Higher Education requirements, with compliance confirmed through CHED En Banc Resolution No. 527-2026 on Aug 10, about five years after the law's signing.
- •At the time of validation, the University of Abra offered 38 academic programs — 30 undergraduate, five master's, and three doctoral — serving more than 8,000 students.
- •The institution is based in Lagangilang with satellite campuses in Bangued and La Paz, and a planned campus in Pilar is set to expand its reach as it builds out research and graduate offerings.
BANGUED, Abra — The Philippine province of Abra has marked a historic milestone as the Abra State Institute of Science and Technology (ASIST) was officially elevated into the University of Abra (UA), becoming the province's first and only university and the fifth state university in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), an upland area in northern Luzon.
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis, head of the government agency that oversees higher education institutions nationwide, announced the elevation during the ceremonial launch in Bangued, the provincial capital, on Oct. 6, coinciding with the institution's Founder's Day. The milestone caps more than a century of growth since the school began as an industrial school in 1908.
The conversion was the product of a legislative push spearheaded by Abra Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño “JB” B. Bernos, who filed House Bill No. 2652 in 2019. The measure advanced through Congress and paved the way for Republic Act No. 11574, signed into law on July 23, 2021. While the law provided the legal basis for the upgrade, ASIST still had to meet CHED requirements before it could officially become a university — a validation step that took roughly five years from the law's signing, underscoring that legislation alone did not complete the upgrade.
Compliance was confirmed through CHED En Banc Resolution No. 527-2026 on Aug. 10.
At the time of CHED's validation, the University of Abra offered 38 academic programs — 30 undergraduate, five master's and three doctoral — serving more than 8,000 students. From its agricultural roots, the institution has expanded into science, technology, the arts, and other professional fields. It is based in Lagangilang, with satellite campuses in Bangued and La Paz, and another planned in Pilar that is set to widen its footprint within the province.
Ms. Agrupis said university status brings not only recognition but greater responsibility to expand educational opportunities, research and innovation. With the elevation, UA is expected to help produce more skilled graduates and drive development across Abra. The planned Pilar campus and the buildout of its research and graduate offerings are the markers to watch as the province's lone university grows into its new role. — Artemio A. Dumlao
Source: BusinessWorld Online
