BARMM lawmaker takes helm of Mindanao State University System

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Paisalin Pangandaman Tago takes over as MSU System president after serving as deputy speaker of the Bangsamoro parliament and minister of the region’s transportation and communications ministry

MARAWI, Philippines – A Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) lawmaker has assumed the presidency of the state-run Mindanao State University (MSU) System in Marawi City.

Lawyer Paisalin Pangandaman Tago took his oath of office twice – first before Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis on Tuesday July 1, and again before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in Malacañang on Wednesday, July 2.

Tago, who served as an appointed member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), was named to the post by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He succeeded Basari Mapupuno, who died in office on May 27.

His appointment as the 9th regular president of the MSU System was confirmed through a transmittal letter signed by Marcos on June 27. He will serve a full six-year term.

Before his appointment to the MSU, Tago served as deputy speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament and minister of the autonomous region’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications, a post he has held since 2022. Previously, he served as National Commission on Muslim Filipinos commissioner from 2015 to 2018.

In the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), he was director of finance and budget management, and served in the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2008. He was also a member of the board of administrators of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) from 2011 to 2015.

Tago earned his accountancy degree from Far Eastern University (FEU) and is both a certified public accountant and a lawyer. He is a cousin of Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, also a Marcos appointee.

Since 1961, the MSU has expanded from its original campus in Marawi into a multi-campus system across Mindanao. It is recognized as a leading institution in Mindanao, with a mandate to promote instruction, research, and community engagement as a national peace university.

BARMM Member of Parliament Khalid Ma-amor Hadji Abdullah called Tago’s appointment “well-deserved,” and “MSU is certainly in the best hands of a Bangsamoro.”

MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) Chancellor Alizedney Ditucalan also welcomed the assumption of the new MSU System president, saying he was looking forward to collaborating with him.

“Together, we are committed to fostering excellence, innovation, and inclusive growth for the entire MSU community,” he said. – Rappler.com

Abdul Hafiz Tacoranga Malawani is a campus journalist from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur studying Information Technology at Mindanao State University Marawi. He is the editor in chief of Mindanao Varsitarian and an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2025.