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DAVAO CITY – Officials of Cotabato province have filed separate measures in support of the proposed establishment of a Philippine Science High School campus in Carmen town.
Cotabato third district Rep. Samantha Taliño-Santos has filed House Bill No. 2539 that seeks to establish a school of Mathematics and Science in Carmen.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed a resolution “signifying the intention of the province of Cotabato to host the establishment of a PSHS campus.”
The provincial council led by Vice Gov. Ella Taray unanimously voted to pass the resolution.
Taray said the proposal to put up PSHS in the province is a vital step forward in expanding access to quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for the youth of the province.
“The presence of this campus will provide students with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in an increasingly modern and innovation-driven world,” said Taray, who also hails from Carmen.
Santos said the proposed school will offer a specialized curriculum focused on math, science, engineering, and research.
She added that the school hopes to empower young people to become future leaders and innovators.
The filing of the bill is in support to the plan to establish a PSHS campus in the province.
Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said that the DOST identified Carmen as the probable location of the PSHS.
Mendoza said that DOST preferred an interior area for the location of the school. She said that Carmen is the only LGU in the province that is willing to donate at least 10 hectares of land for the school site.
Last month, officials of the DOST in Region 12 met local government officials of Carmen and discussed the proposal.
Municipal administrator Moises Arendain said that the local government offered a site beside the town’s eco-tourism park in Barangay Liliongan.
Should the school materialize, Santos said that it could bring inclusive and high-quality education closer to rural communities.
She added that it could also remove the barrier barriers for talented students across the province.
“This is a step toward strengthening science and technology education in Region 12 and creating more opportunities for academic excellence in the third district of Cotabato,” the lawmaker said.
Taray emphasized that Carmen is the most strategic location as it lies at the center of Cotabato province.
Thus, the school could provide an accessible hub for students not only from the province but also from neighboring provinces in the region, she added.
“Carmen’s centrality ensures that this campus will serve a wider and more diverse pool of talented youth, many of whom are currently constrained by financial, geographic, or logistical limitations in accessing specialized science high school education,” Taray said.
DOST is said to be considering the province of Sultan Kudarat as the other option for the PSHS campus.
But Taray said establishing a campus in Sultan Kudarat would result in redundancy, given the proximity of Sultan Kudarat to the existing PSHS campus in Koronadal City in South Cotabato.
“The Carmen proposal not only fills an educational gap but also aligns with the national goal of equitable regional distribution of quality public education,” she said.
