PAGADIAN CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 7, 2012) – Thousands of concerned parents of students who are at presently studying at the Mindanao State University in the Zamboanga Sibugay town of Buug appealed to the Board of Regents to retain its incumbent Chancellor Dr Taha Sarip.
Faculty members and administrative employees and other constituents led by the President of Parent Teachers Community Assembly, including civic organizations and some political leaders also appealed for Sarip’s retention, saying, his excellent leadership and programs for the MSU-Buug will benefit the students and the university as a whole.
PTCA President lawyer Ferdinand Pablo emphasized their full support for the retention of Sarip because of his excellent performance as a Chancellor and his academic program that promotes quality education among students and faculty members.
He said the performance of MSU-Buug graduates in various licensure examinations and other awards have given the university a new burnished image.
Notably, with the persistence and backing of its constituents, in a short time – 3 years after his assumption – Sarip have revitalized by the modification of the MSU-Buug structure, which assigned the supervision of the unit to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and brought closer the programs of the university in line with its mandate to the people of Zamboanga Peninsula, a region in Mindanao inhabited by the indigenous, Subanons, Visayan settlers and other Bangsamoro tribes.
Sarip also initiated the establishment of the Institute of Peace and Development to help and support the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The institution has the manpower resources to help the government on the peace process though dialogues, conferences, seminars and workshop to give updated information to the progress of the negotiations.
In one occasion, MSU System President Dr. Macapado Muslim in his speech cited the efforts of Sarip who worked hard to make MSU-Buug as one of the model institutions in Mindanao on peace and development program.
As determined leader supported by the employees, parents, and local government officials and community leaders in Zamboanga Peninsula, Pablo said it is a fact that the institute have been moving forward, guided by the aspirations of everybody to have an educational institutions of higher learning that would address the problem to ensure quality education through academic excellence enhancing peace and development in the region.
When Sarip was appointed as Director of MSU-Buug on August 3, 2006, it served as a great challenge in his career considering that the institution during that time was stagnant and for a long time had lingered on becoming an autonomous campus to keep the ember of public burning, but the performance of the institution through his perseverance slowly moved on and has became what it is now.
But despite physical and financial difficulties, MSU-Buug remains true to its vision of becoming a remarkable medium for sustainable growth and development. And this can be realized through effective transfer of knowledge and technology through academic excellence and good governance and through the leadership and competence of Sarip, the groups said.
They said good governance is possible through the availability of infrastructure, improved fiscal management and well-guided administration of the campus. Sarip also has developed a scheme called “2017 Initiative,” where specific plans and programs are laid down to solve various problems and further forge ties and work closely with local, national and international agencies for scholarships, projects, books donations, facilities and equipment and other beneficial programs for the campus.
Sarip’s major concern is to provide the educational needs of the people in the area, especially the less privilege so that they will become assets to nation-building instead of being stagnant and impediments to the process of development, Pablo said.
Sarip, a known peace advocate in Lanao del Sur province, is a prominent Muslim leader who has been largely praised for his hard work and commitment to providing excellent education in one of the country’s top schools. He finished his Master in Peace and Development at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City. He served in various positions and functions from being an executive director to associate professor in Peace Education Studies and Islamic Studies at the MSU main campus in Marawi City. (Mindanao Examiner. Al Maradz Madalem)
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