Beginnings

Marinduque State College (MSC) – the lone state institution of higher learning in Marinduque is an offshoot of the government's aim to protect and promote the right of all citizens to accessible quality education. As a state institution of learning, its beginning and development could be traced back to a number of legislations that catapulted MSC to its present status as premier college in the province and in the region – as manifested by its impressive performance in instruction, research and extension and production.

MSC was founded on June 21, 1952 when House Bill No. 2743 authored by then Congressman Panfilo Manguera of Marinduque was signed into law as RA 805 by President Elpidio Quirino. Operation of the school took place on the following year. The campus was established in Barangay Tanza, Boac, Marinduque. It initially offered two-year Technical Education course and a four-year Secondary Education Curriculum. In 1976, the Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) Order No. 28, s. 1975 authorized the school to offer the four-year Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Curriculum and on the second endorsement of Secretary of Education. On September 13, 1976, the school was further permitted to offer the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education Curriculum.

After 31 years of raising its capability of providing equal access to educational opportunities to the youth, Assemblywoman Carmencita Reyes took the floor at the Batasang Pambansa and filed a bill converting Marinduque School of Arts and Trades into Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology. The bill becomes BP 377 which mandates the institute to offer degree courses in agricultural and fishery education, mining and allied technological courses leading to degrees in Engineering. Aside from these additional curricular offerings, the institute is mandated to promote reasearch, advanced studies and progressive leadership in these fields.

On January 5, 1990, RA 6833 authored by then Rep. Carmencita Reyes was signed into law by former President Corazon Aquino which changed the name of Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology to Marinduque State College.

On March 30, 1992, Reyes also paved the way to pen another House Bill which aims to establish branches of MSC in Torrijos and Gasan and absorb the Marinduque Community College (MCC) – a municipal run college in Sta. Cruz. RA 7319 was approved by former President Aquino.

With the approval of the Act, courses in Agriculture was opened at Torrijos, fisheries at Gasan, and absorbed the current offering of MCC, health related courses, Bachelor in Elementary Education and Bachelor of Arts.

While in Boac Campus, additional courses were offered such as Bachelor of Science in Information Management, Bachelor in Secondary Education, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

In the first 25 years of its service as state college, from the former national high school category, the college system was driven by eight administrators who in their idealism and dynamic leadership contributed much to the development of Marinduque State College.

Andres Malabed, Jr. (1983-1991) served the school as School Superintendent for 10 years before he was appointed president upon the conversion of Marinduque School of Arts and Trades into Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology in April 8, 1983. It was during his term that the School of Agriculture and Fisheries was opened and the 15-hectare campus was acquired. With the approval of RA 7319, he implemented the provision of the law thereby establishing MSC Branch in Torrijos, the absorption of former Marinduque Community College. He initially implemented the Agricultural Education outreach Program and Agricultural Technology in Torrijos and establishment of the MSC Graduate School in Boac.

Dr. Teodoro Garcia (July 1993-November 1993) succeeded Malabed as college president in July 6, 1993 but his term was cut short due to the poor state of his health.

Respicio Javier (1993-1994) served the school as Officer-in-Charge for November 24, 1993 to June 8, 1994.

Atilano Menorca (1994-1995) served as Officer-in-Charge from June 9, 1994 to March 22, 1995. He accomplished the operationalization of the School of Fisheries in Gasan Campus.

Dr. Rodrigo Monterey, Sr. (1995-2001) served a six-year term from March 23, 1995 to March 23, 2001. He worked for the establishment of the School of Information and Computing Sciences, the creation of Research and Extension Department and turn-over of Australian Agritech Project based in MSC Torrijos. It was in his administration where research and production were given emphasis as part of the function of the college.

Dr. Isidro Sotto (2001-2003), the first Marinduqueño to become MSC president was the instrument for the school's accreditation of programs for AACCUP. In his tenure, MSC tried accreditation and initially, the School of Education was conferred Level I by the agency.

Dr. Victor Vitto, Sr. (2003-2005) served as Officer-in-Charge of the school while Dr. Sotto was on sick leave. As OIC, the compliance of the school to the Physical Plant and Facilities standards set by CHED was one of his priorities, which resulted to the construction of infrastructure projects such as covered pathway, covered court and dormitories.

Dr. Romulo Malvar (2005-present) is the current college president. His significant and noteworthy accomplishments reflected in the following: In terms of instruction, upgrading of faculty profile thru scholarships, offering additional courses.

In the areas of research and extension, it was in his term when R & E Council (RECO) was organized per BOT Resolution No. 4, s. 2004. The RECO became functional and conduct several meetings for the approval of R & E projects. Four centers were established namely: Center for Social Development, Center for Applied Communication, Center for Arts and Cultural Studies, and Center for Scientific Information Management.

Recently, the President’s vision to build a Fern and Mushroom Park is on its way to realization. He is coordinating with different agencies to source out fund for their research project which he believes will boost the research culture of the college and to be a source of income for self-sustainability.

In his term, MSC was elevated to Level II category, after earning points of performance in instruction, research and extension, production and administration.

From then on, MSC continues to revolutionize its methodologies and strategies to live with its mission of providing quality, responsive and dynamic leadership in the areas of Education, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Fisheries, Culture, Arts, and Sciences to empower God-fearing individuals who are innovators and protectors for the sustainable development of the province and the country as a whole vis-à-vis its vision of achieving the status of being a premier college in the Region along the fields of Instruction, Research, Extension and Production.

Marinduque State College in its 25th Anniversary as a State College is progressing toward the attainment of its universityhood. Courses in Engineering, Allied Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Communication and Tourism, and Information Technology are offered in addition to the Industrial Technology and Teacher Education. Its graduates hurdled the 7th place in Civil Engineering Board Examination and 8th place in Agriculturist Licensure Examination while other courses obtained passing percentage higher than national passing percentage.

Among its faculty, 50 percent have finished either the doctorate or masteral degrees.

As a multi-campus state college, MSC campuses has different field of concentration. Boac Campus flagships are Technology, Engineering, Secondary Education, Information Technology and Allied Medicine. Boac Campus also offers Arts and Sciences courses such as Communication and Entrepreneurship. Other courses to be opened starting school year 2008-2009 are Doctor of Education major in Curriculum Development, Master of Arts in Education majors in Science and Mathematics, BS Education major Music, BS Law Enforcement Administration, BS Electronics and Communications Engineering, and BS Computer Engineering.

Sta. Cruz Campus’ flagship courses on the other hand are Elementary Education, Political Science and Tourism Management. Torrijos Campus specializes in Agriculture and Gasan Campus concentrates on Fisheries.