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USM establishes lone law school in Cotabato Province
By: Ronel A. Naringahon, USM
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Kidapawan City, Cotabato Province - As an institution upholding social reform and human rights, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) offers the Juris Doctor degree starting this year. Currently, it is the sole law school in Cotabato Province. The newly established College of Law is under the supervision of Dean Freddie H. Baynosa II, LLM. It officially started its classes on September 12, 2022, at USM - Kidapawan City campus, with 79 enrollees.
It has 13 pioneering faculty members, namely: Judge Arvin Sadiri Balagot, CPA; Judge Eugene David Tancinco; City Councilor (Ret. Judge) Francis Palmones Jr.; Ret. City Prosecutor Melvin A. Lamata; Commission on Bar Discipline (CBD) Commissioner Atty. Vicente Andiano; CBD Commissioner Atty. Emma FerenalAndiano; Atty. Regerick Benito, LLM; Prosecutor Christ May V. Andolana; Public Atty. Noreen MaglunsodNapoles, CPA, LLM; Atty. Jessa Ela Velarde; Public Atty. Karen Mae M. Maliones; Atty. Esther JalandoniDumagan; and Public Atty. Erwin A. Valenzuela, LPT, MPA.
The University was able to secure a government permit of authority to operate the Law Program under Republic Act No. 7662, entitled the “Legal Education Reform Act of 1993,” under Legal Education Board (LEB) Resolution No. 176-07 on July 29, 2022.
The LEB examined the Juris Doctor Program of the University on July 11, 2022 to evaluate its readiness. Headed by LEB’s Chief Operating Officer, Atty. Aaron Marc M. Dimaano, the Board conducted the inspection and validation process of the said program. After thorough evaluation of the documents and the facilities, the Board found the Law program to have successfully complied with all the requirements to operate its law school.
The North Cotabato Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, through its President, Atty. Vicente C. Andiano, manifested its support to USM for offering the program since Cotabato Province currently has no established law school. Following the directives of the Philippine Supreme Court, LEB, and in consonance with the vision of USM’s founder, Bai Hadja Fatima Matabay N. Plang, the College of Law commits to produce graduates who can make it in the bar exams and eventually serve their communities with honor.
