Creating International Linkages: BU, National Central University – Taiwan enters MOU

Anotherinternational partner from Taiwan – National Central University had signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Bicol University in promoting educational and academic cooperation, held virtually via Zoom teleconference, on July 7, 2022.

The partnership will achieve the objective on (1) promoting institutional exchange by inviting faculty and staff to participate in joint research projects; (2) promoting exchange of essays, publication, theses, and information related to the research; (3) promoting dual degree program; and (4) promoting student exchange program.

The virtual meeting commenced with welcome remarks from VP for

Administration and Finance Atty. Joseph L. Bartolata followed by a message from the University Provosts Dr. Jing-Yang Jou, NCU President.

For the brief university profile presentations, Dr. Dimson M. Rivero, BU International Relations Office Director, discussed BU’s profile of excellence while Dr. Hsieh-Lung Hsu, VP for International Affairs, for NCU.

The virtual signing was held participated by Prof. Jocelyn E. Serrano, Dean of the College of Science, Dr. Leticia M. Lopez, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, Dr. Edie See, Dean of the College of Business, Economics, and Management, Dr. Amelia B. Gonzales, Dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Herbert B. Rosana, Dean of Graduate School, Prof. Carina L. Sales, Director of the Institute of Physical Education, Sports, and Recreation, and Dr. Irene R. Moral, Director of the University Language Center.

For the NCU, present were Dr. Jin-Yang Jou, Prof. Jen-Inn Chyi, Vice President, Prof. Hsieh-Lung Hsu, Prof. Wen-Chi Lin, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Prof. TsungTai Lin, Dean of the College of Science, Prof. Ping-Yu Hsu, Dean of the School of Management, Prof. Shu-Kun Hsu, Dean of the College of Earth Sciences, and Prof. ChiHung Juan, Dean of the College of Health and Sciences Technology.

Dr. Amelia A. Dorosan, VP for Academic Affairs, delivered the closing remarks of the virtual program.

Subsequently, the committee presented its well-crafted proposal to the University’s Executive Committee, the University Academic Council and the University Administrative Council, which overwhelmingly endorsed the proposal for the establishment of the BUCL to the BU Board of Regents for approval. Thus, on August 16, 2018, during its Special Board Meeting, the BU Board of Regents passed Resolution No. 351, Series of 2018, approving the establishment of the BUCL and the offering of the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program.

After the passage of BOR Resolution No. 351, series of 2018, President Mascariñas started searching and shortlisting individuals who could possibly be willing to take the challenging role of leading and organizing the then newest college of Bicol University. Eventually, Pres. Mascariñas made his best choice of appointing Atty. Hardy B. Aquende as the Dean of the BUCL.

Dean Aquende immediately formed his core team to help him operationalize the establishment of BUCL with Atty. Norly P. Reyes as his Associate Dean; Atty. Ledilla Lilibeth H. Llagas as in-charge of the faculty; and, Ms. Imelda S. Peralta as the College Librarian. Aside from accepting the deanship, Atty. Aquende also donated more than a million worth of law books.

To further ensure that the BUCL will have all the needed law books, Attys. Nepomuceno, Llagas and Reyes, as well as other lawyers of BU such as Atty. Joseph L. Bartolata also donated law books of recent editions as required by LEB. These book donations coupled with Ms. Imelda Peralta’s expertise as a librarian paved the way for the BUCL’s compliance in terms of library holdings and library facilities.

To ensure the competence of faculty members, who will be guiding the first batch of students of BUCL, Atty. Llagas also had to connect to her former students who are now lawyers and to her colleagues in the legal profession who are already recognized as experts in their respective fields and convinced as well as invited them to teach the pioneer batch of BUCL. Dean Aquende also brought some legal luminaries from Manila to BUCL as part of the core faculty of the college. To complete the requirements for the first-year level permit, Atty. Reyes, with the assistance of his skilled staff-Ms. Cielo Ll. Jaylo, Ms. Alita C. Lozana, and Ms. Ma. Myra Austero, painstakingly prepared the voluminous documentary requirements for LEB submission. Dean Aquende and his team’s hard work paid off when the LEB issued the BUCL’s first-year level permit in June 2019.

With the first-year level permit having been issued, the BUCL finally announced the opening of the submission for application for its first batch of students in July 2019. With close to 150 applicants, only 42 of them successfully passed the strict requirements for admission and subsequently enrolled. Thereafter, BUCL had to prepare the needed requirements for the subsequent permits. To ensure that subsequent government permits will be issued, Atty. Llagas consistently prepared all the needed faculty requirements and compliments while Associate Dean Reyes competently prepared all the administrative, financial and other documentary requirements from 2019 to the present. Thus, LEB issued BUCL’s Government Permit Levels I, II and III thereby authorizing BUCL to enrol its first, second, and third-year law students.

At present, BUCL has a total of 72 students from 1st to 3rd year level. The issuance by LEB of the full recognition to the BUCL operation by way of the Certificate of Government Recognition is truly a milestone in the budding history of the College of Law.