Bicol University


Bicol University is a regional state and research university in Bicol Region, the Philippines. BU is an ISO 9001:2008 certified public university in the region with Certificate No. TUV 100 05 1782. It is Administered from Legazpi City,
Bicol University is a school which is partly subsidized by the Philippine government. Students of the university and its graduates are referred to as “Mga Iskolar ng Bayan” but they are commonly called as Bueños. Students who wish to study in the university must pass the Bicol University College Entrance Test.

History

Bicol University was founded on June 21, 1969 by virtue of Republic Act 5521 and was formally organised on September 22, 1970. It evolved out of six educational institutions integrated to form the first state university in Region V:
These public schools and colleges, now part of Bicol University, had served the people of the region for more than half a century prior to their forming Bicol University.

University Presidents

Board of Regents

The governance of the university is vested in the Board of Regents, abbreviated as BOR. The board, with its 12 members, is the highest decision-making body of the university.
The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education serves as the Board's Chairperson while the President of the Bicol University is the Vice-Chairperson. The Chairpersons of the Committees of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives are also members of the Board of Regents which are concurrent with their functions as committee chairpersons.
The students of the Bicol University is represented by a Student Regent, which is also the chairperson of the University Student Council. While the Faculty Regent is likewise nominated by the faculty members of the whole University. Alumni are represented by the President of the BU Alumni Association.
As of 2018, the members of the Board of Regents of the Bicol University are:
Board member
ChairpersonRonald L. AdamatCommissioner of the Commission on Higher Education
Vice-ChairpersonAnulfo M. MascariñasSUC President IV, Bicol University
MemberFrancis Joseph G. EscuderoChairperson, Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture
MemberAnn K. HoferChairperson, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education
District Representative, Zamboanga Sibugay, 2nd District
MemberEdgar S. BarramedaAlumni Regent and President, BU General Alumni Association, Inc.
MemberNoel R. RaferFaculty Regent and President, BU Union of Faculty Association Inc.
MemberTomas B. BriñasRegional Director, DOST Region V
MemberAgnes M. Espinas - TolentinoOIC-Regional Director, NEDA Region V
MemberElena B. Delos SantosRegional Director, Regional Executive Director, Department of Agriculture Region V
MemberAtty. Hardy B. AquendePrivate Sector Representative
MemberClemente A. IboPrivate Sector Representative
MemberIvan Ian BariaChairperson and Student Regent, University Student Council

Student political parties

Located on the boundary of Daraga, Albay and Legazpi City along the national highway, Rizal St. Aside from the Administration Building, the campus hosts the College of Education, College of Nursing, College of Arts and Letters, College of Science, Graduate School, Institute of Physical Education, Sports and Recreation, College of Medicine, Bicol University College of Education Integrated Laboratory School-Elementary Department and Bicol University College of Education Integrated Laboratory School-High School Department. The Bicol University Research Extension Program Center, the Amphitheatre and the Little Theater are also found in this campus.

East campus

Located in Enlisted Men's Barrio, Barangay 1 also in Legazpi City, the campus hosts the College of Engineering, College of Industrial Technology School of Mabata and the Institute of Architecture.

Daraga campus

Located in Sagpon, Daraga, Albay, and is less than a kilometer from the main campus, the campus consists of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, College of Business, Economics and Management and the Bicol University International House. This campus was formerly called College of Arts and Science.

Tabaco campus

Located in Tayhi, Tabaco, Albay. Courses offered in this campus are Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Food Technology, Social Work, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marine Fisheries, Fish Technology, Coastal Resource Management, Secondary Education, and Entrepreneurship.

Guinobatan campus

Located in Pan-Philippine Highway in the town of Guinobatan, Albay, formerly known as Guinobatan Rural High School in 1927; Roxas Memorial Agricultural School in 1950; Bicol University College of Agriculture in 1969 through RA 5521; with the offering of Bachelor of Science in Forestry starting in 1991, is now known as Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry. BUCAF is a member of Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network

Polangui campus

Located in Centro Occidental, Polangui, Albay, this was formerly known as the School for Philippine Craftsmen and offered vocational courses. It was integrated into Bicol University, through R.A. 7722, R.A. 8292 & R.A. 8769, on December 14, 2000 and renamed as Bicol University Polangui Campus. From the five courses offered in 2000, it now offers fifteen courses including BSc in Nursing, BSc in Computer Engineering and BSc in Electronics and Communications Engineering.

Gubat campus

Located in Gubat, Sorsogon, this campus offers bachelor's degrees in Agricultural Technology, Secondary and Elementary Education, Fisheries, Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, Peace and Security Studies and Computer Science are offered in this campus. This is the only BU campus outside the province of Albay.

Facilities and services

Library System

The University Library System is for the use of students and other researchers. It has a collection of books in different fields of knowledge and all the published undergraduate and graduate researches. It is composed of eleven sub-libraries, namely:
It organizes and facilitates the conduct of intercollegiate sports and University's participation in sports events. It runs wellness and fitness programs. Some of its facilities for Athletics include a soccer field, olympic-sized swimming pool, a rubberized track oval, and a grandstand.

Radio station

The university has its own radio station, DWBU 106.3.

Notable alumni