Flashback to an evening in 1994, in our TV room at our official residence in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, during the tour of duty of our father as Philippine Ambassador. I, barely a teenager, first heard of MSU (Mindanao State University). I vaguely recall that a guest, one of my godfathers, the late Professor Emmanuel “Wawel” Osorio, told me: “Look at you now, you were just a kid when I last saw you, and now, look at you! You will soon enter college, and what a perfect time. Your father and I know the current President of MSU, Dr. Emily Marohombsar. Yes, that’s where you should go!” Ninong Wawel continued, “You need to establish your links to Lanao. Your relatives are all waiting for you, being Ching’s eldest. MSU will help you blend in and train you to your potential. MSU is where the future leaders of this land are meant to be born.”

My father finished his undergraduate degree from San Beda College. As fate would have it, I also ended up graduating from the same storied institution two decades later. San Beda College, like MSU, was close to my father’s heart. Our father was No. 1 in the first entrance examination of the MSU High School, then an experimental initiative to help MSU fulfill its mandate. He was also one of only five Maranao full scholars in MSU (1967-68). As fate again would have it, he became a member of the MSU Board of Regents (BOR). In his first few years as Regent, I got to know various university officials, faculty, and staff — most, if not all, MSU graduates. Through these BOR meetings and their attendant activities, I learned about the many issues surrounding MSU, most of which were academic in nature and almost alien to me.

As background, MSU was established in 1961 under Republic Act 1387, as amended, authored by the late Senator Domacao Alonto. Meant to address the so-called “Mindanao Problem,” MSU was envisioned to integrate Muslims, Christians and the Lumads into the national fabric.

Prior to the birth of MSU, Mindanao faced significant challenges. It had some of the lowest enrollment rates and some of the highest dropout rates, especially in areas that are now part of the BARMM. Compared to other regions in the country, Mindanao rated low in several areas — poor access to education due to socio-economic hindrances, inadequate infrastructure, and road networks, to name a few. Mindanao is rich in resources, but most families were engaged only in subsistence farming. While there were opportunities in other sectors, development was hindered due to a lack of quality education.

Enter MSU. It opened doors to a more educated population without the need to relocate or travel to other parts of the country. MSU not only educated but also enlightened Muslims, Lumads and Christians alike. Many government-funded scholarships were available. It started with the Marawi campus, with about 280 students and three colleges. After passing the entrance examinations conducted by the National Science Development Board, the first batch of students — who were the top 5 percent of high schools from the MINSUPALA region — were admitted on full scholarship. These students would eventually become some of the earliest professionals, academicians, and policymakers from these communities.

(To be continued)