Iloilo will soon have two more universities by June as soon as President Benigno S. Aquino III signs into law House Bill No. 4431 and House Bill No. 4432, according to Aurora Representative Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education.

Angara said HB 4431 seeks to convert Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF) into Iloilo State University of Fisheries, Science and Technology while HB 4432 seeks to convert Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST), including all its campuses, into Iloilo State University.

The said bills were already approved by Congress, said Angara during his visit to Iloilo last week.

Both bills were authored by Angara and co-sponsored by Fourth District Rep. Ferjenel Biron and Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas.

Angara said that the additional universities will help further strengthen Iloilo’s economy.

“Now that you will have new universities, we could now focus on research and increase jobs,” he said.

Currently, Iloilo has seven universities; West Visayas State University, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, University of San Agustin, Central Philippine University, University of Iloilo-Phinma, John B. Lacson Maritime University and St. Paul’s University.*