DIFFUN, Quirino—The Commission on Higher Education has approved the reappointment of Quirino State University president Dr. Samuel O. Benigno here for a second term.
CHED Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan said the reappointment of Benigno, who holds a PhD in Rural Development, was effective last Feb. 9 through Feb. 8, 2021.
Benigno is also former dean of the school’s Institute of Graduate Studies, director for Instruction, and Vice president for Academic and Related Affairs.
Also a member of QSU’s Board of Regents, Licuanan said Benigno served as the first university president when Quirino State College of Diffun town was converted into a state university on Oct. 19, 2012 under Republic Act 10230.
The conversion of the QSC integrated the two campuses of Quirino Polytechnic College in Cabarroguis town and Maddela Institute of Technology in Maddela town.
Benigno has initiated programs and developments that enhanced and transformed QSU’s administration, instruction, research, extension, and auxiliary services, CHED said.
Because of his five-year development plan, the university now enjoys a Systematized Student Admission and Registration, which standardized the implementation of policies, standards and guidelines on student admission and registration in the three campuses of the university, the agency added.
Benigno said one of his priorities was the creation of the QSU website for transparency on the agency’s budget information, invitations to bid, and contracts.
Other initiatives he pushed were a Workshop on Strategic Performance Management System to craft the performance evaluation system in line with its strategic objectives and Major Final Outputs, and the Annual Institutional Procurement Planning and Budgeting for procurement directions, strategies, processes and priorities for the upcoming year.
Benigno also led QSU to collaborate with the International River Foundation, a non-profit Australian organization, to help sustain environment and water resources in the Cagayan Valley river basin.
His visits to Thailand and Vietnam “has revolutionized research and technology management in the university, making QSU Research and Development program a pioneer in agricultural technology, organic farming, adaptation to climate change, product development, education or instructional and social research ventures in the province,” the school added.
“QSU researches and outputs thus were recognized and presented in other countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam,” Benigno said.
He said scholarship grants for masters and doctorate degrees of faculty members, as well as various innovations on infrastructures and resources, were among those he has pursued at QSU as part of his commitment to excellence and innovations in education.