WHEREAS, it is a policy of the state to periodically reorient the educational system to serve as an effective vehicle for an accelerated economic growth and the social well being of the Filipino people;

WHEREAS, Western Mindanao is endowed with extensive fishing grounds teeming with marine life, vast mangrove areas and swamplands suitable for aquaculture development and fertile lands with unlimited potentials for agriculture and agribusiness concerns that if rationally exploited, utilized and developed would bring progress and prosperity to the region and its people;

WHEREAS, Western Mindanao suffers from low agricultural and industrial productivity and have limited productive employment opportunities attributed to poor and inefficient resource utilization and inadequate skilled manpower and infrastructure support;

WHEREAS, notwithstanding its natural bounties, Western Mindanao remains underdeveloped on account of a dearth
of competent leaders trained in the rudiments of science and technology;

WHEREAS, the present Mindanao Regional School of Fisheries which was included as one of the seven project institutes under the Sixth Education Project of the Philippine Government (GOP/IBRD No. 1786 PH) had significantly improved its institutional capabilities to offer programs in science and technology;

WHEREAS, the present College with its upgraded facilities can produce the manpower needed to rationally exploit, utilize and develop the natural resources of Western Mindanao, thereby accelerating- economic growth and the improvement of the quality of life of its people.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree;

SECTION 1. Conversion and Etablishment. The present Mindanao Regional School of Fisheries, located in Zamboanga City is hereby converted into a Regional State College to be known as Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology, hereinafter referred to in this Act as the State College.

SEC. 2. Composition of the State College. The State College shall be composed of the present Regional Institute of Fisheries, Institute of Marine Transportation, and administrative units of the Mindanao Regional School of Fesheries. The State College will have administrative supervision over all fishery schools in the region under a Regional Fisheries System. An Institute of Marine Sciences, a School of Development Management, a Graduate School and other new departments, centers or units may later be organized to become part of the State College.

SEC. 3. Purpose. The State College shall provide the necessary leadership in professional and technical instruction in Fisheries, maritime technology, marine sciences and development management in line with the manpower requirement and other development needs of Western Mindanao and neighboring regions. The State College shall offer undergraduate and graduate courses in fisheries, maritime technology, marine sciences, computer technology and development management, as well as short-term technical/ vocational courses relevant to the needs of fisheries, maritime and other marine resources based industries. It shall promote research in fisheries and marine sciences and in related agribusiness concerns.

SEC. 4. Governing Board. The policy making power of the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology is hereby vested in the Board of Trustees. The Board will be composed of five members, namely: the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, the Regional Executive Director of the National Economic and Development Authority, the President of the State College, the Regional Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the President of the Alumni Association of the College.

The members of the Board shall serve without compensation other than actual and necessary expenses incurred in attendance upon meetings of the Board or upon other official business related to his position as a Trustee authorized by a resolution of the Board.

SEC. 5. Powers and Duties of the Governing Board. The Board of Trustees shall have the following powers and duties in addition to its general powers of administration, and the exercise or all powers of a corporation provided in Section Thirteen of the Corporation Law.

1. To determine and fix the dates and time of their regular meetings as well as special meetings as the need for the same may arise: Provided, That all such meetings shall not be more than twice in a month, nor less than once in any quarter.
2. To recommend the President of the State College for appointment by the President of the Philippines, who shall serve for a period of six years, subject to reappointment provided that his term of office shall not extend beyond the age of sixty-five.
3. To appoint, upon the recommendation of the President of the State College the Vice President, Executive Director, the Directors of the different Institutes, Heads of Departments, Professors, professorial lecturers, visiting or exchange faculty and other officers and employees whose basic salaries are at least equal to that of an Assistant Professors; to fix their compensation, hours of services, and such other duties and conditions as it may deem proper, subject to pertinent budget and compensation laws.
4. 4) To provide for the establishment of the Institute of Marine Sciences, Graduate School and the School of Development Management and other institutes and schools as it may deem necessary.
5. To approve curriculars programs and rules of discipline drawn by the College Council; fix the required tuition fees, matriculation fees, fees for laboratory courses, graduation fees and all other fees, and to reappropriate and utilize the same for the operation of the State College.
6. To manage funds for the operation of income generating projects, and to promulgate policies, rules and regulations for the operation and management of said projects.
7. To authorize the construction and repair of buildings and related facilities, and other permanent improvements under the direct administrative supervision of the State College, upon recommendation of the President.
8. To promulgate other policies, rules and regulations not specified in the preceding items for the effective and efficient governance of the State College.
9. To delegate certain authorities to the President of the State College as it may deem appropriate and prescribe rules under which the President can enter into contracts without prior approval of the Board for acquisition of properties and services, and the purchase of equipment and supplies not exceeding a certain cost of value, which the Board may later prescribe; Provided, that all such contracts shall be reported to the Board.
10. To confer the usual honorary degrees upon persons other than graduates of the State College in recognition of learning, exemplary performance, eminence or outstanding contribution in fisheries, marine sciences, maritime technology and development management; Provided, that such degrees, shall not be conferred in consideration of the payment of money or other valuable considerations; and
11. To file with the Office of the President and Prime Minister of the Philippines, a detailed report of operations of the State College for the preceding year on or before the thirty-first day of March of each year.

SEC. 6. Quorum. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all the members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called. All processes against the Board of Trustees shall be served on the Secretary thereof.

SEC. 7. The Administration. The head of the State College shall be known as the President of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees for a term of six years. He may be reappointed for another terra by the President of the Philippines also upon recommendation of the Board of Trustees. He shall be assisted by a Vice President and an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the President of the College. The powers and duties of the President of the State College, in addition to those provided in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the Office of the President of a State College.

SEC. 8. Powers of the President. The powers and duties of the President of the State College, in addition to those usually pertaining to the Office of the President of a State College which are not inconsistent with the provisions of law, are as follows:

1. To provide leadership for the State College; preserve and protect its academic integrity and insure the strict observance and implementation of the policies, rules and regulations promulgated by the Board.
2. To recommend to the Board of Trustees for appointment, (he Vice-President, Executive Director, Directors of the Institute, Professors, Administrative Officer, professorial lecturers, exchange or visiting faculty and other officers and employees whose basic salaries are equal to that of an Assistant Professor.
3. To appoint instructors and other faculty members, officers and other employees of the State College subject to the provisions of Item three Section five of the Act; promote and transfer said employees, fix their work schedule, grant leaves of absence and approve their designations, additional assignments, compensations and retirement in accordance with the policies promulgated and approved by the Board, subject to the provisions of pertinent budget and compensation laws.
4. To recommend the promotion, additional renumeration and the granting of fringe benefits to the officials of the State College appointed by the Board.
5. To set up the machinery for the review of all disciplinary actions appealable to the Office of the President and the machinery for redress of grievances.
6. To exercise within the framework of the policies of the State College, development planning and allocation of resources, request for grants, endowments and other donations, external relation and State College policies relative to curricula and other academic programs, and rights, privileges, responsibilities and welfare of State College constituency.
7. To formulate comprehensive institutional development plan for the State College, to be revised and updated every 5 years or every year as may be necessary.
8. To submit and recommend to the Board approval of curricular programs, rules of discipline, the conferment of degrees and diplomas and awarding of certificates as recommended by the College Council.
9. To award fellowship, assistantships and schoolships to the faculty and other employees and students in accordance with the policies prescribed by the Board.
10. To negotiate and obtain grants for specific projects, donations of properties of all kind subjects to the confirmation of the Board and to administer the same for the benefit of the State College and its constituency in accordance with the wishes of the donor and in the absence thereof, in such manner as the Board may in its discretion determine.
11. To prepare for approval of the Board the budget of the State College.
12. To submit to the Board annual reports on the operations of the State College, and such other reports as the latter may require.
13. To proscribe rules and regulations not contrary to law for the governance of the State College consistent with its purpose and tiie policies promulgated by the Board; and
14. To exercise such other powers and duties as may be delegated to him by the Board.

SEC. 9. The Secretary of the State College. The Board of Trustees shall appoint a secretary who shall serve in a concurrent capacity the Board and the State College, and shall keep such records of the State College as may be designated by the Board and the President of the State College.

SEC. 10. The College Council. There shall be a College Council, consisting of the President, Vice President, Executive Director, Directors of the Institutes/Schools, Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors. The President or his duly authorized representative, why is a member of the Council, shall be the Chairman of the Council. Subject to the existing laws and approval by the Board and upon the recommendation of the President, the College Council shall:

1. Prescribe courses of study and rules of discipline;
2. Fix the requirements for admission to any Institute and Schools of the State College as well as for graduation and conferment of degrees;
3. Recommend candidates for graduation and recipients of honors and award; and
4. Exercise disciplinary powers over the studentry through the President or Executive Committee composed of the President and the Vice President, the Executive Dierctor and the Directors of the different Institutes and Schools pursuant to the rules of discipline approved by the Board.

SEC. 11. The Faculty of the State College. The instructors and professors of the State College shall constitute its faculty to be prescribed by a Director who shall be selected from among the members of such faculty and appointed by the Board for a term fixed by the College Council, upon recommendation of the President of the State College.

SEC. 12. In the appointment of instructors and professors, and other personnel of the State College, religious opinions or affiliations shall not be made a matter of inquiry or examination. Provided, however, that no professor, instructor or any other personnel of the State College shall inculcate sectarian tenets in any of the teachings nor attempt, directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Trustees, to influence students at attendance at the State College for or against any particular church or religious sect. The State College shall enjoy full academic freedom.

SEC. 13. Civil Service Requirement—Professors or instructors of the State College shall be exempted from any civil service examination or regulation as a prerequisite to appointment shall be entitled to the privileges and rights of security of tenure, promotion in position and salaries for meritorious service, sabbatical leave, leaves and retirement benefits as now provided and will be later provided by law. .

SEC. 14. A student shall not be denied admission to the State College by reason of sex, ethnic consideration and religious belief or affiliation.

SEC. 15. Appropriation. The appropriation of the Mindanao Regional School of Fisheries-Regional Institute of Fisheries Technology at the time of its conversion shall be transferred to the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology. Thereafter, funds for the operation and maintenance of the College shall be included in the Appropriation Act, the total sum of which shall be recommended by the Board of Trustees of the State College as approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture and office of the President.

SEC. 16. Property of the State College. The assets, fixed or movable, and records of the Mindanao Regional School of Fisheries-Regional Institute of Fisheries Technology are hereby transferred to the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology.

SEC. 17. General Provisions. The Minister of Education, Culture and Sports is hereby directed to take such steps as are necessary for the immediate implementation of this Decree.

SEC. 18. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 28th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JOAQUIN T. VENUS, JR.
		Deputy Presidential Executive Assistant