WHEREAS, the Constitution directs the State to establish and maintain a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development and further prescribes that all educational institutions shall aim to develop scientific, technological and vocational efficiency;

WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 6-A also known as the Educational Development Decree of 1972 promulgated on September 29, 1972, it is the declared policy of the government to reorient the education system towards economic growth and social development;

WHEREAS, the conversion of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Agriculture into a State College with a charter of its own, for the purpose of broadening its curricular offering and redirecting its objectives would hasten the development of the region, particularly the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Benguet, and thereby contribute to the accomplishment of national goals;

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

SECTION 1. The present Don Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Agriculture, located in the Municipality of Bacnotan, Province of La Union, established under Republic Act No. 5310 is hereby converted into Don Mariano Marcos State College, hereinafter referred to as College.

SEC. 2. The College shall primarily provide professional and advanced vocational and technical instruction and training in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and industrial technologies. It shall also promote research, advanced studies, and progressive, leadership in its fields of specialization.

SEC. 3. In addition to its present secondary and collegiate curricular offerings, the College shall offer under-graduate and graduate courses in the fields of agriculture, fishery, forestry and industrial technologies as the Board of Trustees may deem necessary to carry out its objectives. It shall also offer opportunity or short-term technical or vocational courses within its areas of specialization to meet the needs of the region.

SEC. 4. No student shall be denied admission to the College by reason of sex, ethnic consideration, or religious belief or affiliation.

SEC. 5. The College shall be headed by a President to be appointed by the President of the Philippines. His salary shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees and shall be comparable to that being received by the President of similar educational institutions of like enrolment and standing.

The powers and duties of the President of the College in addition to those specifically provided for in this Decree shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the President of a State College.

SEC. 6. The governing body of the College shall be the Board of Trustees, to be composed of the Secretary of Education and Culture as Chairman, the Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority, the President of the College and four (4) other distinguished citizens of Region No. 1, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, as members. Of the four appointed members one shall be an authority in agriculture, one in trades and technology, one in general education and one in commerce and industry; Provided, That at least one of the four appointed members shall be an alumnus of the State College. Of the four members first appointed by the President, one shall serve for one year; one to serve for two years; one to serve for three years; and one to serve four years. Thereafter, appointed to succeed such members shall hold office for a term of four years and until successors shall have been appointed and qualified-. In cases of a permanent vacancy, the position shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Philippines. Such an appointee shall hold office for the unexpired term only.

When the Secretary of Education and Culture is unable to perform his duties as Chairman of the Board due to illness, absence or other cause, or in case of vacancy in the office, the Undersecretary of Education and Culture shall temporarily perform the function of the Chairman of the said Board. The Chairman may assign qualified officials to represent him with full authority in the Board.

SEC. 7. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all the members holding office at the time a meeting is called. All processes against the Board of Trustees shall be served on the President or Secretary thereof.

SEC. 8. The members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to an allowance of One Hundred Pesos per meeting actually attended but not exceeding Three Hundred Pesos a month, and to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in attendance of meetings and other official business authorized by resolution of the Board.

SEC. 9. The Board of Trustees shall have the following powers and duties, in addition to its general powers of administration, and all the powers of the governing board of a corporation as provided in Section 13 of Act No. 1459 as amended, otherwise known as the Corporation Law:

1. To receive and appropriate for the purpose specified by law such sums as may be provided for the support of the College;
2. To confer degrees upon successful candidates for graduation of the College. It may also confer honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of learning, statesmanship or eminence in any of the fields of specialization of the College, or in recognition of public service: Provided, That such degrees shall not be conferred in consideration of or to reciprocate some personal favor;
3. To authorize the President of the College to award proficiency certificates or diplomas to students who have completed non-degree courses;
4. To appoint, on recommendation of the President of the College, a vice-president, deans, directors, secretary of the College, registrar, heads of departments, professors, instructors, lecturers, and other officials and employees of the College; to fix their compensations, hours of service, and such other duties under conditions as it may deem proper, to grant to them, in its discretion, leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provisions of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding; to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing; to establish professorial chairs in the College, and to provide for the maintenance and or endowment of such chairs as may be necessary;
5. To approve the curricula rules and discipline drawn by the College Council as hereinafter provided;
6. To fix tuition fees, matriculation fees, graduation fees, laboratory fees, and such special fees as will constitute a special trust fund for the College;
7. To provide fellowship for qualified faculty members and scholarships to deserving students,
8. To prescribe rules for its own government and to enact for the government of the College such rules and regulations, not contrary to law, as may be necessary to carry out the purpose and functions of the College;
9. To receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal property of all kinds, to administer the same for the benefit of the College, or of the departments thereof, or for aid to any student or students, in accordance with the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default thereof, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may in its discretion determine. All such donations shall be exempt from all taxes and to be considered as deductible items from the income tax of the donors; and to import, duty free, commodities for educational purposes as an exception to existing laws; and
10. To authorize the College to undertake construction arid/or repair of its buildings and other farms structures, machinery and equipment, land improvement and other facilities, any provision of law or executive order to the contrary notwithstanding; Provided, That the funds for the purpose shall come from its appropriations.

SEC. 10. On or before the fifteenth day of the second month after the opening of regular classes each year, the Board of Trustees shall submit to the President of the Philippines a detailed report, setting forth the progress, conditions and needs of the College.

SEC. 11. There shall be a College Council consisting of the President of the College and all members of the faculty with the rank of professor. The Council shall have the power to prescribe the curricula and rules of discipline, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees. It shall fix the requirements for admission to the College, as well as for graduation and the conferring of degrees, subject to review by the Board of Trustees. The Council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipients of degrees. Through the President of the College or its duly authorized committee, the Council shall have disciplinary power over the students within the limits prescribed by the rules of discipline.

SEC. 12. The body of instructors and professors of the College shall constitute the faculty of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State College. The Faculty shall be exempt from civil service examinations or regulations as prerequisite to appointment.

SEC. 13. No members of the faculty of the College shall attempt directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Trustees, to influence students or any person in the College towards any ideology, political or otherwise, which preaches the overthrow of the government through violence or subversion.

SEC. 14. There shall be a Secretary of the College who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the President of the College. He shall also be the Secretary of the Board of Trustees and shall keep such records of the College as may be determined by the Board of Trustees.

SEC. 15. The Treasurer of the Philippines shall be ex-officio treasurer of the College and all accounts and expenses therefor shall be audited by the Commission on Audit or its duly authorized representative.

SEC. 16. Heads of the Bureaus of Offices of the National Government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer upon request of the President of the College, such apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by the College, and to detail employees for duty therein when in the judgement of the head of the bureau or office such apparatus, equipment, supplies or services can be spared without serious detriment to the pubic service. Employees so detailed shall perform such duty as may be required under their detail and the time so employed shall be counted part of their regular official service.

SEC. 17. All assets, fixed and movable, records and all personnel of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Agriculture are transferred to the College. All parcels of land belonging to the government that are occupied by the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Agriculture are hereby declared to be the property of the College and shall be titled under that name.

SEC. 18. In addition to the current appropriations of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Agriculture, the sum of five million pesos is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriate for the establishment, operation and maintenance of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State College. Thereafter, funds for the maintenance and operation of the College shall be included in the annual General Appropriations decree.

SEC. 19. The Secretary of Education and Culture is hereby directed to take such steps as are necessary for the immediate implementation of this Decree.

SEC. 20. All laws, decrees, executive orders or regulations contrary to or inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 21. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 19th day of December, in the year of Our. Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.