The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), along with nine other higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the Bicol region, officially partnered with the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office V (CHED-ROV) on August 18, 2025. This collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of agreement, is for the Scholarships for Staff and Instructors’ Knowledge Advancement Program (SIKAP). The signing ceremony took place at Casa Lorenzo in Tagas, Daraga, Albay.
SIKAP is a CHED initiative that provides teaching and non-teaching personnel from HEIs with scholarship opportunities to pursue advanced studies in identified universities and colleges within the Philippines. It is a key program aimed at enhancing the professional growth and academic qualifications of HEI personnel nationwide.
Leading the CBSUA delegation was University President Dr. Alberto N. Naperi, who was joined by other presidents, vice presidents, deans, and administrators from the delivering HEIs. Also in attendance were CHED RO V officials and staff, led by Regional Director Dr. Demetrio P. Anduyan, Jr., CESO III.
For the academic year 2025-2026, a total of 91 graduate degree programs in Region 5 have been approved under the SIKAP, based on CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 9, series of 2025. Nineteen (19) of these approved programs are from CBSUA, making it a key player in the program’s implementation in the region.
“We take pride in our graduate programs in CBSUA. And we’re grateful to be part of this partnership with CHED ROV,” Dr. Naperi said, highlighting the university’s commitment to academic excellence and its role in the region’s educational landscape.
The delivering Bicol HEIs, including CBSUA, consist of one autonomous private HEI and eight State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) with at least SUC Level III and Certificates of Program Compliance (COPCs) approved by the CHED Central Office. These include Ateneo de Naga University, Bicol University (BU), Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC), Camarines Norte State College (CNSC), Catanduanes State University (CatSU), DEBESMSCAT, Partido State University (ParSU), and Sorsogon State University (SorSU).
Highlights of the event included a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of both CHED RO V and the delivering HEIs, followed by messages of commitment from the participating institutions. This partnership is a testament to the collaborative effort to improve the quality of higher education in the Bicol region by investing in the professional development of its faculty and staff. | 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘊𝘏𝘌𝘋-𝘙𝘖𝘝 & 𝘔𝘳. 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯, 𝘊𝘐𝘋 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳
