PANABO CITY – The Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) sent accreditors on a virtual mission to evaluate Davao del Norte State College’s Bachelor of Secondary Education Majors in English, Mathematics, and Sciences (BSED) program, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) program, Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology (BSMB) program, and Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education (BTLED) program for a possible Level IV Phase 2 accreditation.

The survey visit was conducted on October 18 – 20, 2023. Dr. Jaime M. Forbes of Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), the AACCUP coordinator for the survey visit, was also one of the accreditors for the BSED program. He was joined by his BPSU colleague, Dr. Sherrilyn B. Quintos. For the BSIT program, the evaluators were Dr. Isidro L. Duran from Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMSU) and Dr. Rachiel R. Rivano of Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU). PRof. Grace B. Brizuela of Bicol University (BU) and Dr. Elsie J. Cacho of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC) were the accrediting duo for BSMB. Lastly, Dr. Reynaldo G. Salamat of Bulacan State University (BulSU) and Dr. Romulo B. Mercado, Jr. (also from BulSU) assessed the BTLED major in Home Economics program.

The College’s accreditation local task force prepared evidence and supporting documents that showed the programs’ accomplishments and strengths in research, graduates’ performance, community service, international linkages, and planning. The accreditors were able to view these documents in advance through AKRED, a system designed by DNSC’s computer programmers that is tailor-fitted to the accreditation needs and processes.

In the closing meeting, Dr. Jaime M. Forbes gave the general impression on behalf of the accrediting team. He reiterated that accreditation activities are not just facilitated to evaluate programs but also to recognize the individual contributions of all personnel in delivering services beyond standards. The accreditors lauded the College’s adherence to international standards through its ISO certification and consistency in producing quality graduates that contribute to their respective fields.

While they appreciated the College’s efforts, they also pointed out the following suggestions for improvement: conduct a tracer study using the instrument of the Commission on Higher Education to know the employer’s feedback of the graduates, document stories of promotion and awards of the graduates, align extension services to the local and national agenda, write a study concretizing the impact of extension services, and strengthen the motivation of faculty members to produce research in their specializations.

College President Joy M. Sorrosa accepted the suggestions and expressed DNSC’s gratitude for the time and wisdom imparted by the accreditors. The results will be announced after the final evaluation and confirmation of the AACCUP Board of Directors.