Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
Central Mindanao University (CMU) welcomed a technical evaluation team from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for a three-day on-site validation from June 4 to 6, 2026. The visit serves as the definitive assessment to revalidate and designate the CMU College of Agriculture as a national Center of Excellence (COE).
The CHED Technical Committee for Agriculture focused its rigorous evaluation on specific degree programs to ensure compliance with the highest institutional standards. These included the Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management (BSAM) and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA), specifically focusing on majors in Animal Science, Crop Protection (Entomology option), and Soil Science.
Dr. Judith D. Intong, Dean of the College of Agriculture, expressed deep gratitude to the technical panel for the opportunity.
“We already consider that as a blessing; it’s a grace that you come here to CMU,” Dr. Intong said. “Thank you for giving our COE application a chance.”
In a separate interview, Dr. Intong expressed her optimism for a positive outcome and hoped that other majors within the college would be included in the next batch of technical evaluations. She further noted that this time, the applications were assessed by individual majors or departments rather than by academic programs. She added that for colleges of agriculture across the Philippines, recognition will no longer be measured solely by whether the college as a whole is designated as a Center of Excellence (COE) but also by the number of major fields that attain COE status.
“Among the colleges of agriculture in the Philippines, it will then be a battle of the number of COEs,” Dr. Intong said.
Dr. Myrna S. Pabiona, Chair of the Department of Soil Science, shared that while the process was initially nerve-racking, the early preparation lessened much of the stress.
“The preparation was fine because we already submitted the documents back in December,” Dr. Pabiona explained. “We just had to handle the printing, PowerPoint presentations, and video recordings, so it wasn’t too much of a hassle. For the on-site visit, we were actually quite relaxed, just printing what was needed and working together as a department.”
During the exit conference, CHED Technical Evaluator Dr. Sheryl A. Yap emphasized growth over outcomes, noting that the college would undoubtedly benefit from the insights and experience gained during the visit. Beyond reviewing paperwork, the evaluation team toured the college’s facilities and took part in a special coffee cupping session.
The College of Agriculture previously held COE status from 2016 to 2019. However, due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, CHED did not open any new calls for applications, making this year’s evaluation a long-awaited opportunity for revalidation.
A COE designation is the highest status CHED grants to higher education programs that demonstrate peerless academic leadership. Retaining this status ensures that CMU continues to secure priority student scholarships, specialized funding grants for laboratory upgrades, and expanded opportunities for international research collaborations.
