# Mariano Marcos State University

Mariano Marcos State University (Tagalog: Pamantasang Pampamahalaan Mariano Marcos; Ilocano: Universidad Estatal Mariano Marcos; Spanish: Universidad Estatal Mariano Marcos; MMSU) is a higher education institution with campuses and facilities throughout Ilocos Norte province in the Philippines. Its main campus is in Batac.

## History

Established through Presidential Decree No. 1279 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos on January 6, 1976, Mariano Marcos State University was founded as a merger of two state colleges in the province of Ilocos Norte: the Mariano Marcos Memorial College of Science and Technology (MMMCST) in Batac and the Northern Luzon State College (NLSC) in Laoag City. Also integrated and incorporated were the tertiary level courses of the Ilocos Norte Agricultural College in Pasuquin and the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades in Laoag.

### Founding

MMMCST (1974) was founded as the Batac Farm School in 1906. It metamorphosed into the Batac Rural High School in 1918, the Ilocos Norte Institute of Technology in 1964 and MMMCST in 1974. The Currimao School of Fisheries, the Dingras National Agricultural School and the Ilocos Norte School for Craftsman in Paoay formed its satellite campuses.
On the other hand, NLSC started as an experimental vacation school of the Philippine Normal School in 1917. As its enrolment grew and its offerings became upgraded, it was renamed the Ilocos Norte Normal School in 1952, the Northern Luzon Teachers College in 1963 and NLSC in 1976.

## Student publications

Sirmata is the official publication of the college students of Mariano Marcos State University. A literary journal called Anthology is produced since 1998.

## Location

MMSU is in Ilocos Norte, a province in the northwestern part of Luzon Island, Philippines. Its main campus of about 300 hectares is in Batac, 472 km (293 mi) from Manila.
MMSU maintains five other campuses. These are in Batac (main campus), Laoag City (two campuses), Currimao, Dingras, and Paoay. In Laoag is the College of Education or the College of Teacher Education and the College of Industrial Technology.

## Integrated University Laboratory Schools

MMSU has high school departments. In July 2009, these high school departments went out from their mother colleges to form the Integrated University Laboratory Schools (IULS). UHS has two campuses: Laboratory High School - Laoag Campus and the University High School - Science Curriculum (also known as MMSU Science High School or Laboratory High School - Science Curriculum) in Batac.

## Laboratory Elementary School

The Laboratory Elementary School of the university (MMSU-LES) has two campuses: one in Laoag City and a new campus in Batac, which comprises nursery, kindergarten and grades 1–3. It is said that the campus in Batac will add one level every school year until grade six.

## Presidents

* Dr. Consuelo S. Blanco, June 1978–May 1983
* Dr. Santiago R. Obien, June 1983–May 1986
* Dr. Felipe B. Cachola, June 1986–May 1993
* Dr. Elias L. Calacal, June 1993–May 1999
* Dr. Saturnino M. Ocampo Jr., June 1999–December 2004
* Dr. Miriam E. Pascua, May 2005–2014
* Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, August 2017 – September 2024
* Dr. Prima Fe R. Franco, September 2024 – February 2025 (Served as MMSU Officer-In-Charge President after Agrupis appointed as CHED Commissioner and vacated the position as university president)
* Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. February 2025 – Present