Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.___________ 
Introduced by Hon. Felimon M. Espares 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING REGULAR CAMPUSES OF THE CEBU NORMAL UNIVERSITY 
LOCATED IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF ALEGRIA, ARGAO, CATMON, PORO, 
AND IN THE CENTRAL CEBU CITY, PROVINCE OF CEBU AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Cebu Normal University (CNU) traces its roots to its humble beginnings as 
Cebu Normal School in 1902, later evolving into the Cebu State College in 1976, and 
eventually achieving state-funded university status in 1998 under Republic Act No. 
8688, or “An Act Converting the Cebu State College into a State University to be Known 
as the Cebu Normal University, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.” Over the decades, 
the CNU has provided quality education to thousands of students from the Visayas, 
Mindanao, and especially from the Province of Cebu. 
According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) by the Philippine 
Statistics Authority (PSA), Cebu Province has a population of 3,325,385, while Cebu 
City has 964,169 residents. This represents an average annual growth rate of 2.47%, 
up from the province’s population of 2,938,982 back in 2015.  
With this growing population and the increasing demand for higher education, 
it is essential to establish these CNU campuses to accommodate students not only 
from the host municipalities but also from neighboring cities and towns. The new 
campuses will enhance access to quality higher education, promote local culture, 
address skills gaps, and foster community engagement, research, and extension 
services. Moreover, parents and students will save significant time and costs otherwise 
spent on long commutes or boarding expenses in Cebu City. 
In sum, the establishment of these campuses represents a strategic investment 
in accessible, affordable, and relevant education, that supports the province’s 
continuous development. 
August 28, 2025
12:27 pm
4146


2 
 Thus, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 FELIMON M. ESPARES 


3 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO___________ 
Introduced by Hon. Felimon M. Espares 
AN ACT 
1 
ESTABLISHING REGULAR CAMPUSES OF THE CEBU NORMAL UNIVERSITY 
2 
LOCATED IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF ALEGRIA, ARGAO, CATMON, PORO, 
3 
AND IN THE CENTRAL CEBU CITY, PROVINCE OF CEBU AND 
4 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
5 
6 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
7 
Congress assembled: 
8 
9 
SEC. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Cebu Normal University-
10 
Alegria, Argao, Catmon, Poro, and Central Cebu City Campuses Act”. 
11 
12 
SEC. 2. Establishment. - There is hereby established regular campuses of the Cebu 
13 
Normal University (CNU), to be located in the Municipalities of Alegria, Argao, Catmon, 
14 
Poro, and Central Cebu City, Province of Cebu, which shall be known as the “CNU-
15 
Alegria, CNU-Argao, CNU-Catmon, CNU-Poro, and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses”. 
16 
17 
SEC. 3. General Mandate. - The CNU-Alegria, CNU-Argao, CNU-Catmon, CNU-Poro, 
18 
and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses shall primarily provide advanced instruction and 
19 
professional training in tourism, science and technology, agriculture, information and 
20 
communications technology, nautical, maritime education, artificial intelligence, data 
21 
management, special needs education, early childhood, lifelong learning, forestry, 
22 
environmental protection and conservation, livelihood technology education, 
23 
criminology, foresight and futures management, real estate management, food 
24 
technology innovation and incubation, marine sciences, fishery, utilities and logistics, 
25 
energy courses, and other fields of study. It is also mandated to undertake research 
26 
and extension services in support of the socioeconomic development and to provide 
27 
progressive leadership in these areas. 
28 
29 
SEC. 4. Curricular Offerings. – The CNU-Alegria, CNU-Argao, CNU-Catmon 
30 
campuses shall offer undergraduate and graduate courses in the fields of tourism, 
31 
science and technology, agriculture, information and communications technology, 
32 
nautical, maritime education, artificial intelligence, data management, special needs 
33 
education, early childhood, lifelong learning, forestry, environmental protection and 
34 
4146


4 
 
 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
 
conservation, livelihood technology education, criminology, foresight and futures 
1 
management, real estate management, food technology innovation and incubation, 
2 
marine sciences, fishery, utilities and logistics, and energy-related courses and 
3 
according to their capabilities, as the Board of Regents, hereinafter referred to as the 
4 
Board, may deem necessary to respond to the human resource development needs of 
5 
the Province of Cebu and Central Visayas Region. 
6 
 
7 
The CNU-Poro Campus shall offer courses in maritime education, foresight and future 
8 
management, real estate management, food technology, innovation and incubation, 
9 
marine sciences, fisheries, utilities and logistics, disaster risk reduction and 
10 
management, and renewable energy and petroleum engineering, and other areas of 
11 
competencies and specialization pursuant to the mandate of the CNU, and according 
12 
to its capability, as the Board may deem necessary to respond to the human resource 
13 
development needs of the Province of Cebu and Central Visayas Region.  
14 
 
15 
The CNU-Central Cebu City Campus shall offer courses in medicine, nursing and 
16 
science allied courses, law and tourism, and other areas of competencies and 
17 
specialization pursuant to the mandate of the CNU, and according to its capability, as 
18 
the Board may deem necessary to respond to the human resource development needs 
19 
of the Province of Cebu and Central Visayas Region. 
20 
 
21 
SEC. 5. Supervision and Management. – The CNU-Alegria, CNU-Argao, CNU-
22 
Catmon, CNU-Poro, and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses shall each be headed by 
23 
Campus Director, to be appointed by the Board, subject to the guidelines, 
24 
qualifications and standards, and upon the recommendation of the Search Committee 
25 
duly constituted for the purpose of selecting the Campus Director.     
26 
 
27 
SEC. 6. Compliance with the Requirements of the Commission on Higher 
28 
Education (CHED). - The CNU shall ensure the compliance of the CNU-Alegria, CNU-
29 
Argao, CNU-Catmon, CNU-Poro, and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses with the 
30 
policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED for the operation of regular campuses, 
31 
including those related to the offering of their courses and the introduction of new or 
32 
revised programs prior to their establishment as regular campuses. 
33 
  
34 
SEC 7. Management of Personnel, Assets and Records of the Campuses. - All 
35 
assets, both real and personal, personnel, and records of the CNU-Alegria, CNU-Argao, 
36 
CNU-Catmon, CNU-Poro, and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses, as well as their 
37 
liabilities or obligations, shall be transferred to the CNU.  
38 
 
39 
All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the CNU-Alegria, CNU-
40 
Argao, CNU-Catmon, CNU-Poro, and CNU-Central Cebu City Campuses shall be 
41 
transferred to the CNU: Provided, That should the campuses or the CNU cease to exist 
42 
or be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed 
43 
by the CNU, the same shall revert to their local government units concerned or the 
44 
Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be. 
45 


5 
 
 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
 
 
1 
SEC. 8. Suppletory Application. - The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292, 
2 
otherwise known as the “Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997”, shall form part 
3 
of this Act.   
4 
 
5 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
6 
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act 
9 
is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected 
10 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
11 
 
12 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
13 
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
14 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
15 
 
16 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
17 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
18 
 
19 
Approved, 
20