Marking another significant advancement in higher education in the Southern Philippines, the Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) has reached another milestone through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of the Philippines (UP) at Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, on October 15, 2025. The partnership marks a new era of academic, research, and technological collaboration between the country’s premier national university and the southernmost campus of the MSU System—ushering in strengthened cooperation for education, innovation, and regional development in the Bangsamoro and beyond.
Signed by UP President Angelo A. Jimenez and MSU-TCTO Chancellor Mary Joyce Z. Guinto-Sali, alongside Hon. Gracita R. Jacinto-Ali, member of the MSU Board of Regents, the five-year partnership strengthens MSU-TCTO’s role as a leading institution for marine and coastal development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), while expanding opportunities in engineering, digital transformation, research, and innovation.
During the ceremony, Chancellor Mary Joyce Z. Guinto-Sali expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting its potential to foster collaboration across various disciplines and regions. Joining the Chancellor were Director Alnasul K. Sali and focal persons Assoc. Prof. Araniza M. Diansuy and Prof. Clarissa Ayangco-Derramas, EdD.
In her message, Chancellor Guinto-Sali said, "We look forward to the many collaborations we can make for Tawi-Tawi and the Bangsamoro—for digital transformation, engineering, information technology, culture and the arts, law and social sciences, and even public administration. With Honor and Excellence, this UP-MSU partnership will ultimately make a meaningful positive difference for Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan by Creating Opportunities, Transforming Lives."
The partnership paves the way for broad collaboration between UP and MSU-TCTO through initiatives in faculty development, technology transfer, engineering projects, joint research, and student exchange programs. It will enable MSU-TCTO faculty to pursue doctoral studies at UP, foster cooperation in emerging technologies such as AI, robotics, and digital transformation, and promote joint efforts in marine engineering, climate resilience, and coastal sustainability—all while providing students from both institutions with valuable cross-campus learning experiences.
Through this collaboration, UP and MSU-TCTO reaffirm their shared mission to advance academic excellence, innovation, and inclusive growth. It aims to accelerate regional development in the Bangsamoro by strengthening research cooperation and technological capacity. Together, both institutions commit to empowering communities and shaping a more sustainable and progressive Southern Philippines—underscoring the transformative power of education and collaboration in driving national progress.
