Today, June 19, the Catanduanes State University is into some modest observance of its 63rd foundation anniversary. But this is quite disorienting to most. Through half a century of reckoning, the institution had been changing the day-month-year of its foundation day, creating a grand confusion as to its beginnings. From the 1970s to the first decade of the 21st century, it was March 19. From 2012 onwards, it was moved to October 19. Now, we are told that it is June 19.
But even this latest date is still a miss-hit in accuracy. It should be June 18. Both the establishment of CatSU’s predecessors, the Virac National Agricultural and Trade School (VNATS) and the Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC) were established by particular laws enacted on June 18: in 1961 for the former and 1971 for the latter.
Side by side with the changing dates is the mix-up as to how old is the University, depending on the supposed year of founding. If 1971, then CatSU is 54 years old. If 2012 (October 19, when the CSC was upgraded to university-hood), then the institution is yet a bungling pre-teen at 12. If 1961 (VNATS) then CatSU deserves a senior citizen ID at 64.
Ano ba talaga kuya?
Since 2020, I have been arguing (in this column) that the foundation anniversary should be pegged from 1961. VNATS is the University’s mother institution; there is direct continuity from VNATS to CSC and to CatSU. My position was duly recognized when in the October 2022 Charter Day in October, the CatSU logo already showed a 1961 founding year. So, does it mean that with this year’s June 19 observance we are finally doing justice to historical truth?
The answer should be yes. But then there is an uncanny discomfiture lurking about here. In the first place, the one-day tardiness. For another thing, there is no excitement in the air, no same frenzy of preparations that attended previous celebrations. More seriously, the primary sector of the University, the students, would not be around since they are on long vacation. Walang ta-tao sa selebrasyon, baka langawin. One wonders: is this event being hastily put together? But why?
Before hazarding an answer, let me go through a review of the historical circumstances of the changing dates of CatSU foundation day. We do it in terms of the politics of foundation days, a purview that I have used in earlier articles in this column. Celebrating a foundation day is an assertion of identity, an existential claiming of institutional worth, which is always done through the exercise of prerogatives by the powers-that-be. Proclaiming identity is essentially a pushing of vested interests. I have so argued before in analyzing the history of founding anniversaries of the CNHS, the province of Catanduanes, and CatSU. In the following discussion, we reprise CatSU’s own politics of foundation days through the years.
Since the inception of the erstwhile Catanduanes State Colleges, the founding anniversary was anchored to 1971. But instead of June 18 when R.A. 6341 was enacted creating the CSC, foundation day was always observed on March 18 for two reasons, practical and political. By June, everybody would be busy with the school year’s opening. No time to put together a most demanding event. In March, however, it is nearing graduation time, a conspicuous culmination in the life of a school. March 18 particularly is the birthday of Congressman Jose M. Alberto who sponsored the law that created the CSC. It was a way to make him happy. He was considered the “Father of the Catanduanes State Colleges.” It was a concession to political imperatives.
In 1981, the year I graduated with an AB in Political Science, we observed a milestone anniversary because it was “CSC After a Decade.” But the commemoration was made more memorable by a spectacular near fist-fight between two deans, Dr. Rodolfo V. Azanza of the Graduate School and Rufino Salome Sr. of the College of Agriculture. The agitation between the two academic “giants” happened right after the commemorative parade, at the very lobby of the CSC main building. My AB barkada got so excited because we were going to dub the boxing match as the “Fight of the Decade at the CSC Facade.” Disappointingly enough, the battle royale was reduced to a mere verbal tussle as advocates of nonviolence held the combatants at bay.
In 2012, a year after the 40th anniversary of CSC, the school’s historical clock was apparently made to stop ticking and reset to hour “0”. The reason was that CSC has taken a brand-new identity as the Catanduanes State University by virtue of R.A. 10229 promulgated in October 19, 2012. Henceforth, anniversaries were observed in October. As a new faculty member of the University in 2015, I got the surprise of my life when I participated in the “4th foundation day.” It made me think: the school was mere toddler at four?
Such a blatant disregard for history was not a sheer lapse of judgement. It made sense when seen in terms of the vested interest of then star of Catandunganon local politics, former Congressman Cesar Sarmiento who facilitated the passing of the charter that converted CSC to a university. He was touted the “Father of the Catanduanes State University,” never mind that the institution would be in an awkward prospect of changing paternities. Anyway, the other “father” had long lost his political sheen. Indeed, there were naughty and malicious insinuations that CSU (the University’s acronym then) stood for “Cesar Sarmiento University.”
By 2016, I started circulating arguments as to the inappropriateness of the October foundation anniversary observance. It might have reached the ears of the university’s top honchos such that measures were employed to correct the situation. Soon, commemorative tarpaulins contained two figures, one each for the foundation anniversary and for a ”Charter Day.” So in 2019 it was the “48th Foundation Day and 7th Charter Day.” By the time of Officer-In-Charge Dr. Freddie Bernal, the University was all set for a Golden Anniversary slated for June 2021. With the Steering Committee chaired by Dr. Marilyn Panti, there was an elaborate plan for the milestone observance, including a fancy commemorative logo, a grand exhibit, and the building of the controversial landmark fountain that now stands awkward on the right side of the university front grounds, unappreciated.
During the transition from the last regular university president to the new one, there was already a conscious effort to repackage the institution’s identity, a breaking away from the immediate past dispensation. There was a sense that the University was on the verge of a new beginning, and this process can start through changes in the symbolic aspects. First was to move the foundation day to its historically correct date. Then followed the use of CatSU instead of CSU acronym when the “I Love CSU” concrete graphic at the front grounds was recorked to read “I Love CatSU.” Later, a new recording of the institutional hymn was made to replace CSU with CatSU in the lyrics. Dr. Bernal pointed out that as far as the CHED was concerned, our university was always “CatSU” to differentiate it with Cagayan State University. So, it turned out that “CSU” was a locally, internally wrought trademark. Fortunately, habits can be altered depending upon the mood. Soon, people warmed up to the new acronym, proving their readiness for a new branding and demonstrating their enthusiasm for a better deal as regards the fate of the premier institution of higher learning in the island of their affections.
It must be pointed out that both the October observance and the CSU acronym were symbolic aspects of the political influence of Cesar Sarmiento over the University. It is no coincidence that the loss of currency of these features corresponded with Sarmiento’s losing grip of political hold in the province. It should be a most desirable thing, being weaned away from somebody’s “fatherhood” and be able to pursue a more independent flourishing. But then, with politics being a permanent aspect of the University’s life, the symbols given up are substituted with another set that accrue to a new political vested interest that filled up the vacuum.
One may argue that the changes – June foundation day, 1961 founding year, CatSU acronym – are objective truths that that are brought forth to correct falsehood. But “truths” are never politically neutral. In the first place, asserting truth is a political act. For another thing, truths are employed to create a desired situation that favors some but not others. Who stands to benefit from the new realignment of symbols at the University?
Before answering that, let me first complete the narrative of rebranding at CatSU. Somehow, the planned Golden Anniversary in June 2021 did not materialize as scheduled, It was overtaken by the great frenzy of the search for the new university president. It was by October of that year that the Golden observance was pushed through but under the new president. For the next two years, we saw the observance of Charter Day in October while June 18 remained a non-event. Meanwhile, having been allowed to join the top circle of CatSU administration, my position that 1961 should be the proper founding year gained a sympathetic ear from Dr. Azanza and soon it was institutionally accepted with the logo accordingly modified.
All that was left to be done to complete the package of identity symbols was to celebrate June 18 as foundation day. Frankly, there is no compelling reason for this move because by this month, the CatSU constituency is at its thinnest with the students out of campus. This was the reason why for the last three years, June 18 rolled off as an ordinary day. This year’s sudden change of gear should be a long-overdue precedent. But it acquires a particular political color all its own in view of the current university president’s well-known political aspirations. He is expected to cut short his term in order to cross-over – or, take a leap – from the lofty pedestal of the academe to the murky ground of local politics. The June 18 (mistakenly placed on the 19th) celebrations, admitted or not, makes sense as a move to maximize public mileage for the incumbent before resigning for the filing of candidacy in early October. It is clearly part of the package of pa-pogi devices employed in a frenzy since late last year. Recently, we heard of the fast-tracking of the extension project dubbed TAP (Technical Assistance Program) – LGU that will allow blitz-type exposure to various electoral constituencies all over the island. Oh, so many things to do, so little time left.
Objectively, credit must go to Dr. Azanza for correcting historical mistakes. This should work well for his political aspirations, he who has a penchant for making “history” (“For the first time in history. . . “), he who seems to hear the strands of grandiose symphonic musical fanfare every time he does even the slightest official gesture.
What is the point of this piece? It is an instructional exemplar to the student of institutional history and politics (titser baga ako), particularly on the politics of foundation days. One day, I’m going to write a book on the topic.
Next week, I will start a new series on the history of the VNATS. Let us rescue from obscurity the mother institution of the one and only University in this island of our happiness.