West Visayas State University (WVSU) president Dr. Joselito Villaruz is optimistic that they can get government approval to open a law school this year.

In a report by Forum-Dimensions, the university’s official publication, Villaruz said they have been working hard to become fully compliant with the requirements.

The Legal Education Board (LEB), according to Villaruz, identified three “minor physical non-compliances” in their last school visit: presence of a moot court, provision of air-conditioned units in the classrooms, and improvement of the stairs in the Quezon Hall. 

The university president said they have already started “addressing the problem.”

LEB is expected to conduct another school visit in April “to finalize the awarding of the government authority to open the Doctor in Juris program.”

“In terms of curriculum and all, I think we are in place,” Villaruz said.

The university in La Paz district, Iloilo City is targeting to open the College of Law by August 2020.

Villaruz said they would prioritize “bright yet financially challenged” students for the Juris Doctor degree.

But he clarified that those financially capable students can still be enrolled in the College of Law.

“We will also get to accept students who might not be financially challenged, but they’re very, very good students,” Villaruz said.

Once given go-signal, WVSU will be the first state-funded higher education institution to offer the law course in Western Visayas. 

At present, there are five privately owned and controlled schools in the region that offer a law degree. These are the University of San Agustin and Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, Aklan Catholic College in Aklan, University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, and Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion in Capiz.

In September last year, the Iloilo City Council approved a resolution endorsing the proposal of WVSU to open a law school.

“WVSU attracts and accommodates financially challenged but academically able students as it brings to the College of Law the same quality, standards, and excellence afforded to students in the WVSU system,” said Councilor Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon, proponent of the resolution.

Copies of the resolution were forwarded to the Commission of Higher Education (CHED-6) and LEB.IMT