Brief History of Tarlac State University

Tarlac Trade School, 1906-1959

In 1909, under the auspices of the provincial government and the Provincial High School, this school begun to include secondary students. By 1921, it evolved into a full secondary school. In 1931, the trade school was annexed to Tarlac High       School during the principalship of Russel Taylor. In 1946, immediately after the war, Tarlac Trade School was officially separated from the Tarlac High School, with the appointment of Manuel T. Espinosa as its principal.

Tarlac School of Arts and Trades, 1959-1965

In 1959, the Congress of the Philippines approved House Bill 1006, jointly sponsored by then Congressman Constancia Castaneda and Jose Roy, converting Tarlac Trade School into Tarlac School of Arts and Trades (TSAT) with Mr. Espinosa as its first Superintendent.

Tarlac College of Technology, 1965-1989

In 1965, through the passage of Republic Act No. 4337, TSAT acquired its full-fledged status as a college, the Tarlac College of Technology (TCT). Among the provisions, the law called for the merging of TSAT with Tarlac National Agricultural School in Camiling, Tarlac. Dr. Mario Manese was appointed as its first president (1965-1972).

Prof. Jack Smith replaced Dr. Manese in 1972 as TCT President. During his tenure, Presidential Decree No. 609 of 1972 instructed the separation of TCT from its agriculture component which became the present Tarlac College of Agriculture.

In 1976, the TCT organized the Graduate School offering Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling and Educational Management. In 1978, the TCT set-up degree programs in Master of Public Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and the revised two-year Trade Technical Education, and in 1989, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Elementary Education. Dr. Ernesto Cosme was designated                 Officer-in-Charge in September 1984, eventually becoming the TCT’s third and last president.

Tarlac State University, 1989-present

President Corazon C. Aquino signed Republic Act No. 6764 converting TCT into Tarlac State University (TSU) with Dr. Cosme as Acting President. The conversion was made     possible through the sponsorship of Tarlac’s three congressional district representatives namely, Jose Cojuangco, Jr., Jose Yap and Herminio S. Aquino.

The following served as TSU presidents that saw the growth of the institution:

Dr. Alejandro Fernandez, August 1990 to September 1994

Dr. Rodolfo Y. Baking, September 1994 to December 1996

Dr. Dolores G. Matias, December 1996 to March 2006

Dr. Priscilla C. Viuya, March 2006 – March 2014

Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari, March 2014 to present