Aurora State College of Technology

The State College shall primarily provide technical and professional training in the sciences, arts, teacher education, agriculture, engineering and technology as well as short-term vocational courses. It shall likewise promote research, advanced studies and academic leadership in the stated areas of specialization.

ASCOT was officially established on December 30, 1993 pursuant to Republic Act No. 7664. Aurora’s son, Senator Edgardo J. Angara and the late Congressman Benedicto G. Miran sponsored the bills that eventually became a law which brings much hope for a brighter future to the people of the Province. The College opened its first year of classes on June 6, 1994 with an initial enrollment of 300 students.Although relatively young, the College has undertaken solid steps so that it can strongly pursue its program along its trilogy of functions – instruction, research and extension.The College continuously endeavors to maximize the utilization of the available resources in order to become a center of academic excellence and a bastion of technology in the Province.

The Research and Development Office of the Aurora State College of Technology is mandated to coordinate research and development programs and activities. Although beset by inadequate funds and support staff, still this office had managed to do worthwhile activities.

In implementing Extension Services which is one of the thrusts of the college, the department had undertaken activities helping the people around the school community. Several Faculty members and students participated on the College Campaign Program in different secondary schools in nearby towns. It also catered environmental awareness and conservation as it spearheaded Adopt-A-Barangay Programs and Operation Linis along Sabang Bay and Quezon Park.

The Office of the Student Affairs provides avenues for student welfare and development, guides students become well adjusted to their college life, motivates students exercise their rights in accordance with the applicable laws, widens opportunities of the students for social consciousness, responsibilities and transformation, encourages wider and active participation of the students to various student affairs and services, and develops emotional and multiple intelligence of the students through different student affairs and services.The Academic Program of ASCOT serves as its arm in attaining its vision of becoming “a center of excellence in various programs of teachings”.This program, which is directly administered by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Ma Luz F. Cabatan in coordination with the different directors of the seven departments showed anew their dedication in achieving academic excellence.

It was on December 30, 1993 when ASCOT was created by the virtue of Republic Act No. 7664 which was made and sponsored by then Senate President Edgardo Angara and the late representative Benedicto G. Miran.Immediately they formed the pre-organization Task force that would take over on the management and operation of ASCOT through the leadership of Sen. Angara., the father and founder of the College. Negotiation and transactions were made with the Department of Education, Culture and Sport (DECS), , Division of Aurora under the Superintendent, Mr. Domingo Hulipas. They administered the admission for the freshmen students and located the temporary classrooms to be used for the next school year 1993.

ASCOT opened immediately the next school year with Dr. Benny A. Palma acting as the President. He came from Aklan State College of Agriculture (ASCA) now, Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan. ASCOT started with the first batch of three hundred one (301) freshmen students with its classes held in Baler Central School buildings. They were provided with ten (10) classrooms and one bigger room for its administration office. At the start, services were rendered by thirteen faculty and nine administrative personnel to teach and administer the State College.

RA 7664 endorsed ASCOT a campus site consisting of 196.06 hectares situated in Debudulan Mountain, Sitio Dicaloyungan, Brgy. Zabali, Baler, Aurora. The said area was declared as the ASCOT school site by the President Proclamation No. 559 on April 7, 1996. It also mandated ASCOT to integrate the Aurora National Agricultural School in the town of Maria Aurora, Aurora and the Aurora National Fishery School in Casiguran, Aurora.

Additional campus consisting of 110.8 hectares in Barangay Bazal, Maria Aurora and 105 hectares in Barangay Bianoan, Casiguran, Aurora is also acquired by ASCOT through a memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports represented by Regional Director Pedro V. Trinidad of Region IV. The DAT-BAT Program with 259 students, 10 faculty members, 2 support staff, books, farm equipment, vehicles, and buildings were also turned over to ASCOT.

After a few years, it’s first ever commencement exercises was held at the Baler Municipal Plaza on June 8, 1996 with Representative Bellaflor Angara-Castillo as the Commencement Speaker. A total of 178 students, 30 collegiate and 148 vocational, composed the first batch of graduates in four – year degree courses in Agriculture and two-year completion certificates for ladderized technology courses.Late in the year 1996, the General Education and other departments of the college moved to the completed Phase 1 of Dr. Juan C. Angara Hall in Sitio Dicaloyungan, Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora.