Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University

Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) is the lone State University in La Union, Philippines.

DMMMSU was created through Presidential Decree 1778 on January 15, 1981 by Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Founded on the philosophy “total human development with appropriate competencies,” DMMMSU was born from the merging of five (5) former schools of La Union namely:

• Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State College at Bacnotan, La Union;

• La Union School of Arts and Trade at City of San Fernando, La Union;

• Community College of La Union at City of San Fernando, La Union;

• Southern Ilocos Polytechnic State College at Agoo, La Union; and

• Sapilang Elementary School at Bacnotan, La Union.

The late Dr. Bienvenido P. Agpaoa served as the first President of the University until October 1988. As a Higher Education Institution, DMMMSU started with seven (7) colleges namely College of Agriculture (Bacnotan), College of Fisheries (Balaoan), College of Liberal Arts (San Fernando), College of Engineering (San Fernando), College of Arts and Sciences (Agoo), College of Fisheries (Sto. Tomas), and College of Agriculture (Rosario).

During the time of Dr. Manuel T. Corpus, who succeeded Dr. Bienvenido P. Agpaoa in February 1989, the University was reorganized into three (3) major campuses namely the North La Union Campus in Bacnotan, the Mid La Union Campus in San Fernando City, and the South La Union Campus which is sprawled in the towns of Agoo, Sto. Tomas, and Rosario, La Union. DMMMSU also houses the Open University System which is located in San Fernando City, La Union.

In 1999, Dr. Dionisio Gat Ducusin succeeded and was followed by Dr. Ernesto R. Gapasin in 2001. Following Dr. Gapasin, Atty. Benjamin P. Sapitula became the President from 2011 to 2019.

Dr. Jaime I. Manuel, Jr., the current President, assumed his office in February 2019.