FACT CHECK: Contrary to claim, NEUST has been a state university since 1998

House Bill 2758 seeks to convert the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology into a comprehensive university to be known as Nueva Ecija State University Claim: The Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) is set to become a state university. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook page My Cabanatuan, with 33,000 followers, posted the claim on July 15. It reads, “Ayon po kay Cong. Jay Vergara malapit nang maging isang State University ang NEUST (CLPC).” (According to Cong. Jay Vergara, NEUST will soon become a state university.) As of writing, the post has 1,100 reactions, 117 comments, and 38 shares. The facts: NEUST has been a state university since 1998. According to the university’s website, it was in February 1998 that then-House Speaker Jose de Venecia signed a bill seeking to convert what was then named the Central Luzon Polytechnic College into a state university to be known as NEUST. The bill was forwarded to then-president Fidel Ramos and lapsed into law on March 27, 1998, as Republic Act No. 8612. NEUST now has several regular campuses and off-campus instructional sites in Nueva Ecija, with its main campus located in Cabanatuan City. Conversion into a comprehensive university: Since NEUST has been designated a state university, it is considered a public institution of higher education funded and operated by the government, and it specializes in science and technology. On July 30, 2025, Nueva Ecija 3rd District Representative Jay Vergara filed House Bill No. 2758, seeking to convert NEUST into a comprehensive university system to be known as Nueva Ecija State University. The bill proposes to change the name of the school and expand its mandate from being a science and technology university into a comprehensive university with a broader range of academic disciplines and a wider research and public service mission. The proposed measure will enable the school to cover more disciplines across the humanities, business, health, and other related fields. It is also expected to offer research and graduate programs within its areas of specialization. As of writing, the bill was referred to the House committee on higher and technical education in August 2025 and approved by the committee in December 2025. – Owenh Toledo/Rappler.com Owenh Toledo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading