In a push to bring the university closer to the uniformed sector, SKSU President Atty. Cyrus E. Torrena, DPA, MNSA, made back-to-back visits to key defense institutions in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City on August 20, 2026.
The President first paid a courtesy visit to BGen. Jose Demar A. Pauly, PhD, Dean of the Corps of Professors of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Seated inside the Dean’s office, the two officials talked about opening SKSU’s doors to soldiers. At the center of the discussion is a plan to develop a Master’s program designed specifically for junior officers of the AFP – a program that will help them connect their academic training with real ground operations. They also explored the possibility of SKSU conducting and hosting special academic trainings for AFP personnel.
From the AFP Corps of Professors, President Torrena proceeded to the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP).
He was welcomed by NDCP President Dir. Christine June P. Carino. In their meeting, Dir. Carino agreed in principle to a collaboration between NDCP and SKSU to bring special trainings and diploma programs to the university.
The details of the partnership were discussed further with Dr. Aldrin C. Cuna, Executive Vice President of NDCP. Dr. Cuna walked through how the joint programs can be rolled out and assured the SKSU team that implementation can move fast. The sooner SKSU can present the draft Memorandum of Agreement, the sooner both institutions can start.
For President Torrena, who is also a graduate of the MNSA program, the meetings are more than just formalities. It is about making SKSU a practical partner for national security education – not just in Sultan Kudarat, but for service members who need accessible, relevant graduate studies and short-term trainings.
The two visits set the groundwork for what could soon be a formal partnership: SKSU providing the academic platform, and the AFP Corps of Professors and NDCP bringing in expertise on defense, security, and leadership.
