Brief Historiacal Background

The Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College was created by virtue of RA 8547 authored by Congressman Eric D. Singson (2nd District, Ilocos Sur). It was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 24, 1998. ISPSC is a comprehensive multi-campus institution of higher learning with its main campus situated in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur. The other campuses are strategically located in six municipalities in the second district of the province, with some in interior, upland municipalities. (Originally, ISPSC had eight (8) campuses, but the other two Salcedo Campus and Suyo Campus were reverted back to the Department of Education.)

The main campus was the former Ilocos Sur Agricultural College (ISAC) which had its early beginnings as a farm school way back in 1913. It evolved into an agricultural college in 1963 by virtue of RA 3529 authored by Cong. Pablo C. Sanidad. In 1995, RA 7960 was passed into law which called for Cong. Eric D. Singson's vision for establishing a multi-campus polytechnic college in the second district of Ilocos Sur. Presently, the main campus is assigned as the College of Agriculture.

The six other campuses were then purely vocational-technical and general academic secondary schools when integrated into the ISPSC.

The Tagudin General Comprehensive High School (TGCHS) is the oldest and the biggest in terms of student population. It started in 1916 as a municipal high school and one of the oldest in the country. It became a national high school in 1968 by virtue of RA 1477 courtesy of Cong. Pablo C. Sanidad. Tagudin campus is designated as the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Cervantes National Scho ol of Arts and Trades (CNSAT) started its operation in 1972.

It was converted in 1983 into Cervantes National Agro-Industrial School (CNAIS) by virtue of RA 645_. Cervantes campus is one fo the three ISPSC campuses located in the upland, interior municipalities. The terrain is hilly and sloping appropriated for livestock production, orchard, and other agro-forest crops. Cervantes campus is the College of Agro-Industrial Technology.

The Southern Ilocos Sur School of Fisheries (SISSOF) metamorphosed from a fishery demonstration farm then known as the Ilocos Sur Marine Demonstration Farm (ISMDF) by virtue of PD 1050. It is located in the coastal barangay of Darapidap, Candon City, occupying an area of more than 11 hectares which was donated by the local government of Candon during the incumbency of then Mayor Eric D. Singson. With its integration into the polytechnic college it became the College of Commercial and Social Services.

The Narvacan School of Fisheries (NASOF) was established in 1964 by virtue of RA 3476 authored by Cong. Pablo C. Sanidad. It is situated in the coastal barangay of Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur and has an area of more than 10 hectares which was donated by three philanthropic families of the said barangay. It is now the College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences.

The Ilocos Sur Experimental Station and Pilot School of Cottage Industries (ISESPCI) was established in 1974 by virtue of RA 4430. It is situated on a 3.5 hectare area along the national highway in the municipality of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. It had been offering post-secondary courses since 1989 before its integration. At present, Santiago campus is the College of Engineering and Technology.