With the issuance of Commission on Higher Education Memorandum Order No. 7, series of 2024, titled “Grant of Autonomous and Deregulated Status by Evaluation to Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs),” the University has once again retained its full autonomous status since 2003. 

AUP is among the 12 PHEIs in Region IV and 77 PHEIs in the country that have been conferred with autonomous status, which is valid for three (3) years, from September 16, 2024, to September 15, 2027.

“Let’s thank the Lord! Our autonomous status is renewed!” AUP President Dr. Arceli Rosario exclaimed upon the release of the CMO No. 7, S. 2024.

According to AUP Accreditation Director Mr. Reuben Carpizo, he described the preparation as “guided by the Holy Spirit.” This faith-driven process began before the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) released its new CMO criteria for granting autonomous status to universities.

“Before the new CMO criteria was released, I had already prepared the documents based on the previous CMO requirements,” Mr. Carpizo recalled. “But the recent CMO is different from the ones I was preparing.” Despite this, the efforts of the Accreditation Office unexpectedly aligned providentially, he said, “If you will be asking me, I do not know. It is not me—this is not my credit but the Lord’s.”