LAGANGILANG, Abra – The Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology (ASIST), the only state college in the province, celebrated its centennial anniversary last Dec. 19.   

Unveiling of the centennial marker was led by Dr. Pat Abaya representing Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin with the college president, Dr. Robert Tubaña, and mayors Lizardo Sinogo Jr. of Lagangilang and Dominic Valera of Bangued.

The centennial marker is set along the zigzag road right after the main gate of the main and original campus of ASIST in Lagangilang.

Lagangilang Agricultural College (LAC), the original ASIST, was founded in 1908. It used to be an agricultural college which offered programs only in agriculture. However, when the late President Ferdinand Marcos moved for the decongestion of Metro Manila by putting up educational centers in all the regions throughout the country, then Abra congressman Jeremias Zapata authored a bill converting LAC into a state college with the integration of the then Abra School of Arts and Trades  in Bangued, thus, the birth of ASIST on May 18, 1983. 
 
ASIST continues to pursue its mission to provide scientific and technological knowledge to produce quality graduates in relevant degrees, as it envisions to become the preferred center of quality education in the province. 

Aside from that, the state college likewise undertakes researches to generate technologies that would offer solutions to local and national development by disseminating the technologies to the people in the locality who want to engage in programs and projects for income generation at the same time safeguarding the employment and livelihood of the Abreños.

The centennial anniversary celebration was made festive with the colorful parade around the town proper of Lagangilang. 

Exhibits were also made within the campus to showcase the applications of their researches in the various fields of agriculture and technology particularly in income generation through livelihood and local employment.