Legal Basis

Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, formerly Paglaum State College, is a public educational institution that aims to provide higher technological, professional and vocational instruction and training in science, agriculture and industrial fields as well as short term or vocational courses.

It was Batas Pambansa Bilang 477 which integrated these three institutions of learning:the Negros Occidental College of Arts and Trades (NOCAT) in the Municipality of Talisay, Bacolod City National Trade School (BCNTS) in Alijis, Bacolod City, and the Negros Occidental Provincial Community College (NOPCC) in Bacolod City, into a tertiary state educational institution to be called Paglaum State College.Approved in 1983, the College Charter was implemented effective January 1, 1984, with Mr. Sulpicio P. Cartera as its President.

The administrative seat of the first state college in Negros Occidental is located at the Talisay Campus which was originally established as Negros Occidental School of Arts and Trades (NOSAT) under R.A. 848, authored and sponsored by Hon. Carlos Hilado. It occupies a five-hectare land donated by the provincial government under Provincial Board Resolution No. 1163.

The renaming of the college to Carlos Hilado Memorial State College was effected by virtue of House Bill No. 7707 authored by then Congressman Jose Carlos V. Lacson of the 3rd Congressional District, Province of Negros Occidental, and which finally became a law on May 5, 1994.