History

Extension as an institutional function in the Tarlac College of Technology (the name of Tarlac State University between 1965 and 1989) started sometime in 1974 with the Extramural Studies and Extension Services (ESES) under the stewardship of Mr. Jose Lacson. Its main program component was Rural Life Development housed under the Institute of Rural Life Development (later renamed as Institute of Rural Life Technology), which offered a four-year secondary agriculture-based program in 1975. Graduates of the program were encouraged to enter into a two-year vocational course, which was also agriculture-based, a response to the government's thrust of promoting agricultural development in the countryside under the direction of Prof. Rizal V. Ganiban. 

In 1983, the ESES was re-established as a separate office directly under the College President with Professor Adoracion Y. Nogoy as head. It offered non-formal education programs that aimed to help the out-of-school youth, continuing education, and special projects to enhance other sectors' effectiveness. The office was also tasked to monitor income-generating projects of the college. Believing that extension is not only for outside clients, projects like success lessons and evaluation for the faculty and staff were also initiated and taken care of by the office. 

When Dr. Ernesto Cosme was appointed as the OIC President of Tarlac State University in 1992, extension and research were merged into one office under the leadership of Prof. Nogoy. Upon the appointment of Dr. Alejandro Fernandez as President of the University, the leadership of the extension and research office was transferred to Dr. Alfredo M. Conte after the retirement of Prof. Nogoy. When Dr. Rodolfo Baking took over the University presidency in 1995, he separated research and extension. Research was placed under the leadership of Dr. Victoria Gengania, while Dr. Conte continued to serve as the Director of the University Extension Office (UEO). This led to the designation of extension chairpersons to take charge of the  various extension functions, areas  of  concern  and  programs, along  with the  designation of college extension coordinators whose main function was to link the University Extension Office and the different colleges. Extension initiatives were undertaken in collaboration with civic organizations, religious organizations, and local government units. 

Upon Dr. Conte's retirement, Dr. Glenard T. Madriaga took over the leadership to continuously extend quality extension services by sharing the University's expertise to uplift the socio-cultural, technological, educational, and environmental conditions of the populace towards sustainable development. Under his leadership, the University Extension Manual was approved by the Board of Regents under Resolution No. 39, series of 2008, dated June 9, 2008. 

Dr. Madriaga's appointment as Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development in 2008 led to Prof. Redemptor G. Toledano's designation as Director of the UEO after serving as Cluster Chairman for Consultancy and Special Projects. Under Prof. Toledano’s term, the office was renamed as University Extension Services Office and the services delivered were organized and clustered under five university extension programs, namely: the Community Development Program, which assists in identifying the needs of a community and matching these with the capabilities of the institution; the Industry Development Extension Program, which is aimed at providing services to small and medium enterprises to increase their productivity; the Institution-Public-Private Sector Partnership Program; the Extension Support Services Program (ESSP); and the Student Extension Experience Program. It was also during the leadership of Prof. Toledano that the operations of the office was certified to ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System). The University Extension Manual was then converted into the TSU Extension Services Guide under BOR Resolution No. 66, series of 2009, dated November 4, 2009. Fast forward to 2017, the office's ISO certification was migrated to ISO 9001:2015 and was maintained until the end of the term of Prof. Toledano in June 2020. 

In 2016, the office established the Professional Development Services (PDS) Program which was an income-generating arm that helped professionals enhance their level of professionalism and integrity through training and consulting activities. In the following year, the BOR approved the establishment of the Regional Center on Resources and Development of Indigenous Peoples (RCRDIP) to provide technical support for protecting and promoting indigenous cultural communities' interests and well­being indigenous peoples. The UESO managed the center. 

With the retirement of Prof. Toledano, Engr. Emir Lenard S.F. Sicangco, previously the Head of the ESSP (2008-2016) and then Director of the Technology Development, Transfer and Commercialization Office, assumed leadership as the concurrent OIC Director of the UESO from June 2020 to October 2021. Under the leadership of Engr. Sicangco, the UESO was renamed into the Extension Services Management Office (ESMO) with the following units: Planning and Monitoring Unit, Project Management Unit, Extension Affairs Unit, and the Extension Studies and Publication Unit. During his stint, which coincided with the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ESMO was awarded 2nd Place in terms of Extension Best Practices and Initiatives in Mitigating the Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic during the Central Luzon-wide celebration of the 1st National Higher Education Day and 27th Founding Anniversary of CHED held in May 2021. In December 2021, the ESMO was declared as one of five winners in the Development Academy of the Philippines’ Government Best Practices Recognition for its Project Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting System, which is an information system developed specifically for managing extension documents and information. 

From October 2021 to August 2023, Dr. Lea B. Milan served as the OIC Director of the ESMO. Under her leadership, the office had shifted its gear to strengthen the capacity of the colleges in producing impactful and sustainable "tatak TSU" long-term extension projects or the so-called Community Development Extension Programs and Projects (CDEPP). The CDEPP aimed to implement reform-oriented and impact-driven extension projects of the colleges and offices in partnership with various community and industry sectors. Working in collaboration with diverse community and industry sectors, the initiative also aimed to identify and address the specific needs of communities and bridge them with the institution's capabilities. In response to addressing the mandates of the University towards community development,   new   extension   programs   were also developed   — the Community Outreach Program and Extension Advocacy Program. In addition, the ESMO was renamed into the Office of University Extension Services in April 2023 with the following departments: Extension Services Management Department, Extension Planning and Performance Management Department, University Extension Affairs and Linkages Department, and Technology and Knowledge Management Department. 

Recognizing the escalating demand for the expertise of the colleges, the OUES also took the initiative to fortify and operationalize the college extension department in each college. This crucial step addressed the challenges posed by the surge in stakeholders seeking assistance from the colleges, ensuring that the office effectively responds to their evolving demands and the ever-changing needs of the community. By doing so, the office sought to elevate the development of sustainable and enduring extension programs, thereby making a lasting positive impact on the communities served. 

In August 2023, Engr. Emir Lenard S.F. Sicangco was reinstated as OUES Director. During his tenure, the University strengthened its commitment to volunteerism and community engagement through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Philippine National Volunteering Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA). As a result, the OUES was designated as the University’s Volunteerism Focal Office, while Director Sicangco was appointed as the Volunteer Focal Person. Furthermore, the establishment of the Volunteerism Management Department (VMD) was approved through TSU Board Resolution No. 39, series of 2025. Subsequently, Board Resolution No. 73, series of 2025, authorized the University President to approve future extension and volunteer programs and projects, thereby streamlining the implementation and management of the University's extension and volunteerism initiatives. 

In late 2025, the Social Action on Relief and Assistance Program (SARAP) Tumulong was revived as the University's flagship non-expertise-based outreach program. The initiative aims to provide immediate assistance to communities and groups affected by calamities and disasters, experiencing poverty, or otherwise facing socioeconomic disadvantages. Through SARAP Tumulong, the University extends various forms of non-technical and short-term assistance in support of community welfare and social responsibility. 

Further strengthening the University's extension and volunteerism framework, the TSU Board of Regents approved Resolution No. 81, series of 2026, which amended the OUES Operations Manual and officially renamed it as the University Extension and Volunteerism Operations Manual. This milestone institutionalized the integration of volunteerism into the University's extension mandate and reinforced its commitment to responsive and sustainable community engagement.