Atty. Paisalin P.D. Tago, CPA, is a highly accomplished and distinguished public servant, legislator, and legal professional who now serves as the 9th Regular President of the Mindanao State University (MSU) System.
Born on October 25, 1967, he is a proud son of Mindanao and blue-blooded native of Islamic City of Marawi and a lifelong advocate of inclusive development, social justice, and education as a tool for empowerment. He was a student of Master of Laws from San Beda College, a Bachelor of Laws from Far Eastern University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the National College of Business and Arts. He is both a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Philippine Bar. As a fellow of the East-West Center’s New Generation Seminar in Hawaii, he represented the Philippines among a global cohort of emerging leaders, further enriching his cross-cultural and policy perspectives.
With over three decades of leadership experience, he has served in various capacities across regional and national government. He was a sitting Member of Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (2019 to 2025), and formerly served as Deputy Speaker (2022 to 2025). Also as Minister of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (2022 to 2025) in the Bangsamoro Government, he led institutional reforms and infrastructure initiatives to improve connectivity and mobility across the region.
His earlier public service includes his role as Assemblyman in the now-defunct Regional Legislative Assembly where he served for 12 years and held leadership positions such as Speaker, Majority Floor Leader, and Assistant Minority Leader. He also served as Commissioner of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and as a consultant to the Senate during the deliberations on the Bangsamoro Organic Law. He also served as a Board of Administrator in the Cooperative Development Authority and as a Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member in Lanao del Sur.
His strong foundation in finance is reflected in his experience as the Finance Director in the Office of the Regional Governor – ARMM, designated Chief Accountant and Budget Officer III in the Office on Muslim Affairs, as well as the Supervising Accountant in the Land Transportation Regional Office 12.
He was among the earliest and most consistent voices calling for genuine fiscal autonomy in the Bangsamoro. He is widely credited for contributing to the block grant provision in the Bangsamoro Organic Law, anchoring the region’s political autonomy on financial self-sufficiency. His legislative portfolio reflects a comprehensive vision for human development—authoring landmark measures on education, public health, science and technology, peacebuilding, institutional reform, and cultural preservation.
Among the key measures he principally authored and co-authored are the upgrading of different hospitals, converting Tamparan District Hospital into a Provincial Hospital, the Bangsamoro Science High School System Act, the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Act, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, and the Local Governance Code of the Bangsamoro. He also led the institutionalization of support for madaris education, halal certification, and the codification of Shari’ah-based civil procedures. Most importantly, he spearheaded the codification of the Bangsamoro Revenue Code as the Chairperson of the Committee on Ways and Means in his stint as Member of the Parliament.
As a university president, he brings with him not only his experience in public policy, but a deep respect for the role of education in nation-building. He has consistently advocated for greater investments in scholarships, teacher training, research, and institutional excellence. He believes that Mindanao State University can become a global hub of academic innovation, cultural exchange, and peace education—anchored in service to the people of Mindanao and the Bangsamoro.
He bridges multiple worlds: the legal and the academic, the bureaucratic and the cultural, the local and the global. He is married to Sittie Norhaya Ambor-Tago, CPA and together they are raising four children grounded in faith, knowledge, and service.
Atty. Tago’s blend of legal, financial, and legislative expertise, coupled with his commitment to education and community welfare, positions him as an ideal leader to advance to the MSU System’s mission of academic excellence and regional development.
