The conference is led by the Samar State University in Catbalogan City and eight other HEIs from Eastern Visayas region. Other institutions like the CHED, DILG, PASUC, LGUs of Samar and Leyte has pledged to support the event by sending some of their heads, key employees and selected community leaders. Sponsorship from the City Government of Tacloban, Catbalogan, Palo and the Province of Leyte were also sought and have received a positive response. Below are the HEIs who are working to make the 2019 event a success.
 Samar State University is one of the two SUCs in Western Samar, the other one is NwSSU. SSU has three campuses namely; SSU-Main, SSU-Mercedes Campus and SSU-Paranas Campus. It has one extension campus in Basey Samar. The three campuses are ISO certified and its programs are accredited by the Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines. It has seven colleges namely College of Graduate Studies, College of Engineering, College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Industrial Technology, College of Nursing, College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences and (SSU-Mercedes), Parananas and Basey Campuses. The unit that spearheads the povcon2018 is the Research Center for Culture and Social Issues (RCCSI) of the university.
President: Marilyn D. Cardoso, Ph.D. |
 Saint Paul School of Professional Studies (SPSPS) is is a private, non-sectarian school in Palo, Leyte. As a response to the closing of the Divine Word University of Tacloban (DWUT) in 1994, several professors and academic staff established the Saint Paul’s Business School of Tacloban (SPBST). In 1997, SPBST was relocated from Marasbaras, Tacloban to a one-hectare area in Palo, Leyte. With this relocation and establishment of new buildings came an increase in the school’s number of enrollees. Since its foundation, Saint Paul School of Professional Studies has been providing quality education and producing top-performing students. The school strives to be a world-class professional learning institution through lectures that give value to environmental consciousness, socio-economic responsiveness, development research. community service, and most especially through instilling values of Saint Paul. They have exemplary performance in Accountancy with top notchers and considered as the 6th biggest source of CPAs in the country and the 4th best accountancy school in the Philippines in 2013. Their campus was also considered the Cleanest School Campus in Eastern Visayas.
President: Dr. Erwin Vincent G. Alcala, CPA, MIB |
 Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) formerly known as the Naval State University is the premier state university in the province of Biliran mandated to provide advanced education, higher technological, professional instruction and training in the fields of arts and sciences, education, agriculture, fishery, forestry, maritime education, information and communications technology, engineering, tourism and other related fields of study and to undertake research and extension services and provide progressive leadership in its areas of specialization. The main campus is located in Naval, Biliran and the other is in Bilran, Biliran. It offers Post Graduate, Graduate, Undergraduate Degrees and Secondary courses. Established in 1945 as a secondary public high school, it became a college in 1965, and a university in 2009. In January 2019, the Naval State University was renamed into Bilran Province State University through RA 11170.
President: Dr. Victor C. Canezo, Jr. |
 Eastern Samar State University is the only university in Eastern Samar. It has five campuses located in Can-Avid, Guiuan, Maydolong, Salcedo and the main campus at Borongan City. The main campus was the Eastern Samar National Regional Agricultural School and become the seat of ESSU and was known as ESSU-main Campus through RA 9313. Other names of the school were Eastern Samar Junior Agricultural Colleges, Eastern Samar College of Agriculture, and Eastern Samar State College. The university was established in 1960 and became a Jr. College in 1973, a College in 1993, and finally a university in 2004.
President: Edgardo Campoto, Ph.D., DVM. |
 Eastern Visayas State University is the largest public university in Eastern Visayas in terms of enrollment. It is also the oldest higher educational institution in Region 8. It was established in 1907 as part of a provincial school. It becomes a separate trade school in 1915. Its other names include Leyte Trade School (1915), National Provincial Trade School (1953), Leyte Regional School of Arts and Trades (1961), Leyte Institute of Technology (1965) and as EVSU in 2004. As a university, it is mandated to provide advanced education, higher technological, professional instruction and training in trade, fishery, agriculture, forestry, science, education, commerce, architecture, engineering, and related courses. It is also mandated to undertake research and extension services and provide progressive leadership in its area of specialization. Its main campus is in Tacloban.
President: Dominador O. Aguire, Jr., DM |
 Holy Infant College Tacloban (HIC) is a private, Catholic school in Tacloban City, Leyte. It was founded as the Holy Infant Academy by the Parish priest of Sto. Nino in 1924. For some time, the school was run by the Benedictine Sisters (OSB) and even by some lay people; then, in 1954, the administration was turned over the Irish Religious Sisters of Mercy. Over a decade later, college programs were offered, and consequently, the school was renamed to Holy Infant College.
The school offers degree programs in Midwifery, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Teacher Education, Liberal Arts, and Business Administration. HIC is a K-12 ready campus, with Senior High School (SHS) strands under the Academic Track. HIC is also a TESDA-accredited institution that offers Tech-Voc courses such as Healthcare Services NC II and Caregiving NC II. President: Sr. M. Carmela N. Cabactulan, RSM, Ed.D. |
 Leyte Normal University is a public university in the Philippines mandated to provide higher professional and special instructions for special purposes and to promote research and extension services, advanced studies and progressive leadership in educaton and other related fields. Established in 1921 as a provincial normal school in leyte, an adjunct of the Leyte High School. It became Leyte Normal school in 1938. It started offering 4-year college degree in 1952 when it became Leyte State College. In 1995 by virtue of RA 7910, the college became the Leyte Normal University. It has received a recognition as Center of Excellence for Teacher Education from 1996 to 2001 and in 2008-2011.
President: Jude A. Duarte, DPA |
 St. Scholastica’s College was founded in 1999. It offers Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized programs in Medical Laboratory Science, Midwifery, Pharmacy, Nursing, Biology, and Psychology.
President: Sister M. Julia C. Yap, OSB, PhD |
 Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) is the other university in Western Samar. It has two campuses, the main campus in Calbayog City is formerly known as the Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology and the San Jorge campus is formerly known as the Samar National Agricultural School. NwSSU has humble beginnings in 1959 and becomes NwSSU in 2009.
President: Benjamin L. Pecayo, Ph.D. |
 The Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) was formerly known as the Southern Leyte State College of Science and Technology. The leadership of Dr. Prose Ivy Guasa-Yepes has transformed the university into one of the leading SUCs in the region. To date, the university has six campuses in the towns of Sogod (main campus), Hinunagan, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc and San Juan. The latest addition to the growing SLSU is the campus in Maasin City. SLSU mission is to produce S and T leaders and competitive professionals generate breakthrough research in S and T –based disciplines transform and improve the quality of life in the communities in the service areas be self-sufficient and financially viable.President: Prose Ivy Guasa-Yepes, Ed.D.Contact Numbers: Tel/Fax: Website: http://slsuonline.edu,ph |
 The University of Eastern Philippines is the oldest university in Eastern Visayas, established in 1964 through HB 4050. It was once known as the Catarman Farm School in 1918. It became the Catarman Agricultural School and later became Catarman National Agricultural High School (1950). In 1956, the school became Samar Institute of Technology in 1598 and finally UEP. The university has three campuses with its main campus found in Catarman, Northern Samar and in Laoang and Catubig Northern Samar. UEP has a total of 11 colleges/Institutes in the three campuses. A total of 43 of its program is AACCUP accredited in different levels, level III as the highest.
President: Rolando A. Delorino, Ph.D. |