The late President, Diosdado Macapagal, who himself visited the University, said that PLM is "a unique university because it is the first community-oriented and socially conscious university in the country." He added that, "it gives poor but deserving public high school graduates of the community the means to acquire higher education." Moreover, he recognized PLM's emerging status as "one of the top universities in the country." Her daughter, President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited PLM for having a "culture of excellence," and commended the university for what she had believed as its "impressive" accomplishments in various fields.