By LALAINE S. DECENA
As villages and housing projects are
sprouting out like mushrooms in the countryside,
so are schools, colleges and universities.
Although slowly, several educational institutions are
now carving their respective niches in the
southern side of Manila.
And with the forthcoming opening of another
academic year, they are up to playing the game of
holistic formation of the nation's future - the children.
CARITAS DON BOSCO SCHOOL.
The congregation of the Caritas Sisters of Miyazaki was founded by Italian priests belonging to the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1937 in Miyazaki Japan. The founder, Fr. Antonio Cavoli and co-founder, Fr. Vincent Cimatti named the congregation “Caritas” because it started with the love and concern for the poor people. The love and self-sacrificing work of the Caritas sisters for the abandoned won the hearts of many non-Catholics and led them to God. The small need blossom into a fruitful tree that has spread its missionary presence in 11 countries with around 500 Japanese sisters and 500 Koreans.
As related by Sr. Teresa Tanaka, finance officer of Caritas Don Bosco School (CDBS), it was in 1992 that their founder's dream was realized. The first work offered to them was to set up a school in response to the growing needs of the new community in Laguna Technopark.
It was the Salesian community who offered them the parcel of land situated at the junction of Sta. Rosa and Biñan, Laguna. As a result, a co-educational school was established in 1994.
“We named it Caritas Don Bosco School because of the fact that the Salesians were the once who offered us the land,” related Sr. Tanaka. But she stressed that their administration does not follow that Don Bosco educational system.
“We are operating independently, the Caritas sisters are the one's who are handling the affairs and administration of CDBS,” reiterates Sr. Tanaka.
The CDBS had a very humble beginnings consisting of 21 pre-schoolers and three Caritas sisters together with two lay teachers.
“The three Caritas sisters are fortunate enough when they arrived in the country. Since, the land donated to us was still bare we don't have a place to start our school. It was a good thing that the homeowners of Santarosa Village, a village within the vicinity of our land, offered us their Multi-purpose Hall. It was really difficult because we really have to start from scratch, but in spite of the inconvenience of incomplete facilities, with the help of the parents and people in the village, the school had a good start,” further relates Sr. Tanaka.
The school started with less than 50 students and staff. But as further related by Sr. Tanaka, they are brimming with joy and pride, for this coming school year the very first batch of students who trusted them with their education will be graduating from high school.
“Now we are very proud that we were able to put up with the expectations of the Filipinos. We now have seven buildings and a chapel named Stella Maris. All these we offer for the students for their holistic formation,” shares Sr. Tanaka.
In accordance with their mission, the Caritas Sisters of Miyazaki commit themselves to animate and impart their service to the people. They also commit themselves to animate the community by proclaiming the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with Mary as their guide.
DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY -CANLUBANG.
A science and technology school is what De La Salle University-Canlubang (DLSU-C), Leandro V. Locsin Campus consciously strives to offer. A well balanced curriculum, coupled with co-curricular activities that hone creative and artistic skills as well as reach-out programs thorough which students get to see the Lasallian spirit in action.
“First of all we go all the way from kinder to high school and college although we only started up to grade four. We only have first year high school and college right now and we will be adding one school year level per school,” said Dr. Arnie Azcarraga, executive vice president of DLSU-C.
DLSU-C offers science and technology courses that will sharpen those students who wish to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field.
Since their campus is focused on science and technology, Dr. Azcarraga relates that they are trying to be more aggressive in the programs that they offer. As proof of their vision of enhancing the students' ability and putting science and technology into good use in terms their system, they are centering their curriculum to a higher level. They are offering robotics and other new technological innovations as part of their curriculum both for the tertiary and secondary level.
“It is our vision to further strengthen the students capabilities in applying new innovations in science and technology. But also we are putting effort in strengthening the arts and humanities aspect of their education. We don't want to end up having students that are well-grounded in science and mathematics, but does not have the heart and the soul of Christian achievers for God and the country,” explained Dr. Azcarraga.
DLSU-C is situated in the towns of Biñan and Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Its campus is envisioned to be the Silicon Valley of the Philippines, right across the Laguna Technopark District. The eighth campus of the DLSU System, it caters to the full range of educational services including kindergarten, elementary secondary and college.
It has been more that six months since DLSU-C opened last June. With its staff, teachers, administration and students, and the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, DLSU-C adheres the Lasallian tradition of excellence and provides its students quality education that is focused on science and technology, with a strong foundation in the arts, humanities and the social sciences.
“DLSU-C would like to attain that kind of balance in our basic education but then again with a certain slant in science and technology,” Dr. Azcarraga pointed out. “We are really proud that we were able to give students a campus that adhere to promoting science and technology. We are also looking forward to these students that some day they would be able to apply what they have learned and put it into good use.”
Since it opened its doors to students last June 2003, it has now a growing number of enrollees. They are now supervising and guiding 239 integrated school students and 73 college students which will someday be the future leaders of the country and by next year DLSU-C expects to more than double the number of enrollees. It is now slowing making a mark in the south side of Manila.
ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE -WESTGROVE is the latest addition to the continuing tradition of Benedictine education. It opened its doors to the academic community in June, 2001 through the efforts of several groups and individuals. With a pioneering batch of 105 students, the school initially offered kindergarten, preparatory and grades 1 to 3 levels from the grade school and first year for both the high school and the college levels.
According to Sr. Edna Quiambao, OSB, the directress and principal of SSC-W, the mission of educating women for the formation of a nation's moral and religious backbone began in St. Scholastica's College Westgrove. She also added that “Social responsibility is the hallmark trade of Scholastican education.”
The Benedictine tradition of education in the Philippines was ushered in 1906 with the coming of five German nuns from the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing in Germany.
“The first school was set in Tondo, but with a growing number of students it later transferred to a bigger location in San Marcelino in Malate, St. Scholastica's College is now in its current location in Leon Guinto in Manila. From then on it continued to establish several schools in various parts of the country, the latest of which is the Westgrove school,” Sr. Quiambao informed.
Geared towards academic excellence, SSC-W offers courses in primary, secondary levels. It aims to provide an education to their students that would develop not just the academic aspect but the total person as well.
The school which is situated at Silang, Cavite is one of the educational institutions owned and administered by the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing in the Philippines.
“The six-hectare property was by Ayala Land, Inc. it is 3.8 kilometers near Laguna Technopark, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The place is about 45 minutes away from Manila,” Sr. Quiambao related.
Being situated in pristine surroundings, it provides an environment conducive to learning for its students.
But Sr. Quaimbao stressed that, “Education is found not only in the wholesome atmosphere, beautiful buildings, location, exceptional facilities, competent and excellent faculty and personnel of the school. It is in the Benedictine education where academic excellence is coupled with discipline and spiritual growth and formation; where the tenet of "Ora et Labora" (prayer and work) guides and facilitates the metamorphosis of girls and young women from students to learners to members of society, responsive to the needs of the times through Benedictine education centered and rooted in Christ.”
It is this same Benedictine tradition that academic freedom is fully exercised, and liberalizing and positive approaches to learning are emphasized. Their teachers and students are encouraged to engage in research and creative and innovative activities and also all the members of the Benedictine Community to take part in the school's policy making body.
For Sr. Quiambao, their mission really is educate Scholasticans to be tough-minded, tender-hearted and steeped on Benedictine values, to be true and finished women of character with a deepened awareness of God and strong sense of commitment to serve those who have less in life like St. Scholastica, their patron saint.
