July 12-18, 2010

FCC now a university

By Gerry T. Pagharion and Edalyn B. Acta

       ROXAS CITY ––– The Filamer Christian College, a 106 year-old private institution, has been granted the University Status by the Commission on Higher Education effective July 14 this year.

       This  was   disclosed  by FCC officials led by its president, Dr. Expedito Señeres, and its Board of Trustees led by its chair  Rev. Eliseo Fantilaga,   during a press conference July 16.

       From a  school for the poor and the orphaned children established by the American missionaries in August of 1904, FCC has grown to become one of the leading institutions in Capiz today, serving a total of 4,712 students in elementary, secondary and tertiary levels.

       Thus, from being known as  “Home School,” then as   “Filamer Christian Institute” and, later, as   “Filamer Christian College,” the school has been  renamed  Filamer Christian University or FCU to conform with its present status.

       In a letter dated July 14, 2010, CHED chair Emmanuel Y. Angeles  declared that the FCC, in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No.7722, otherwise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994,” and by virtue of Resolution No. 186-2010 dated July 14,2010 of the Commission en banc,   the Filamer Christian College is hereby granted University Status.

        Earlier, on July 12 this year, Angeles led a team of five CHED commissioners and three CHED regional directors in validating the recommendations of the evaluators who were tasked to look into the viability of the FCC as a university.

A YEAR’S TIME

       Salvio Llanera, dean of the school’s Graduate School and designated as chairman of the University Task Force, said they have applied for a University Status in June last year. In a year’s time, they  got the title, he said, the shortest ever for  schools which applied for such Status.

       It took some schools 15 to 20 years to become universities.  FCC only waited for one year.  The Cordillera University in Baguio, according to Llanera, waited for four years before it realized its dream of becoming a university.

       With the granting of its new status came the need to upgrade the capabilities of the school’s  faculty members in the tertiary level.   Thus, starting 2011, all teachers of the school must have at least a Master’s Degree.   And by 2015, they  must be holders of the Doctorate Degrees.

       Señeres disclosed that the school will offer Bachelor of Science in Information System and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.                                   Board of Trustee member Jessie Contreras, who is also the administrator of the Emmanuel Hospital, said they expect an increase in enrolment in the coming years. And the school would do within its capability to accommodate the increase by being “pro-active” rather than “re-active.”

       As part of the upgrading of its facilities, construction of the school’s library is now ongoing and is expected to be finished in two years.  The university library will also cater for public use, it was learned.

DOCTORATE STUDY

       It was also stressed during the press con that should there be local issues, such as the perennial flooding in Capiz that need attention, the school can enter into a memorandum of agreement with the city and provincial governments for the FCU to make a “doctorate study.”

       Fantilaga, in his closing remarks, said the granting of a University Status is a process, a long process and it came 106 years after its existence. Everyone, he said, has a role in the “making of a university.”

       He said that becoming a university “is a dream of the American missionaries” to introduce a quality education in a Christian atmosphere.”

       Also present during the press con were the other  members of the FCU Board of Trustees: Samuel Felasor, Violeta Barredo, George Cortel, Mariano Dioso Jr., Nilo Delfin  and  Lucy de la Fuente.

       The name Filamer is a combination of the word Filipino and American as an acknowledgement of the role that the latter played in the establishment of the school.

       The late Capiz Rep. Gerardo “Dinggoy” Roxas Jr. called it the “UP of Capiz” because of its “liberal policies” that enabled students to exercise their “academic freedom.”

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

       It all started in 1900 when American Baptist missionaries in Jaro, Iloilo led by Mrs. Peter H. J. Lerrigo began their missionary work in Capiz.

       Aside from extending medical help to the poor and the needy, Lerrigo’s group also attended to the spiritual needs of Capiz residents.

       Soon, a group of Capiceño believers built a small chapel near the river, which is about 50 meters from the school’s present site known as “Capiz Hill” because of its elevated terrain.

       In December of 1903, Baptist missionary Celia Sainz arrived in Capiz to begin training “Bible Women,” a term coined to refer to women capable of propagating the words of the Bible.

       Iloilo-based Rev. Joseph Robbins spent the whole month of January 1904 in Capiz assisting Dr. Lerrigo.  Later that year, the Robbins family moved to Capiz and organized Sunday school activities for children under the auspices of the Amercian Baptist Church in Mission Society.

       Then sometime in August of 1904, the Robbins received a note from the chief of the now defunct Capiz Constabulary requesting them to take charge of orphaned children and those whose parents were placed behind bars for crimes and other unlawful acts.

       One of those was named Regina.  She and her two brothers were taken by the Robbins into their home.  This was on top of the seven children that the couple had been feeding daily.

       Thus, the deep concern of the missionaries for the poor and neglected children of Capiz grew that it finally gave birth to a Home School, then renamed Filamer Christian Institute and, later, Filamer Christian College.    

2nd UNIVERSITY

IN    CAPIZ  

       FCU is the second university in Capiz, the first being the Capiz State University with a main campus in Roxas City, and branches in Dumarao, Pontevedra, Pilar, Mambusao, Sapian, Tapaz and Jamindan towns.

       It is an affiliate of Capiz Emmanuel Hospital and is a sister school of Central Philippine University and Iloilo Mission Hospital in Iloilo City.

NO INCREASE

Lawyer Mariano Dioso, a member of the FCC Board, said there will be no increase in tuition fees.  Instead, FCU will set a high standard of qualifications for its faculty members who are required to have doctorate degrees.