About UST Angelicum College

A few months after Fr. Alarcon was appointed First Provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines Incorporated (DPPI), he was able to convince some educators and the Province to put up a non-graded school. It was to be called “Angelicum” after one of the Dominicans’ houses of studies in Rome. Its whole existence would be justified by the nature of each individual child. Its philosophy would be “to do what is best for each learner”.

Angelicum School was born: six classrooms and a small library housed at the Dominican seminary; 315 young boys under the care of 9 creative, responsible, and experienced teachers willing to accept a paradigm shift. It carried out the embodiment of the Dominican ideals of truth, charity, justice, and fortitude. Angelicum School became the first non-graded school in the Philippines. In its second year, enrollment doubled, and the first floor of the St. Dominic Building was finished in time to house the fast-growing learner population.

Girls were accepted to meet “the need to normalize the environment.” A total of 220 learners enrolled from Nursery to YS 5 levels, and the St. Martin Building was made ready for the learners. In 1977, St. Antoninus School opened, offering services to children in need of special attention; ten years later it was renamed the Special Education Department (SPED), and its operation was suspended in 1996.

Angelicum expanded beyond Quezon City. Two branches were established — Angelicum Tehran, Iran and Angelicum Jaro, Iloilo. Due to the religious war in Iran, Angelicum Tehran was closed in 1979.

Rev. Fr. Norberto Castillo, O.P. became the Director of the school. The number of learners continued to rise, and the school gained wider acclaim in the country’s educational system.

On May 11, 1979, the school library was named Fr. Ed Lumboy Memorial Resource Center in honor of Rev. Fr. Ed Lumboy, O.P., one of the school’s resident priests who died in a vehicular accident.

Rev. Fr. Hilario Singian, O.P. succeeded Fr. Castillo. During his term, the St. Vincent Covered Court was completed.

After one year, Fr. Singian was replaced by Rev. Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P., who became Director for four years. The St. Thomas Building was constructed during his administration.

Rev. Fr. Honorato Castigador, O.P. replaced Fr. Ponce.

The Collegiate Department was opened and the school was renamed Angelicum College in May 1996. In August of the same year, the recognition of the Home Study Program (HSP) was granted, initially offered from YS 5 to YS 11 learners. The swimming pool was inaugurated and the football field improved during this period.

Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P. was elected 9th Rector of Angelicum College. During his leadership, facilities and offices were improved — air conditioning of all classrooms at the St. Dominic Building and renovation of all offices at the St. Martin Building. He initiated the automation of various school processes, introduced participative management by involving department heads and staff in designing the school’s Comprehensive Advancement Plan (CAP), and it was during his term that the Business and TESDA Programs in the College Department were offered.

Rev. Fr. Ferdinand L. Bautista, O.P., Ph.D. became the next Rector and President and was re-elected in 2012. An advocate of academic excellence, he concentrated on intensifying the quality of the learning modules. He promoted research by reviving EPIKEIA, The Interdisciplinary Journal of Alternative Education and Formation, and reinforced the endeavors of the Academic Division related to curriculum and instruction to ensure that academic activities uphold mastery learning and holistic formation of learners.

On May 28, 2013, the Basic Education of Angelicum College was accredited Level II by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) through the recommendation of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU).

The school became a DepEd-recognized Education Service Contracting (ESC) Provider. In the succeeding academic year, DepEd recognized the school to operate a Senior High School (SHS) Program with two tracks — Academic and Technical-Vocational and Livelihood.

The most significant date that made Angelicum College’s history even more meaningful. On this date, the Memorandum of Agreement for the integration of the Royal Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Angelicum College was signed — anchored on the 10th Provincial Chapter of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, “…to integrate all the Dominican institutions within two venerable and historical educational traditions.” The school was renamed UST Angelicum College (Inc.), with Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. as Rector and Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Bautista, O.P. as Pro-Vice-Rector. The integration intensified collaboration in School Leadership and Management; Religious Education and Christian Living Education; Community and Extension Services; Financial Management; Marketing and Promotion; and Research and Publication.

The opening of classes was moved to August. The learning modules underwent professional editing and were copyrighted, and the use of supplementary materials to enrich instruction was heightened. Construction of the Blessed Jordan of Saxony Building for Senior High School and college students began.

UST Angelicum College adopted the flipped classroom approach, blended learning, and continuous curriculum enhancements to cope with the demands of 21st-century learning. Its commitment to quality service intensified, evidenced by submission to PAASCU accreditation. The college earned its Level III Accreditation on December 16, 2021, and its FAAP Level 3 Certification in January 2022.

UST Angelicum College welcomed back Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., Ph.D. as its new Pro-Vice Rector. His Triple A vision — Academic Advantage @Angelicum — is in full gear to usher in the future a Safe, Smart, and Sustainable UST Angelicum College at the threshold of its golden jubilee in academic year 2022. International linkages, foreign program exchanges, and international visiting-lecturer initiatives were pioneered in this year.