College President's Report 1982-83 to 1985-86: Remembering Alfonso Panis Roda/2

College President's Report 1982-83 to 1985-86
Alfonso P. Roda, Ed.D.

[Adapted from the President's Report to the PUC board and NPUM constituency at the completion of a fifth term and commencing on his sixth term, published in a special homecoming issue of Spotlight on PUC, Vol 2, Issue 1, December 22, 1985.]

Growth, Consolidation and Recognition

Transfer to a New Campus Completed
In our report for the quadrennium 1978 to 1981, we said that the most important event of that period was the completion of the transfer of the institution from Baesa to our new campus in Silang. What a wonderful and challenging period that was. Our report for the quadrennium 1982-1985 may be described no better than these words: Growth, Consolidation and Recognition

Enrollment Losses and Gains
Referring to our report four years ago, the undergraduate college enrollment had gone to a low of 1203. The year 1978 had started with 1323; in 1979, it went down to 1302; in 1980, a further drop to 1287; and in 1981, a low of 1203.

What lay in the future with the transfer completed? I made the bold forecast that the enrollment trend would be reversed from year to year with increased facilities. A growth of 100 to 150 students per year would not be farfetched. I based my forecast on my firm belief that our constituency was supportive of our program and desired their children to gain a Christian education in as favorable an environment as we have in Silang, and that our SDA parents believe in good, solid Christian education and would make great sacrifices to accomplish this goal. The last four years are a fulfillment of this insight. Consider below the enrollment figures from 1982-83 to 1985-86.

First Semester Figures: 1982-83; 1983-84; 1984-85; 1985-86
College 1219; 1284; 1410; 1539
Graduate
Education 46; 38; 34; 35
Nursing 8; 14; 15; 23
Health 30; 42; 60; 71
Secondary 94; 110; 128; 157
Elementary 88; 98; 104; 109

As per above figures, the four years have been years of continuous growth with regard to student population. We praise the Lord and give thanks to our faculty-staff for their wholehearted cooperation in carrying on a quality program.

What about the future? My feeling on this matter is that our facilities (dormitories, classrooms, equipment) have not kept up with the enrollment growth and, therefore, it would be difficult and unwise to maintain the rate of growth of the past four years.

Until we have more facilities, our program might not be able to deliver the goods to a bigger population and might result in poorer quality all around. I therefore believe it would be best to hold growth to manageable limits.

Continuous Upgrading of National Faculty/Staff
The strength of a school is determined to a great extent by the quality of the teachers. We have a good corps of capable, dedicated teachers and staff who have been most cooperative these years. We now have approximately 160 faculty/staff. Of these we have 18 holding doctorate degrees and 41 who have completed their master’s degrees.

A continuous upgrading program is beginning to pay off for our national teachers. During this period, Dr. Ric Salamante came home with a doctorate degree in Health from Loma Linda University. Just recently, Dr Ramon Ulangca came back also from Loma Linda with a doctorate degree in Biology. Dr Bien Mangoba has also completed his doctoral work at Peabody Teachers College at the Vanderbilt University. In addition to these, we have called for and he has already come, Dr Archibald Tupas, who completed his Doctor of Ministry at Andrews University. He teaches in the Religion Department. Bro. Cris de la Cruz may be completing [a religious education doctorate from Andrews U] this year and hope to have him back next year.

One of our [nutrition] teachers, Ms. Inherla Hernando, is still at Loma Linda, under the Division bursary. Hopefully, she can finish her work by next year, 1986, and come home to join us shortly thereafter. Mr Ruben Ricalde is next in line for a doctoral bursary in the United States in the field of nursing.

The plan to make it possible to utilize these bursaries for doctoral upgrading in local schools, if desired, has my support. We have at present on the local upgrading program Mr G. Panaranda, taking up a doctorate in psychology. Locally, we have two who completed their doctoral studies - Dr Armando T. Fabella and Dr Rosalinda Rivera. Dr W. Martinez also completed his work and has been assigned to Naga View.

Academic Stride With Newly Recognized Master's in Nursing and Public Health
A definite academic advance is the opening and subsequent recognition of a program in Public Health. We had been offering a master's degree in health science (which was a good degree) but was not fully recognized by the profession. In order to come up to the professional standard/expectations, we sought and got approval for opening a school of public health with a new curriculum. This has been approved and duly recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (MECS). The International Institute of Health (PUC School of Public Health) is the second school in the Philippines that offers this course (the other one is the Institute of Public Health of the University of the Philippines). The school has had tremendous growth since its opening as seen in its growth in enrollment, as well as its influence in the community. We appreciate the leadership of Dr Hedrick Edwards in this school.

Another academic advance is the recognition of the graduate program in nursing, which was granted to us just a few months ago. In spite of the small number of enrollees (we hope we can serve more of our division needs for qualified nursing leaders), the recognition was granted. We thank Dr Pat Jones, who has been leading out in this program, as well as Dr Dioscorides Salmin for this recognition early in its history.

Adoption of Extension Campuses
We have been operating Naga View Academy extension campus for quite a while, so it was thought that if Northeast Luzon Academy [NELA]would offer college level course, we should also include her as another extension campus… In May of this year, a program/ceremony was held where Pastor N. R. Arit, Pastor Z. Manalo and myself went through a formal turnover of responsibility for this school from Northeast Luzon Academy Board to Philippine Union College Board.

It was a sad note that on October 10 Brother Aaron Salazar, the director of Northeast Luzon Academy [NELA], died of a heart attack. The leadership is now temporarily in the hands of Mr. Efren Dalupan, who may not long be with us, since he has a call pending to another institution which he seems inclined to accept. Also a sad note regarding the other extension campus leadership (Naga). Dr William Martinez, after serving only a few months, has had some health problems which necessitated his coming to Manila for more extensive diagnosis and physicians recommendations as to his future work. We hope early precautions are taken so that there would not be another casualty on leadership as what happened above.

Seminary and College Part Ways
In my 1981-82 quadrennial report, when I mentioned about the separation of the Seminary from the College, although operating on the same campus and using many facilities in common, I said:

‘The questions that further were to be resolved in practice were the questions of authority and jurisdiction and functions vital to the operations of the two institutions on the same campus so that there would be no cause for irritation and no sources for disunity.’

After struggling with the problem, our FED annual committee this November made a decision to move the Seminary off campus. It is with a sad heart that I accept this decision as the solution adopted, especially as the commission that has been appointed to study this matter, which included Drs George Akers and George Babcock from the Education Department of the General Conference, had recommended a reunification of the Seminary with the College. But the Lord has His hand on the affairs of this Church and guides for the best results.

FED/GC Votes Down Proposed Medical School
One report that brought sadness to our hearts during this quadrennium was the turning down by the FED and the GC of our request to open a medical school during the FED mid-year meeting in May 1983 in Seoul, Korea. Conditions were so favorable for such a project! But again, God knows best.

Dr. John L. Detwiler Memorial Library
Dr Howard Detwiler, who pledged his support for the medical school with a USD one million pledge, was bitterly disappointed at the disapproval of the project. However, I met with him shortly thereafter, and he reiterated his promise that if the medical school project did not go through, he would contribute that pledged amount to PUC’s other projects. I met with him shortly after the decision was made regarding the medical school and after his careful consideration, was convinced that the library building was what he would like to help build with his contribution. Dr Detwiler has agreed to shoot for 1987 as the date for the completion of the library and its inauguration. This would coincide with our 70th anniversary of the founding of the College.

Physical Plant Growth Despite Eternal Gardens Setback
At our last report, 1981-82, I mentioned that Eternal Gardens, our main source of campus facilities development funds had taken us to court with an interpleader suit. So money from this source had eventually dried up. We are hoping that a decision might be made on the writ of execution on the decision of the Regional Trial Court regarding Eternal Gardens payments to PUC. How could the building projects continue when the Eternal Gardens had quit with payments and the division funding was limited to a large degree to funding graduate/seminary and division projects? The answer - God's guidance and man's consecration of his abilities for a great cause. Some persons I would like to give tribute to.

First and foremost, Mr Sam Robinson, whose ability to procure excess property from US military bases and his keen business acumen and his ability with heavy equipment combined with his hard work, has made many of our building projects on our campus possible. We owe him and his wife a debt of gratitude. Next is Mr Don Van Ornam. whose financial skill was a complement to Mr Sam Robinson. Last but not least, the foreman with oversight of most of the building was Mr Bernardo Gumarao. His many years of hands-on construction experience has made him valuable. We give thanks to these men whom we will remember for their great contribution to building up the campus.

Fresh Sources of Funds
The Lord continued to bless us and we were able to secure funds from other sources so that our building projects have not stopped. We put into our projects for the four-year period a total of over PhP28.5 million (see attached report). Evangelische Zentralstelle Fur Entwicklungshife (EZE for short) accepted our proposal and granted us DM 1.1 million, equivalent to PhP7.75 million, for us to build two buildings - a boys' dormitory and a classroom building. This dormitory is completed and houses over 300 boys. They are somewhat crowded (six in a room), but is a far cry from the old modular building. The Science (biology and chemistry) building is almost complete (except some rooms on the second floor which need specialized facilities which our funds are not able to purchase). However, the biology classrooms/laboratories are now being fully used.

The School of Business building was completed early in the period. However, it has not been fully turned over to the school of business, since the administrative offices are 'squatting' on this building.

The PUC Clinic [aka Health Service] building is also a welcome addition to our physical plant. Located close to the entrance, it is intended to serve not only the school population, but the surrounding villages as well. The initial donation for this building was given by Mr Bienvenido Lim. Other donors and our development department contributed to its completion.

Behind this building are two staff housing - one for the physician and the other for the church pastor (funds provided by CLM). Although the PUC Church [aka Philippine International Church] structure is far from complete, little by little the building has taken the shape and form of a church sanctuary and not anymore like a hangar as they used to joke us. The building is completely locked in -the sides being walled in by steel railings. We thus have a demonstration of the building of the physical and the spiritual aspects of man's development in these facilities.

Two more 'bliss type' apartments were added during this period. Funds for these were provided by the FED and were to be exclusively used for graduate/seminary students and their families.

There were also a number of faculty/staff housing added during this period. And as a bonus, most of the roads have been paved, with the exception of a stretch from the main gate to the central campus and a stretch from the graduate/seminary building down to the motor pool. Another unpaved section is the road up to the elementary schools and the dairy. Hopefully in the very near future, the rest of these unpaved stretches would be paved. Complementing the paved roads are the planting of trees and flowers and shrubs and landscaping and well-mowed lawns that have transformed the former farm land into a beautiful, lovely campus.

Purchase of Rice Land: Further Evidence of God Smiling Down on Us
A further evidence of God’s providence and His smiling down on us is the donation of a certain Mr & Mrs John Grillmeir of Australia toward the purchase of rice land. While visiting students they were helping through school, they came to Pastor B. Capule and asked him what projects he could suggest if they were to donate a certain amount. Pastor Capule, after some deliberation, suggested they think of helping purchase rice land for our students to work on, as well as a contribution to the operations of the college, since we would not have to purchase rice from the market. Just a few weeks ago, we received word that they Grillmeirs have sent us through channels PhP 448,000+ for the purchase of this land. Truly the Lord is good!

Support of Alumni Abroad
The PUC Alumni residing in the U.S.A. particularly the Western USA Chapter, have pledged to build an Alumni Center, including a chapel, a number of guest rooms, conference rooms and offices, a tennis court, and a swimming pool. They also pledged a van for general use and whose income would be utilized for student scholarships. Dr C. A. Fernando of Glendale, California, president, and Dr Romulo Valdez, vice-president, and Dr. R. Atiga, campaign director, have all pledged their support for this project. This, too, is targeted for completion in 1987 when many of our alumni are planning to come for the Alumni Homecoming, and the celebration of our 70th anniversary.

Conclusion
The Lord has truly been good to all of us at Philippine Union College as we have endeavored to do His will and conduct a training program for our youth in harmony with God's principles as revealed to us in the Scriptures and in the Spirit of Prophecy.

There is still much work to be done in facilities, development and offerings to make the College a truly Adventist institution carrying out the mission which the Church has delegated to her.

We, faculty/staff and administration, dedicate ourselves to achieving this goal in the years to come. We appreciate your confidence in us, and pray we can be worthy of such trust.

Alfonso P. Roda, Ed.D.
President
November 21, 1985