SIPC-WVCST Miagao Campus Through the Years

History

The school has undergone several changes through the years. From a regional high school, an extension of Iloilo High School after World War II, it has evolved into a vocational-technical , polytechnic and state college.

In 1945, Miagao Regional High School was born through the concerted efforts of the Municipal Officials and concerned citizens. The school offered a refresher course to students whose studies were interrupted during wartime. The temporary schoolhouse was the marketplace. Beneficiaries of the short-term course were from Miagao and from the neighboring towns like Guimbal, Igbaras, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Oton and San Joaquin. Later, at the Miagao Central School site, temporary shacks were put up to accommodate the enrollees while the construction of the high school building on its present site was underway. In 1947, the school was officially recognized as the Miagao High School with Cruz Sedotes (1945-1948) and Francisco Gargarita (1948-1958) as principals. From 1945-1958, the school was able to turn out hundreds of graduates.

Miagao High School was converted to Miagao Vocational School in 1958 with Rosauro de Leon (1958-1960) as principal. The conversion was due to the joint efforts of the Miagao High School Administration, the town officials led by the late Mayor Dioscoro Mueda, the parents and the civic-spirited citizens who were mindful of the changing needs of the community. The proponents believed that the curriculum of the vocational school would be more practical since it would be in keeping with the livelihood of the people and the natural resources of the place. Dr. Pedro C. Trono, then the Congressman of the First District of Iloilo, acted on the proposal and introduced to congress RA 1957 which was then approved.

The enrolment continued to increase and the divergent needs of the students in particular and the community in general., could not be met adequately by the prescribed curriculum of the Miagao Vocational School whose emphasis was on vocational courses. Thus by 1977, the school started to offer a Two-Year Trade Technical Education curriculum with enclosure No. 2 to Department Order No. 2,s.1975 as the legal basis for the curricular offerings. The Trade Technical Education gave the high school graduates of the community and of the neighboring towns the chance to avail of the knowledge and occupational skills that would help them earn a decent living. The school then was under the leadership of Donato V. Opina (1960-1972) and Adriano Sullesta (1972-1976) as School Administrators.

Miagao Vocational School was changed to Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College in 1984 under the administration of Jose V. Francisco (1976-1985) as the Superintendent. Former Assemblyman Salvador(Buddy) Britanico is the “father” of the conversion. It was in view of the magnitude of the service area of the school and of the multiple demands of the changing times that the expansion was a necessity. Additional shop courses were offered to meet the demands of the community. With the creation of the Bureau of Technical Education, the College was selected as one of the priority schools to offer One-Year Technician Curriculum with concentration on Refrigeration and Airconditioning during the administration of Dr. Gerardo Solas (1987-1993).

Pursuant to RA No. 7722 known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”, the Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College was under the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). It was during the administration of Ernesto N. Narida (1993-1997) as Officer-in-Charge. Effective November 24, 2000, SIPC has been integrated to Western Visayas College of Science and Technology. Mr. Jesus N. Nasa(1998-2002) was the superintendent at the time of the integration. It is in consonance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act(RA) No. 7722, other wise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994 and RA No. 8292, otherwise known as “Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997” and pursuant to the Special Provision No. 2 of CHED FY2000 Budget under the General Appropriations Act of FY2000 or RA 8760 on the Integration of CHED-supervised institutions, (CSIs) to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

On June 15, 2001, Mr. Richard Bole, CEO of Rosemar Techaid Foundation based in America and husband of Mrs. Sofia Espada-Bole, an alumna of Miagao Vocational School, turned over 50 computer units with accessories to SIPC-WVCST Miagao Campus Administrators. It paved the way to the offering of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. By virtue of the WVCST BOT Resolution No.6/13/2001-45, the SIPC- WVCST Miagao Campus Computer Center is named Rosemar Techaid Foundation Center. In February 2006, additional donations of 236 computers were given plus lots of Information Technology textbooks.

In March 2002, Dr. Raul F. Muyong took over the administration of the College upon the retirement of Mr. Jesus N. Nasa. In line with the integration of the College to WVCST, the Secondary Program was phased out effective August 27, 2002. All third and fourth year high school students and six faculty members were transferred to the Department of Education through the Miagao National High School in accordance with Memorandum of Agreement between the Western Visayas College of Science and Technology and the Department of Education, Region VI. The Memorandum of Agreement was signed by Dr. Renato V. Alba , College President, WVCST and Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol, Jr., Regional Director, Department of Education, Region VI.

At present, Southern Iloilo Polytechnic College-WVCST Miagao Campus caters to the educational needs of more than two thousand college students. The College offers Bachelor of Industrial Technology; Bachelor of Science in Electrical Technology; Bachelor of Science in Electronics Technology; Bachelor of Science in Automotive Technology; Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Technology; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology which is awarded the Candidate Status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. from December 1, 2008 to November 30, 2010; Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics, Social Studies, Biological and Physical Science, English, Filipino and Technology and Livelihood Education. The Secondary Teacher Education Program is awarded Level 1 Accredited Status by the AACCUP, Inc. from December 1, 2008 to November 30, 2011.

The College is located along the highway about 500 meters from the town plaza and the Miagao Church. The site is titled and covers 10.33 hectares. The College is envisioned to meet global needs in this fast-changing world.

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