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Asia/Philippines/South Cotabato/General Santos City (Dadiangas)/Notre Dame of Dadiangas University/

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Coordinates: 6°07′05″N 125°10′18″E 6.1180463, 125.1717103

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Notre Dame of Dadiangas University

  • Address: Marist Avenue, General Santos City (Dadiangas), South Cotabato, Philippines 9500
  • Phone: +63 83 552-4444 loc. 2211
  • Website: [1]
  • Overview

The year 1953 marked the modest beginning of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University which started as an annex of Notre Dame of Lagao. Like its parent school, ND Dadiangas was a high school for both boys and girls in the Dadiangas area. While Notre Dame of Lagao was handed over by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Fathers to the Marist Brothers (FMS) in 1952, the Brothers, solely established the annex school ND Dadiangas, with Brother Damian Teston, FMS as the first school Director. This was the first school founded by the Marist Brothers in the Philippines; the second one was the Marist School in Marikina in 1964. [1]

The first four years under Brother Teston was marked with informal structures and work arrangements. The Brothers in the community helped each other in running the school. [1]

Two years later, in 1955, Notre Dame of Dadiangas became independent of Notre Dame of Lagao. The first Marist Community of Dadiangas was composed of Brothers Alfred George Ouellette, FMS, Michael O'Keefe, FMS and Sergio Dignadice. The Brothers bought a four-hectare land for the High School Boys Department. After winning some legal battles on the ownership of the land, the Brothers developed the four-hectare land site into a high school campus. In 1958, the Brothers handed the old school site near the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage church to the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. The Sisters run the school exclusively for the girls while the Brothers administered Notre Dame of Dadiangas, exclusively for the boys. [1]

In 1959, Brother Michael O'Keefe, FMS, opened the College Department and in 1961 Brother Nicholas Grogan, FMS, opened the Elementary Department, a requirement for the opening of education programs. The College started with three courses: Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Bachelor of Arts and Certificate in Secretarial Science with 161 students. The Elementary Department started with 108 pupils. Brother Grogan served as the first Elementary Department principal. In SY 1963-64, in a major move that strengthened the Marist-Lay Partnership, Ms. Purificacion Llido was appointed principal. A more organized structure has started to evolve during this period, and more lay people handled responsibilities in the administration, to include: Mr. Artemio Sevilla as the High School and College Registrar, Ms. Eremita Alameda as Chief Librarian and Ms. Pilar Ferraren as the Guidance Counselor. [1]

In school year 1966-67, Brother Henry Ruiz, FMS, took over as school Director. During this period two big industrial companies DOLE-Philippines and Standard Philippine Fruit Company (STANFILCO) has started to operate in the area. Then in 1968 Dadiangas became General Santos City. These developments opened job opportunities and migrants flock to the city. From 1960 to 1975, the population of Gen. Santos City increased by 160.51%. Consequently, the enrollment at NDDC also grew fast. It was during Brother Ruiz administration, in the first semester of SY 1970-71, that the school attained its 1000th mark in enrollment. [1]

Brother Ruiz responded well, and with vision for the future, he constructed a three-storey building, now the Henry Ruiz Hall. This served the needs for classrooms in the next two decades. To strengthen the presence of religious at NDDC, Brother Ruiz obtained the services of the Oblates of Notre Dame Sisters. In SY 1996-97, a convent on campus was built for them. In addition he created three positions: Dean of Men, Dean of Women and Dean of Studies, in response to growing enrollment. Brother Isidro Seranillo, Sr. Lily Lauron and Brother Bernard Curtin served in these positions respectively. [1]

After Brother Ruiz, Brother Herbert Daniel Dumont, FMS, became Director for one school year. In 1973, the late and former Marist Brother Samuel Geveso, FMS, assumed the leadership of the school and became the first Filipino Brother to head the school and the first to use the title of President. In November 1974, Brother Geveso appointed the first lay Dean of Studies, Ms. Olympia Cristobal. She was to succeed Brother Curtin in that position. Before Brother Curtin, it was the school Director who performed the functions of the Dean of Studies. [1]

In SY 1976-77, Brother Paul Meuten, FMS, assumed NDDC's presidency and he prepared the school for its accreditation by the Philippine Association for Accrediting Schools, Colleges, & Universities (PAASCU). He was clear on his vision: To have NDDC accredited. Brother Meuten is best remembered for establishing the systems in school operation. Many documents today evolved from the ones he prepared to include the policy manual, the student handbook and the like. Brother Meuten also created four major positions and appointed all lay people to them. This strengthened the lay presence in the management of academics. They were: Academic Chairman of Commerce, major in Accounting, Ms. Corazon Gacal; Academic Chairman of Commerce, major in Management, Mr. Teodoro Velez; Academic Chairman of Liberal Arts, Ms. Gloria Tagorda; and Director of Science Education, Ms. Gelita Morales. [1]

NDDC obtained its first formal accreditation under Brother James McKnight, FMS, who assumed the presidency in SY 1979-80. The concept of Small Business Management Advisory Council (SBMAC) started during his term. This became NDDC's first organized Community Extension Service. Two academic degree programs were opened under him: BS Mathematics and BS Guidance and Counseling. The idea of the merger of Notre Dame of Dadiangas and ND Lagao also started during his term. In SY 1981-82, Brother McKnight also appointed Ms. Lolita Antic as the first lay assistant principal. She served up to 1984. [1]

Brother McKnight built the campus chapel through fund raising. The community was supportive of the project and Brother McKnight appreciated this, in particular, the help he got from the parents of the elementary pupils. He believed that this chapel is a visible indicator of the school's effort to strengthen the spiritual life of the community. [1]

Brother McKnight also roofed the open space above the fourth floor of Brother Ruiz Hall, created Room 301 as an audio-visual room, and constructed the Student Center. [1]

In SY 1982-1983, Brother Manuel Uluan, FMS, assumed the presidency. Under him, many major events took place: the school obtained a five-year accreditation, Brother Robert McGovern, FMS, Vice President for External affairs opened the Business Resource which evolved from Small Business Management Advisory Council (SBMAC); the merger of Notre Dame Lagao and Notre Dame Dadiangas High School was implemented. Two courses were also opened under him: BS Engineering and BS Nursing Program, the last, as a joint endeavor with General Santos Doctors' Hospital. Brother Robert McGovern recruited a St. Paul Sister, Sr. Mary Mathew Damo, SPC, to head the newly opened Nursing Program. The first Marist Technical Training Program (MTTP) for the out-of-school youth of General Santos City and its environs was also opened. Another significant event was the opening of the Graduate School, independent of Notre Dame of Marbel University. [1]

In 1985, Brother Leonard Sonza, FMS, took over as president. Brother Sonza was the first Filipino Provincial of the Marist - Philippines. He administered NDDC only for one year, SY 1985-86. [1]

Brother Crispin Betita, FMS, became the President in School Year 1986-1987. He served for two terms, which made him President for six years. His accomplishments in the academic side include NDDC's attainment of a Level III PAASCU accreditation, and the establishment of NDDC as Center of Early Childhood Education in Region XI. The school also started to supervise Valencia Academy, now San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy of Polomolok. [1]

It was during his term that the funds that took care of the future was established, to include the retirement and the development funds. [1]

Under Brother Betita, the first extensive faculty development program was conceptualized and approved to solve the accreditation requirement for Masters degree of the faculty. The Academic Council members responsible for this program that would later change the culture of the faculty in the area of professional development were College Dean, Mrs. Norma Segocio and Academic Chairpersons Alma Hordista, Nasie Seneriches, Edgardo Claudio, Hernane Carillo, and then faculty president Lilia Awayan. Brother Betita also appointed the first full time Dean of the Graduate School, Ms. Gelita Morales, who worked hand in hand with the College Dean to hasten the completion of the teacher's masteral degrees. Ten years or so later, the impact of this faculty development program in the accreditation of different programs was strongly felt. [1]

Another significant development on manpower development is the coming of the Marist Missionary Sisters (SMSM), in September 1987, with Sr. Patricia Leamy, and Sister Malia Iosefina IOSEfo, SMSM as the first to join the NDDC community. [1]

Brother Betita's very visible move to empower the lay was when he required all unit heads to prepare their own budgets and be responsible for their implementation and control. [1]

The first written vision-mission of the school was formulated under his leadership. This set a clear direction for school development. [1]

Brother Betita also constructed a two-storey building for the Elementary Training Department, now named Brother Reginald Theodore Building. This was funded by a loan from the Social Security System (SSS). As the elementary pupils vacated their classrooms at the original one-storey building where O'Keefe building currently stands, more classrooms were available for the College. It was also during his term, in SY 1991-92 that the Elementary Department admitted girls to the school. This started with female children of employees and later was opened to all female applicants. [1]

Brother Briccio J. Baynosa, FMS, became President in 1992. During his term, the Brother Roger Bagares Hall was constructed and dedicated to the first Filipino Brother who died in service. Simple but numerous improvements of the physical facilities included: the campus parking lots, the kiosks, the maintenance work-area and office, the painting of the old high school office, the expansion of the chairpersons' office and the faculty room, and the completion of the stage in the covered area. During his administration, Brother Robert McGovern, FMS, obtained the help of the German Doctors Association, and started the Mother and Child Center for indigent mothers and children of the SOCSARGEN area. This center opened in 1994 and up to the present, this center continues to serve the poor. [1]

Another significant development under Brother Baynosa's administration was the organization of NDDC Mutual Health Benefit Fund (now program) [NDDC-MHBP], which was proposed by lay administrators composed of College Dean, Mrs. Norma Segocio, Finance Officer, Mrs. Maritess Gadia and Elementary Principal, Dr. Alma Hordista. This program was approved; policies were laid down by a committee and were implemented. This is a very significant achievement as this program served the hospital needs of employees in the many years that followed. Since this program operated in the spirit of a cooperative, it became a very visible indicator of the concern of the members of NDDC family for each other. [1]

n SY 1995-96, Brother Wilfredo E. Lubrico, FMS, assumed the presidency of NDDC. As of SY 2004-05, Brother Lubrico has completed two three-year terms and has been given one year extension twice. As of SY 2005-06, he will be completing his eleven years of service as NDDC president. This makes him the longest serving President to date. [1]

Brother Lubrico came at a time when NDDC was already suffering a severe shortage of classrooms, laboratories and other facilities. He took bold moves to meet these needs. In SY 1997-1998, he built the Leonard Sonza Hall, followed by Michael O'Keefe Building in SY 2003-04. These buildings provided NDDC with much-needed classrooms, library expansion, the auditorium, two floor-faculty rooms, the Nursing and the Engineering laboratories. One building was also constructed in the High School Campus in Lagao, one in Espina Campus and one in the main campus for the elementary department. These were funded with grants, loans from banks, and internal borrowings. [1]

The Elementary and the High School Departments obtained their accredited status, in year 1999 and 2001 respectively, under the principalship of Dr. Alma Hordista. In SY 1996-97, through donations obtained by Brother Robert McGovern, another elementary school was opened at the Espina Campus. This later developed into a school with socialized tuition. Mrs. Gloria Peralta served as the first assistant principal under the supervision of the Elementary main campus Principal. [1]

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