Southern Christian College: Presidents of Southern Christian College

Martinez, Florentino L. (Director, 1949-1950)

Attorney Florentino L. Martinez was one of the persons who initiated the founding of Southern Christian College. As one of the founders of the College, he was conferred the first director and chosen as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Southern Christian College in 1949-1950. Atty. Martinez felt that serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees in a concurrent capacity gave him enough rewards and challenges. However, he thought it was wiser to choose only one position, and gave up the directorship. He then decided to retain his chairmanship of the BOT and resigned as Director on August 5, 1950.

In 1954, he resigned as Chairman of the BOT in favor of going to the United States. However, his resignation was not accepted by the Board of trustees instead he was given official leave for a year.

Alvaro, Angel J. (Director, 1951-1952)

Rev. Angel J. Alvaro earned his degrees Bachelor in Secondary Education (B.S.E.) and postgraduate degree Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at the Union College in Manila. He also earned the Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) in Union Theological Seminary, Manila.

In 1951, the Rev. Angel Alvaro was invited to serve as acting director, acting principal, and dean of instruction of Southern Christian College. He was a college faculty of Maasin Institute in Leyte before he came to Midsayap, Cotabato to work in SCC. The SCC Board of Trustees appointed him Director on April 14, 1952.

Rodriguez, Proculo A. (Director, 1953-1961; President, 1962-1963)

Rev. Proculo A. Rodriguez was born in Cantilan, Surigao on December 10, 1895. He studied at Silliman University, Dumaguete City; Union Theological Seminary, Manila; Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; and Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. In 1952 he was awarded the first honorary Doctor of Divinity degree conferred by Silliman University.

For more than fifty years of Bishop Rodriguez’ ministry spanned nearly the entire history of the Protestant movement in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao. Before his retirement in 1960, he helped the Church in Mindanao to grow from two small mission congregations to more than 220 local congregations with 25,000 members, gathered into five District Conferences of the United Church in the Philippines. When he served as pastor of the Cagayan, Misamis Oriental congregation, it became the first fully self-supporting Protestant congregation in the country. Throughout his ministry he encouraged a strong sense of stewardship among the congregations.

Bishop Rodriguez was one of the pioneers in the establishment of schools under church sponsorship, the training of the laity, and encouraged ever high standards of training for the Christian Ministry. His ministry included serving as a local pastor. A district leader, seminary professor, and finally as the first Bishop of the Mindanao Jurisdiction, United Church of Christ in the Philippines. The founding of Southern Christian College in Midsayap was guided by the conviction of Rev. Rodriguez as a Protestant Minister. He then became the first President of Southern Christian College from 1948. Following his official retirement he continued his ministry with special interest in the marginalized people, including the blind of Davao city, the city to where he retired.

Bishop Rodriguez died on February 21, 1974, but his ministry continues through the inspiration he shared with so many during his lifetime.

Magdamo, Guillermo T. (President, 1953-1960)

Professor Guillermo T. Magdamo was born on September, 9, 1892 in Barrio Tigayon, Kalibo, Aklan. He went to school in the early days of the American occupation in Kalibo through elementary school. For his high school education he had to go to the provincial capital, Capiz, in 1910 and to Silliman Institute in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental in 1913 to which he graduated in 1914.

He proceeded to college earning an A.B. degree, with a Science Major, in 1916. He was a working student all throughout his early school days. He joined the teaching faculty at Silliman that year until he resigned four years later to go for graduate study in the United States. While at home on vacation before his departure he was entreated to postpone his trip to help a dying pioneer private high school- the Kalibo Institute. He stayed and brought it back to its feet.

In 1923, after an absence of three years he was invited back to his alma mater as an instructor in the College Department of Zoology. In 1934 he was one of the Silliman scholars at the University of the Philippines where he took graduate courses. He returned to Silliman with a B.S. degree and continued until he retired as head of the Biology Department in 1952. He was considered one of the mainstays of that department and, together with his mentor and colleague, Dr. James W. Chapman who retired in 1947, built it up from primitive beginnings to achieving recognition for its academic standards.

Retirement from Silliman did not stop his activity in the field of science and education. A young fledgling missionary college in Midsayap, Cotabato called on him to salvage it from near-closure. In April 1953, he was elected as Director of Southern Christian College. He accepted the challenge, came aboard as third Director of SCC for a term of 3 years. The Board recognized him for getting it on its feet, obtaining government recognition of the different academic programs, establishing relations with community, and making SCC self-supporting. It was during his time when the Bureau of Private Schools granted SCC a permit to offer the first and second years in junior normal and education, in the quarterly system and authorized it also to offer complete elementary grades (I-VI). The first quarter of the collegiate courses was offered during the summer of the year. He was reelected for another term. Before the end of his second term, he was requested to stay on until a suitable replacement could be found. When he finally ended his meritorious service and retired at SCC on April 15, 1960.

In 1966 during the 18^th Foundation Anniversary of Southern Christian College, the Magdamos were honored with Distinguished Service Awards. Prof. Magdamo died in his home barrio in Tigayon, Kalibo, Aklan on July 1, 1972.

Mapanao, Eliezer D. (President, 1965-1987, 1994-1997, President Emeritus)

Dr. Eliezer D. Mapanao was born on December 24, 1926 in Aringay, La Union. He is the youngest of six children in the family of the couple Mr. Floro Mapile Mapanao and Mrs. Maria Cresanta Dulay Mapanao. He finished his elementary education at Aringay Elementary School and high school at La Union High School in 1947.

Dr. Mapanao earned degrees in Associate in Arts and Associate in Theology at Union Christian College, Bachelor of Arts in Silliman University). While in Silliman, he worked with the Silliman University Church many years before going to Manila to work with Ellinwood Malate Church. He was a Pastor at Ellinwood Church in Malate sometime in 1964 when the call and challenge of serving Southern Christian College in Midsayap came.

He earned a Bachelor of Divinity in Union Theological Seminary and Master’s in Theology, Ethics Studies at Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University. He took up Master of Arts in Educational Administration at the University of California in Berkeley. In early 1963, he served as Resident Director of the International Study Fellowship at Princeton University. He and his family left California and went home to the Philippines to start the leadership role as President of Southern Christian College in Midsayap in August 1965.

His term as the second President of the College commenced. He succeeded Proculo Rodriguez who served as the first president of SCC, his father-in-law. While in SCC, he initiated the formulation of a seven-year development plan, which covered the years 1967-1974, which outlined the goals of the College (Carbon, 2000:211). During his time, SCC was able to acquire seven modern new buildings on campus, twenty-five housing units for students, sixteen units for faculty housing including a well-apportioned President’s residence. The developments of the College Hill for various agricultural programs and farm laboratories, program support for a Student Rural Development Corps (SRDC) and Faculty Operation in Community Understanding and Service (FOCUS) have been facilitated. General Endowment Fund and a Scholarship Endowment Fund with several millions of pesos as principal of the funds, several creative programs in partnership with the churches and other development agencies were accomplished. After retirement from the long service of twenty-two years as President of SCC in March 1987, he accepted the leadership as Acting President of the Union Christian College then for a full-time service in January 1993.

In August 1994, he came back to SCC and served as interim president after Dr. Felimon Lagon retired as SCC President. Renovation of the Elementary School Building, setting up of the School of Theology, rebuilding the old Bishop Proculo Rodriguez Hall, and the establishment of the SCC Chapel named as Paul Minear Chapel of the Dawn were completed during his term.

As a brilliant person, he has received various recognition and awards. To name a few, he was conferred a Doctor of Development Education degree, honoris causa, by the College of Maasin in Southern Leyte. “During the 50^th anniversary of SCC in October 1999 and in recognition for the long and untiring service to SCC, the Board of Trustees honored Dr. Eliezer D. Mapanao with the title of President Emeritus. During the golden jubilee of SCC in March 1999 marked the conferment of a doctoral degree, Doctor of Humanities (honoris causa) to Mrs. Portia Rodriguez Mapanao, his wife. Dr. E. Mapanao was recognized as the Father of TASSEL during the first meeting of the Planning Board of CREATE, where he served as Executive Director of CREATE-UCCP. In 1974, he was the General Secretary of Consultative Council on Rurban Development (CONCORD) and became the consultant with United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in 1989.

As more challenges came towards the sunset of his life, he continued to metamorphose each time into a new persona. As visionary, pastor, preacher, speaker, educator, creator of institutions and organizations, community development initiator, ecumenical leader, international personality, and even as reluctant politician, his achievements remain unsurpassed. Throughout his life, the rainbow lured him to many unexpected places in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and to far-away lands in different regions of the world-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin and North America.

Dr. Mapanao married Portia Rodriguez on March 15, 1954. They are blessed with children namely: Mario, Jemuel, Jowena and Maryssa and have eight grandchildren. After 47 years, they continue to share the interest, passion, and commitment to social and ecological concerns. He is presently living with his wife, Portia in Poblacion 5, Purok Vanda, Midsayap, Cotabato.

Lagon, Filemon L. (President, 1987-1994)

Rev. Dr. Filemon L. Lagon was born in San Fernando, La Union on June 28, 1933. He finished his elementary education at La Union Elementary School, and his high school at La Union Christian College. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree at the Union Theological Seminary, Manila in 1962 and his Bachelor of Arts major in Social Science, minor in English at the Philippine Christian College, and Northern Christian College, Laoag in 1964. He was a graduate of Master of Sacred Theology at the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. in 1969 and was conferred Doctor of Philosophy major in Educational Administration and Planning, cognate in Behavioral Science (Anthropology-Counseling) at Centro Escolar University, Manila in March 1976.

Dr. Lagon has been involved in various professional organizations and institutions. In 1963-1972, he was the College Chaplain and Dean of the College of Theology at Northern Christian College, Laoag City. He became the Administrative Minister of the Cosmopolitan Church, Manila in 1972-1974, then a Consultant in Counseling at the Union High School in 1973-1974 and a part-time lecturer on Moral Philosophy from 1973-1975 of the Philippine Christian College, Manila and in Mariano Marcos State University, Batangas in 1976-1978. He was also an active member of the associations like the Philippine Theological Society and the Psychological Association in the Philippines from 1973-1975. He was also involved in civic organizations. He served as Vice President of Kiwanis Club, Laoag City in 1985-1986, life member of YMCA, Chaplain of Laoag Masonic Lodge 79, Laoag City; a Board Member of the Philippine National Red Cross and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Laoag Chapter.

As a person with leadership skills he was awarded with various citations and recognition. He received the citation the “Capitol Christian Leadership Awards” in Quezon City last 1974, and the “Leadership Award in Religion” imposed to him by the International Leadership Institute, Manila also in 1974. He was given the “Plaque of Recognition” during the Northern Luzon Jurisdiction Convention at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Alicia, Isabela on May 23, 1980. The Centro Escolar University, the school where he acquired his Doctoral degree had given him the “Certificate of recognition for the Special Field Endeavor” on May 10, 1982.

Dr. Lagon served as the President of Northern Christian College in Laoag City from 1978-1987 prior to his coming to SCC. He assumed leadership as the third President of Southern Christian College from 1987-1994. He launched the Ecological Balance and Research Center, started the Computer Education Program in 1990 to fast track the development of information technology in SCC. The Project Hillfast was initiated and the Feedmill operation was improved. During his time as president of SCC, the Action Plan HOPE merged development education to career education.

He has participated to the different conferences and seminars mostly on theological and education topics in regional, national and international levels such as in Jamaica and Thailand. Dr. Lagon is married to Letecia Garde Lagon and they have six talented children namely: Gape, Filemon, Jr., Fe Charito, Jethro, Israel and Sarah Joy.

Senturias, Erlinda N. (President, 1997-2007)

Dr. Erlinda N. Senturias was born in Buendia-Sandejas, Pasay City on March 1948. She is the 2^nd child of Mr. Pedro Goco Nable, Jr. (deceased), a Rancher/Security Guard and Mrs. Rosita Perea Nable, a House Manager. She finished her elementary education at Calapan Central School, Mindoro in 1959 where she received “First Honorable Mention Award”, and graduated high school in 1963 at Oriental Mindoro High School, where she also received “First Honorable Mention Award”. She represented her school in the National GSP Encampment in Daliao, Davao City in March 1963 being the troop leader of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) in their school. After graduating from high school, she studied Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medicine at Silliman University in Dumaguete City in 1963-1967. She has been a consistent recipient of the class honors award from 1963-1965. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila in 1972.

In 1974-1977 she trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Quirino Memorial General Hospital (QMGH) in Quezon City. She served as school physician and health and Spanish instructor at the Divine Word College in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. As soon as she passed the board examination for physician, she opened up a private practice in San Jose. She also became the University Physician in U.P. Health Services, Diliman, Quezon City from 1977-1978. In 1978, she helped organized the National Ecumenical Health Concerns Committee (NEHCC) which later on became part of the official program of the Commission on Development and Social Concerns of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) with headquarters in Quezon City. She was employed at NCCP as National Coordinator of NEHCC from April 1980 to February 1989.

On July 21, 1989, she joined the World Council of Churches staff in Geneva as Programme Secretary of the Christian Medical Commission of the World Council of Churches. Following the restructuring of WCC in 1992, she became the Executive Secretary for Health and Healing at the Programme Unit II (Churches in Mission: Health, Education and Witness of WCC until July 20, 1997. Many people knew her here and abroad for her work as member of the Editorial Committee for CONTACT, a bimonthly publication of health and healing of the World Council of Churches. She was elected as Moderator of the Christian Medical Commission and a rounding member of the Medical Action Group, Inc. in 1982-1989. She became the National Secretary of the National Christian Women’s Association in 1986-1988, and a member of the International Advisory Committee for the World Alliance for Breast-feeding Action (WABA). Until now, she still serves as alternate member of Europe of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Senturias assumed office as the first woman president of Southern Christian College on August 1, 1997. She began her presidency in SCC with an organizational diagnosis involving different units/departments and student councils. She also initiated the formulation of the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the school. The significant and memorable accomplishments and improvements she has initially done to SCC include the collective bargaining agreement with Faculty and Staff Association and participation of faculty and staff in decision making. Her responsibilities include holding on to the Endowment Fund (Scholarship and General Fund), Feedmill, Outlet, College Hill, and Ilbocean as auxiliary serving divisions of SCC. The presence of Dr. Senturias in SCC boost for the continuing support of UBCHEA for faculty and Staff development and further studies in the Philippines and abroad, and the opening up of new opportunities for funding. The historical tie with EZE for projects is being continued and the notable birth of the Institute for Peace and Development Studies established in 1999. In 2000, the construction of the 3-storey and rooftop Technical-Vocational Education Center was made possible. Other programs and projects were undertaken like the launching of the Service-Learning program, and at the same year the construction of the Global Guest House in 2002 at Facultyville. In 2003, the school bus and the commuter van where purchased purposely being used for the service-learning program of the college. The Science building was constructed in 2006 in honor of the pioneers and called the building as “The Great Pioneers’ Hall. The SCC News of which Dr. Senturias as the Editor in Chief, made SCC visible in various internal and external organizations locally and internationally by giving information about the events and accomplishments of the school.

Dr. Senturias strives hard in making SCC’s commitment to church and society a reality. A Partnership Agreement with the Department of Agrarian Reform – Special Zone on Peace and Development for the Joint Project Development and Management of the Rajah Buayan Agrarian Reform Community was coined on March 2000. Dr. Senturias as President of SCC represents the school in various organizations like CONCORD (Consortium of Christian Organizations for Rural-Urban Development) where she was elected as member of the Board of Trustees in 1998 and President in 1999. In 1999-2000, she was the Vice President of the Cotabato Rural Uplift Movement (CORUM). She was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Christian Schools and Colleges (ACSC) in 1999 for a term of three years.

Dr. Senturias is married to Pastor Alvaro Odtojan Senturias, Jr., a Peace Advocate, a Pastor of the Sta. Cruz United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and a Peace Consultant of the Institute for Peace and Development Studies of Southern Christian College since 1999-2005. The couple has two children and the eldest Yasmin Suzanne is an alumna of U.P. who is now in Yale University, New Haven, USA to sub-specialize in Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics from 2000-2003. The youngest, Alvaro “Troi” is an economic student of the University of Geneva and a Swiss citizen since March 1999.

Aoanan, Melanio L. (President, 2007-2009)

Rev. Dr. Melanio L. Aoanan was born on May 15, 1945 at San Jacinto, Pangasinan, to a Protestant family. His parents were farmers and so, he grew up herding/pasturing carabaos, goats, cows and other livestock. By dent of hard work and determination he was not only able to pursue college education but also finished masteral and doctoral degrees from the different universities in the country. He finished AB Philosophy at Philippine Christian University, Manila in 1966; conferred Master of Divinity at Silliman Divinity School, Dumaguete in 1971, Master of Theology at Southeast Asia Graduate School of Theology (SEAGST) in 1974, and Doctor of Theology at Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo De Manila University in 1994.

As an academician, Dr. Aoanan had been engaged in research writing. He had authored eight books and published several scholarly articles in journals and magazines. He participated in various national and international conferences where he either read papers or as a panel discussant. He received a National Award for being Outstanding Educator in 1994 given by the Private Education Retirement Annuity Association (PERAA) and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS).

Dr. Aoanan has been involved in the Theological Education for last 42 years. Among the Seminaries and Universities where he taught include the College of Theology in Southern Christian College, Midsayap, Union Theological Seminary, Silliman University in Dumaguete, De La Salle University in Manila; and Institute for Formation in Religious Studies in Quezon City.

He had served the Church Among the Palms in UPLB, Laguna as Administrative Pastor from 2000-2004; and had served as Registrar and Professor at the Union Theological Seminary. He was also the Chairman of the Ordination Review and Examination Committee of the South- Luzon Jurisdiction, UCCP. On March 15, 2007, he was elected as President of Southern Christian College and started the presidency work on June 1, 2007 up to 2009.

He is a member of the Program for Theology and Culture in Asia (PTCA) Research Team whose three-volume work (Asian Christian Theologies) was published in 2004. He is also an active member of the Ecumenical Association of the Third World Theologies (EATWOT).

He is married to Mrs. Grace Obias-Aoanan who, like him, is involved in academic career. She was an Associate Professor in Mathematics at the De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Campus. The couple is blessed with four children who are all professionals.

Bugacia, Ma. Elena B. (OIC of the College, 2009-2010)