HISTORY
HIGHLIGHTS 1932-2017
The 1930's
1932
In a luncheon tendered by Dr. Mariano V. de los Santos, then President of the University of Manila, at his home in Balintawak, it was decided by the attendees composed of then college and university presidents, at the suggestion of Justice Jose Abad Santos and Conrado Benitez, that an association of private universities be formed to set higher standards for private educational institutions and to promote the interests of private education in the country. From there the Association of Filipino Private Universities and Colleges (AFPUC) was born. Among the leaders in attendance were Senator Camilo Osias of National University, Dr. Nicanor Reyes, Sr. of Far Eastern University, Jorge Bocobo of the University of the Philippines, Francisca Tirona- Benitez of Philippine Women’s University, Tomas Mapua of Mapua Institute of Technology, and Don Vicente Fabella of Jose Rizal College then.
1933
AFPUC was formally organized with Camilo Osias elected as president.
1935
Mrs. Francisca Benitez headed an AFPUC delegation that petitioned to President Manuel L. Quezon to dispense with taxes from schools that did not pay dividends. The same represenation was made to then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jose Yulo, with the House Ways and Means Committee. The campaign resulted in the passage and enactment of the law to this effect and Speaker Yulo himself informed Mrs. Benitez of its passage.
The 1940's
1940
Former AFPUC President Nicanor Reyes, Sr. was appointed member of the National Council of Education.
1941
Former AFPUC President Camilo Osias was appointed Acting Director of the Office of Private Education.
1946
AFPUC opposed the 1% tax on gross income of private schools.
1947
AFPUC changed its name to “Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities”, as motioned by Chancellor Laurel, and voted unanimously in a meeting at the National Teachers College.
PACU held its First National Educational Conference.
1949
The Second National Educational Conference was held at the Arellano Hall, Far Eastern University. PACU continued to lodge their opposition to the One Percent Assessment Act and formed a committee composed of President Manuel V. Gallego, Vicente G. Sinco, Benjamin Salvosa, Leoncio B. Monzon, and Perfecto Laguio to contest RA 74.
The 1930's
1950
PACU lobbied for the ammendment of RA 74 and abolition of the one percent assessment tax.
1951
Justice Domingo Imperial was awarded the PACU Public Service Award.
PACU member and school owner Francisco Dalupan, founder of the University of the East, together with 25 other educators, pioneered the Philippine Accrediting Association of Universities and Colleges (PAAUC), designed to evaluate academic programs and was patterned after accrediting organizations in the U.S. Two years later PACU published the very first non-governmental accreditation manual in the country titled, “Handbook of Rules and Standards for the Approval and Accreditation of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities.”
1952
PACU disputed a memorandum of the Bureau of Private Schools (BPS) that limited the admission to teacher-training and other professional courses to high school graduates who belonged to the upper half of their class. Secretary of Justice Oscar Castelo then ruled the memorandum to be illegal.
1954
Dr. Mariano de los Santos forged an agreement with then Committee on Free Asia (now known as Asia Foundation) to implement the Student Activity Program (SAP) with student interests being foremost in PACU’s agenda. A special committee on SAP was composed of Chancellor Manuel Gallego as chair, Dean Edgardo L. Paras and Dr. Helena Benitez as members, and a secretariat headed by Prof. Amado C. Dizon, PACU Executive Officer.
1956
PACU was requested by the Secretary of Education to conduct a survey and evaluate the Philippine educational system. PACU instead suggested to create a government commission to which it would extend assistance in its endeavors. To protect the names of reputable private schools, PACU demanded for a published list of diploma mills. For the benefit of students and schools, PACU also called for the publication of bar and board examinations.
1957
PACU actively participated in the 1957 Educational Conference with President Mariano V. de los Santos as conference chairman. In that conference Rep. Carmen D. Consing, then chair of the House Committee on Education, supported PACU’s stand and promised to work for the repeal of RA 74.
In a meeting on September 14, PWU Vice-President Helena Benitez suggested to create the PACU Cooperative Graduate School. With the approval of BPS of the PACU M.A.T. program which was a consortium among PACU graduate schools, the aim to help students of member schools was realized.
PACU also protested the encroachment by the different examining boards in the making of curricula.
1958
PACU fought to repeal RA 1881 (Spanish Law) to reduce the required 24 units of Spanish courses and advocated that 12 units be compulsory while 12 other units be optional.
The 1960's
1961
In collaboration with two other groups, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU), PACU founded the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) as the umbrella organization of all private educational organizations in the Philippines. Later, two other groups joined forces with COCOPEA, namely, the Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAPSCU) and the Association of Philippine Private Technology-based Institutions (APPTI). PACU President Pablo L. Meer sat as the first chair of COCOPEA.
PACU objected to the Aldana circular that exempted the graduates of government teacher-training institutions from annual teacher-selection examinations, which PACU deemed discriminatory to graduates of private teacher-training schools.
1962
President Fernando Bautista advocated that regional offices of the BPS be authorized to issue special orders to expedite the release of transportation and other expenses to effect savings on the part of private schools.
PACU schools adopted a self-imposed limitation of 12% on return on investments. PACU also cooperated with Dean Daniel M. Salcedo on a self-improvement project designed to improve instruction and end the disenfranchisement of high school graduates who wished to pursue higher education.
1965
A meeting of student council presidents sponsored by the PACU Special Committee on Student Affairs was held to study and promote worthwhile student affairs.
A model set of rules and criteria was issued to PACU member schools for such administrative details as faculty classification,salary scales and fringe benefits.
Dr. Virgilio de los Santos proposed that the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence be awarded to graduates of a four-year-course in law.
1966
PACU participated in the first revision of the Manual of Regulations of the Bureau of Private Schools orginally drafted back in the 1940s.
1967
In the midst of developing its existing resources, PACU executive officer Dr. Amado C. Dizon, sent out questionnaires to get constructive feedback on its accreditation program. On behalf of its members, PACU entered into an agreement with the Asia Foundation for book donations. President Virgilio de los Santos ordered the printing of a PACU brochure, “Serving the Nation Through Education.”
1968
PACU co-signed a trust agreement with the Department of Education and the Development Bank of the Philippines for the administration of the War Damage Fund appropriated for private education.
In a joint effort with CEAP and ACSCU, the creation of the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) was made possible which extends financial assistance to private educational associations and their members to promote the welfare of private education. With the help of both Philippine and United States governments and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), FAPE was formally launched on November 5. FAPE has since become a symbol of the government’s regard for private education as an integral part of Philippine life.
1969
There was unprecedented increase in PACU membership through the efforts of President Virgilio de los Santos even in the face of increasing violent student demonstrations in Manila for which PACU sought the assistance of Mayor Antonio Villegas in ensuring the safety of the academic community.
The 1970's
1970
PACU’s active role in the passage of legislation and introduction of amendments to existing laws was helped by tapping some of the more brilliant minds in the academe such as Dr. Amado Dizon.When Congress enacted The Tuition Fee Law, RA 6139, which specified that student fees may be increased by not more than 15% per annum, member-schools of PACU conducted an intensive lobbying campaign against its passage.
1973
PACU succeeded in implementing accreditation for its members milestone and noteworthy achievement given the turbulent times and the darkest moments of Philippine education following the imposition of Martial law in 1972.
1974
President Ferdinand Marcos amended RA 6139 with PD 451 whereby 60 percent of any increase in tuition fees must be used to increase the salary of school employees, and 40 percent for institutional development.
1977
The Department of Education upheld PACU on the individual institution’s right to give its own entrance exams in addition to the National Collegiate Entrance Examination. Other notable PACU activities included its participation in the revision of the elementary curriculum and the study it conducted on the retirement systems for school personnel.
1979
PACU succeeded in amending Sec. 6 of Rule II of MECS Order No. 19 (which would have disqualified members of the school’s governing board from being appointed or designated to administrative positions).
The 1980's
1980
PACU participated in the New Delhi UNESCO-Paris Draft Convention on Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees.
1981
PACU took part in the MECS-sponsored Conference on Educational Development and the lifting of Martial Law. It also held a Conference on Financial Strategies in Times of Scarcity.
1987
The toppling of the Marcos Regime by People Power Revolution in 1986 paved the way for social and political reforms such as the reconsideration by the Supreme Court on the consolidated cases on tuition fee, declaring, among others, that Sec. 3 of PD 451 had been repealed by Sec. 42 of BP 232 in the 1987 Constitution.
1989
RA 6728 was enacted by Congress which provided assistance to students and teachers in private schools and required consultation on any tuition fee increase. Violent student protests persisted and PACU suspended classes for four days due to the government’s inability to protect them.
The 1990's
1990
Congress enacted Joint Resolution No. 2, which mandated the review and assessment of the entire educational system, and from this the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) was created. With PACU’s extensive experience and expertise in governance and management, private financing of education, and human resources development, the association played a significant role in EDCOM’s final recommendations for the overhaul in all levels of education in the public and private sectors.
1991
When Congress passed RA 7079 providing for the development of campus journalism, PACU issued a model set of guidelines for the implementation of this law in private schools.
1992
In consultation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) , PACU conducted a study on retirement systems for private school employees. PACU also made representations with Congress for the enactment of RA 7641 which provided for retirement to qualified private sector personnel in the absence of any retirement plan in the establishment.
The second revision of the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools under then Education Secretary Armand V. Fabella was also a high point in PACU’s history. To date the revised manual has been regarded as “The” guidebook of all private shcool operations.
1994
Congress passed RA 7731 which PACU had been lobbying for, abolishing the NCEE. PACU had early on argued that the NCEE disenfranchised students of their basic right to education.
1995
With the enactment by Congress of RA 7877 declaring sexual harassment unlawful, PACU issued to member schools a model set of rules and regulations to implement the law on campuses.
1996
PACU initiated work for the joint promulgation by DOLE, DECS, CHED and TESDA of labor standards unique to private schools.
1997
Together with other members of COCOPEA, PACU suspended classes for one day in protest over the approval of the second reading of the proposed Magna Carta of Students in the House of Representatives.
PACU also verbalized its strong stance on other policy concerns of private schools. To this effect, PACU drafted a bill titled, “An Act to Enhance Excellence in Private Educational Institutions, to Provide for their Financing and Taxation, and for other Purposes.
PACU enshrined a no-consultation-on-freshmen-tuition provision in the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) guidelines. It was carried over to the CHED order the following year.
When CHED issued new policies and standards on the grant of university status and the General Education Curriculum, PACU in consultation with other members of COCOPEA, convinced CHED to dispense with the retroactive provision on the former. Likewise, they also pushed for an alternative to the General Education Curriculum.
1998
During the 65th anniversary celebration of PACU on June 27 at the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, its “founding fathers” were honored with a commemorative plaque awarded to the family representatives of the late Jose Abad Santos, Conrado Benitez, Vicente Fabella, Tomas Mapua, Camilo Osias, Nicanor Reyes, Sr., and Mariano de los Santos.