San Beda College

San Beda Old English.png
Colegio de San Beda
Kolehiyo ng San Beda
Sbclogo.gif
Motto Fides, Scientia, Virtus
Established 1901
Type Private, Roman Catholic, Benedictine
Rector-President Rev. Fr. Mateo. J. De Jesus, OSB (San Beda College-Manila); Dom Clement Ma. H. Roque, OSB (San Beda College-Alabang)
Faculty 915 (including service personnel)
Location Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
Campus Mendiola, Manila (Main); Taytay, Rizal (Grade School and High School Department); Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Hymn Bedan Hymn
Colors Red and White
Nickname San Beda Red Lions
Mascot Red Lion, Little Indians
Website www.sanbeda.edu.ph

San Beda College (SBC) or Kolehiyo ng San Beda in Filipino is a Private Benedictine college run by the Benedictine monks in the Philippines. It is located at Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila. It was founded in 1901 primarily to "defend the Catholic battlements in the field of education."[1] San Beda, which was known then as El Colegio de San Beda, started as an all-boys grade school. It has since then expanded to a full college with both undergraduate and post-graduate degree offerings. It has two other campuses: the San Beda College-Rizal (the largest San Beda campus in size) and the San Beda College Alabang (formerly known as St. Benedict College and Benedictine Abbey School) located in Alabang Hills Village in Muntinlupa City. The San Beda Graduate School of Liturgy in Manila traces its academic roots and origins to the PIL.[2]

Located in a once quiet, middle-class residential area, San Beda College is now part of Manila's bustling University Belt, an irregular crescent curving for about six kilometers through six districts of Manila, containing more than thirty colleges and universities.

San Beda College offers programs in the fields of accountancy, business, marketing, and law. At present, the Benedictine College has seven departments: the Basic Education Department; the College of Arts and Sciences, which offers liberal arts, science and business programs; the College of Law, founded in 1948; the Graduate Schools of Business, Liturgy and Law; the College of Medicine, and the College of Nursing. In 2003, the once all-male San Beda College finally opened its doors to female students and relocated its Basic Education Department (pre-school to high school) to a new and bigger campus in Taytay, Rizal.

The school is a founding member of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA),[1] where it competes in sports such as basketball, football, swimming, taekwondo, and lawn tennis. The school has adopted for itself the moniker, "San Beda Red Lions." Its brother school, San Beda College Alabang is a member of sports leagues such as the WNCAA, NCAA South and the National Cheerleading Competition (NCC).

San Beda College counts among its notable alumni the late Senator and hero Benigno Aquino, Jr., the late statesman and former senator Raul Roco, former speaker Ramon V. Mitra, human rights advocate and former senator Rene V. Saguisag, San Miguel Corporation chairman Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr., corporate magnate and PLDT Chairman Dr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, Supreme Court Associate Justices Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura and Jose Catral Mendoza, and Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Atty. Leila De Lima.

San Beda Squatter for real.


Student life

San Beda College occupies a 35,000 square meter lot for their students, teachers and administrators and the classrooms are airconditioned.

Academic offerings

San Beda College-Rizal

San Beda College Rizal Campus

Basic education Department are composed of the following: Primary Grade School Middle Grade School High School

San Beda College-Mendiola, Manila

Although the Mendiola campus is the oldest, the first San Beda campus was originally located in Arlegui Street near the compounds of the Malacanang Palace. The Benedictine College, however, decided to relocate not only the school but also the Order's monastery to Mendiola in order to accommodate an increasing student population. The Mendiola Campus formally opened in 1926.

Due to the social and political unrest during the 1970s, the Benedictine monks initially entertained the thought of leaving Mendiola and of transferring to Alabang where they recently acquired property. However, the monastic fathers abandoned the idea and instead decided to stay in Mendiola and to build another campus in Alabang at the same time.

At present, SBC-Manila houses four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Medicine, and Law. The three graduate schools of San Beda namely, Business, Law, and Liturgy, are located in the Mendiola campus.

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest college or tertiary level department in San Beda College-Mendiola, Manila. More fondly called by its acronym, "CAS," the Arts and Sciences department has brought many awards and achievements to San Beda College. The CAS was instrumental in San Beda College's being granted the Level III accreditation and reaccreditation in 2001 and in 2003, respectively, by the PAASCU, as well as the autonomy status given by the Commission on Higher Education in 2003.

The College has produced notable alumni such as senators Raul Roco and Rene Saguisag (both AB English graduates), actor-politician Herbert Bautista (AB Philosophy), missing activist Jonas Burgos (AB Political Science), and election commissioner Rene Sarmiento (AB Political Science).

Courses offered

  • BS-Economics and Public Policy
  • BS-Legal Management
  • BS-Accountancy
  • BS-Business Administration, Major in Operations Management
  • BS-Business Administration, Major in Human Resource Management
  • BS-Business Administration, Major in Entrepreneurship
  • BS-Business Administration, Major in Financial Management and Systems Development
  • BS-Business Administration, Major in Marketing and Corporate Communications
  • BS-Information and Communications Technology
  • BS-Psychology

College of Nursing

The college offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

The San Beda College of Nursing (CoN) begins operations in 2003. It was opened in consortium with Loyola Medical College Foundation chaired by Dr. Johnny Fong. The consortium ended in Academic Year 2008. At present, The College of Nursing is operating under the direct supervision of the San Beda College administration.

In June 2004, the San Beda College of Nursing building was inaugurated and named in honor of its patrons Rose and Albert Fong. It has 12 rooms and 2 Skills Laboratories. The Skills Lab A serves as the lecture room for RLE activities while the Skills Lab B was set up as a "Mini Hospital" which includes an Operating Room, Nurses Station, Private Rooms, Delivery Rooms and Nursery.

Despite being the youngest nursing school in the Philippines at the time, the San Beda College of Nursing 88% of San Beda's candidates passed the nursing board examination, with one ranking 8th among all candidates. Since then, the College had a consistent record of maintaining a high passing rate in the two board exams that followed (The CoN achieved 78% and 72% passing rates in 2006 and 2007, respectively). For this feat, the CoN was cited by the Commission on Higher Education for a good performance and included it as one of the Top Nursing Schools in Metro Manila in 2007.[3]

College of Medicine

SBCM coat of arms.jpg

In addition to the Nursing department, the San Beda College administration decided to put up another department to strengthen its health sciences program. The San Beda College of Medicine (CoM) was formally established on March 9, 2002, with the task of offering a four year course leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).[4] being its fifth unit. It has a faculty of over 70 medical lecturers, who come mostly from the University of the Philippines-Manila.[5]

The College is located at St. Benedict's Hall. It uses several laboratories in St. Maur's Bldg. along with other colleges and have a dedicated cadaver room on the third floor for its anatomy classes. Clinical clerks (fourth year medical students) do their clinical rotations at Rizal Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, Philippine Children's Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center and Makati City Health Centers. [5]

The CoM has sent examinees from its first batch of graduates from the school term 2002-2003 to the August 2007 medical board exams. Seventy-one percent of students passed.[6]

College of Law

The San Beda College of Law (CoL) was founded in 1948 upon the initiative of former rector-president Fr. Sergio Martinez, OSB. Feliciano Jover Ledesma, an Ateneo graduate, was the first dean of the San Beda Law School. It sent bar candidates for the first time in 1952, who all passed the bar. From 1953 up to 1958, the San Beda Law School achieved a feat of attaining a 100 percent passing rate in the Bar Exams.[7] It has also produced lawyers such as former Senator Rene Saguisag, the late Senator Raul S. Roco, Commission on Human Rights chairperson Leila M. De Lima, and six Justices of the Supreme Court – Florenz D. Regalado, the holder of the highest bar exam grade in the country, Justo P. Torres Jr., Antonio M. Martinez, Romeo J. Callejo Sr., and current Supreme Court Associate Justices Antonio Eduardo Nachura and Jose Catral Mendoza.

In 2004, the San Beda College of Law, in partnership with the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Philippine Judicial Academy, established the Graduate School of Law with post-graduate studies focused on criminal justice and the judicial system in the country. However last March 2008, the Graduate School of Law was formally renamed, "the San Beda Graduate School of Jurisprudence and Juridical Studies." Just recently, the San Beda College of Law garnered the highest passing bar exam rate in the 2007 Philippine Bar Exams at 93.27 percent.[8] It also produced one Bedan bar topnotcher in the said year.

Meanwhile, during the unveiling of the St. Benedict Shrine in the school's jubilee garden, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, the Vatican's apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, lauded the San Beda Law School's tradition of academic excellence and its rich Benedictine and Catholic heritage. He also praised the law school's aim to create not only competent lawyers but Christian Bedan lawyers, as well.[9]

Graduate Schools

Graduate School of Business

The San Beda Graduate School of Business offers three graduate programs specializing in the fields of business and management. These are Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master in Entrepreneurial Management (MEM) and Master of Business Administration-Organizational Development (MBA-OD), which were first offered in 2001. Graduate students grew from 44 in 2001 to about 250 during the AY 2005-2006. These graduate programs have produced 73 graduates since the initial offering.[10]

On its second year of program offerings in 2003, the Commission on Higher Education rated the San Beda Graduate School of Business as “very good” and commended it for its relevant curriculum and degree offerings.[10]

Presently, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program has 20 students, 15 of which are Indonesians.[11]

Courses under these programs are guided by course syllabi designed following a competency-based curriculum. These courses are handled by 17 faculty members, six of which are DBA holders. These include academicians, practitioners, and entrepreneurs.[11]

Students and faculty members are given opportunities to publish completed researches in the school’s publication known as “The Graduate School of Business Research Journal.”

Program Offerings

  • Master of Business Administration
  • Master of Business Administration-Organizational Development
  • Master of Entrepreneurial Management
  • Executive MBA program
  • Doctor of Business Administration

Graduate School of Jurisprudence and Justice Sciences

The Graduate School of Jurisprudence and Justice Sciences (or simply known as the Graduate School of Law) offers five graduate degree programs. Three of which are masteral offerings, namely: Master of Laws (Ll.M.)-regular program, Master of Laws (Ll.M.)-online program, and Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration (M.Sc.J.A.). The Graduate School of Law also offers two doctoral degrees: Doctor of Philosophy in Public Law (D.Phil. Public Law) and the Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.).[12] The system of academic lectures and teaching techniques combine classroom sessions held once a month and guided research. Extensive use in some subjects is made of on-line chat-sessions and in others, mentoring. Professors are invited from the senior members of the superior courts of the Philippines as well as from leading academics in law, criminology and related disciplines. In partnership with foreign students, the Dean and the Faculty may also craft individualized programs to suit the individual needs of foreign students.[4]

The faculty of the San Beda Law Graduate School includes prominent Filipino legal luminaries such as former Human Rights Commission Chairperson Purificacion Quisumbing, former Senator Rene Saguisag, former Supreme Court Justice Jose Vitug, former Associate Justice Ricardo Puno, and Justice Oscar Herrera, among others. Its dean is the well-known scholar and constitutionalist Fr. Ranhilio Callangan-Aquino.[13]

Program Offerings

  • Master of Laws (Ll.M.)-regular program
  • Master of Laws (Ll.M.)-online program
  • Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration (M.Sc.J.A.)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Public Law (D.Phil. Public Law)
  • Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.)

Graduate School of Liturgy

From the initial offering of the Master of Arts in Liturgy at the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, the Graduate School of Liturgy (GSL) was formally established in San Beda College-Mendiola in 2002. The GSL offers the Master of Arts in Liturgy, Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies, and Doctorate in Liturgy. The GSL is believed to be the first and only liturgy school in Asia since it was founded in 2002.[14]

About 46 students are enrolled in the Graduate School of Liturgy (GSL). The GSL has several masteral graduates. One student has successfully defended the doctoral dissertation. The first doctoral graduate of San Beda College, according to the GSL, came from the liturgy school.[2]

Regular attendance of the faculty members in the National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy, the Liturgy Week, and the Asian Liturgy Forum motivate them to do research on liturgical topics. Four GSL professors started to work on their doctorate since 2004. The GSL’s journal known as “Scientia Liturgica,” and the trimestral newsletter, “Liturgy Update” serve as venues for faculty research and publication.[2]

The GSL is undertaking outreach projects which provide resource persons for formation seminars for liturgy personnel and clergy of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga; summer program and short seminars at Paul VI Institute of Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Asian Liturgy Forum; and National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy.[2]

The GSL faculty members mostly hail from local and international theological schools such as the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome, the Maryhill School of Theology, Loyola School of Theology, UST Ecclesiastical Faculty, San Carlos Seminary, Mother of Good Counsel Seminary, to name a few.[2] Among its prominent faculty members are Msgr. Moises Andrade, liturgist Rev. Fr. Genaro Diwa, GSL dean Dr. Josefina M. Manabat, SLD, and the world-renowned liturgical expert Very Rev. Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB who was one of the founding fathers of the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, and the first dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Liturgy. Before becoming rector-president of San Beda College, Fr. Chupungco also served as the rector-magnificus of the Pontifical Ateneo of Sant Anselmo in Rome and was president of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, also in Rome.[15]

Program Offerings

  • Master of Arts in Liturgy
  • Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies
  • Doctorate in Liturgy

San Beda College-Alabang

Main article: San Beda College Alabang

Located in Alabang Hills Village in Muntinlupa City, San Beda College-Alabang (SBC-A) was founded in 1972 and was originally named Benedictine Abbey School. It began as a basic co-educational school. In 1995, it gained college status and renamed itself as St. Benedict College. In 2004, however, due to the clamor of the students and with the approval of the Very Rev. Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB, the college changed its name and has formally adopted since then the name, San Beda College-Alabang.[16]

San Beda College Alabang

The rector-president of San Beda College Alabang is Dom Clement Ma. H. Roque, OSB, who also served as former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in San Beda College-Mendiola, Manila.

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is in San Beda Alabang.

Courses offered

  • BS Legal Management
  • BA International Studies Major in Tourism
  • BA Communications and Media Studies
  • BA Psychology
  • BS Accountancy
  • BS Information Technology (majors: Systems Development and Networking Administration)
  • BS Information Management
  • BS Marketing Management
  • BS Financial Management
  • BS Entrepreneurship

San Beda College Alabang School of Law

The San Beda College of Law in Alabang was established in 2004. It serves residents of the southern part of Metro Manila who want to take up law but are not able to come to the Mendiola Campus.

The San Beda Alabang College of Law has been declared autonomous from the San Beda Law School in Mendiola, with Atty. Ulpiano P. Sarmiento III as its first and current dean. Among San Beda Alabang's prominent faculty members are former Senator Rene Saguisag, COMELEC Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and the famous lawyer brothers Sigfrid and Raymond Fortun, who both served as legal and defense counsels of former president Joseph Estrada during his impeachment trial in 2000.[citation needed]

[edit] Center for Performing Arts

As part of its vision to become a leading school of arts in the Southern part of Metro Manila, the San Beda College Alabang established the Center for Performing Arts last 2007. The Center is offering short courses in theatre, drama, acting, dance, and music.

San Beda College Chorale


 T

The Philippine San Beda Male Singers is the alumni group of the San Beda College Chorale was the first Filipino choir to win the Olympic Champion award in the Young Male Category of the Choir Olympics held at Busan, South Korea in 2002.[citation needed] Moreover, the group was declared the national champion in the college choir category at the 2002 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

To date, the group has embarked on five international tours in Europe and Asia since its present choirmaster, choral conductor and arranger Robert Delgado assumed the post in 2003. They have travelled to various cities in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, France, Spain and Italy, and key cities in South Korea and Taiwan.

During its 2005 European and Taiwan tour, the group was the first Filipino choir to have stepped foot on the Russian territory of Estonia.[citation needed] The choir was the featured Filipino artist during the signing of cultural ties between Philippines and Estonia. Also, the group was the guest performer during the inauguration of the Philippine Consulate in Stuttgart, Germany. The choir also gave command performances for numerous Philippine Ambassadors and their counterparts in the different European countries.

In the year 2006, the group, once again embarked its sixth international tour covering cities in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Spain and the United States. This tour featured a repertoire of “Philippine Harana”, a selection of courtship songs. Also, the repertoire included secular and sacred songs of the different centuries, international folk and pop songs, Filipiniana folk, pop, and patriotic songs, and selected songs from the opera set in choral male medium. Lastly, with the help of the Filipino community in Baden Wuerttemberg in Germany, the funds generated from the performances in the area supported an orphanage in a small town in the Bicol province.

Publications and Journals

Student Publications

San Beda College has a history of active and democratic student publications. This is attested to by the continuing existence of The Bedan, the official student publication of the College of Arts and Sciences, since 1941. The Bedan, although a CAS student paper, has a wide following within the Bedan community. It is especially revered by Bedans due to the fact that through the years, it has acted as the voice of the students and the guardian of their rights. There were many prominent Bedans who served either as editors or writers for The Bedan which includes Raul Roco, Rene Saguisag, Alejo Villanueva, Ramon Medina, Oscar Contreras, and Jonas Burgos.

The Spires is the official literary journal in San Beda. Previously, The Spires was a student research journal which dealt mostly with political, social, economic, philosophical, and theological issues until it suddenly ceased to exist. However, when The Bedan decided to revive in the 1990s, it was given a new form and new life; this time, as a literary magazine where Bedans can express themselves even in the most abstract literary manner. The editorial staff of The Spires is independent from that of The Bedan's editorial and managerial board.

The Bedan Lamp is the College of Nursing's official student paper while for the College of Medicine, it is The Pulse. The Lamp has decided to open its doors to all Bedans from different tertiary departments. As for the College of Law, The Barrister is its official student publication, which is published quarterly.

The Bedan Herald is the official student publication of the College of Arts and Sciences of San Beda Alabang. The Bedan Herald was previously known as The Benedictine Clarion, The Benedictine Rostra, and until recently The Benean.

In San Beda College Rizal Campus, the High school department has the Cub Recorder. It is a magazine printed on glossy paper, with colorful layouts, graphics and texts. It is published thrice or four times every school year. The Grade School Department has The Little Bedan.

[edit] Academic and research journals

San Beda College also has published research materials and scholarly journals published by its faculty and administrators. The College of Arts and Sciences publishes an annual scholarly journal called Scientia, which deals with topics such as economics, social sciences, history, public administration and management concepts. The College of Law releases an annual research material called The San Beda Law Journal. The articles in the San Beda Law Journal are written by both the students and the faculty of the San Beda Law School. The Graduate School of Business faculty articles are published in the Graduate School of Business Journal. The Graduate School of Liturgy produces the Scientia Liturgica, a journal which is dedicated to the advancement of liturgical studies in the Philippines and in Asia. The Graduate School of Law publishes the well-respected San Beda Graduate School of Law Journal of Graduate Research.

History of San Beda College

Origin

Named after the Venerable Bede of England, San Beda College was established by Spanish Benedictine monks in Manila during the onset of the American colonial era. Prior to this, there were thirteen Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat in Spain who arrived in the Philippines in 1895. Their intent was to do mission work in Surigao. However, as Americans slowly but successfully began to colonize the Islands, the Benedictine monks, fearing the spread of Protestantism, began to contemplate the idea of establishing a school dedicated to propagate and defend the Catholic faith. This vision was realized in 1901, when the monks already transferred to Manila and founded the El Colegio de San Beda. During the inauguration of San Beda on June 17, 1901, Fr. Silvestre Jofre, OSB said in his homily that, “The College of San Beda comes to the arena with the sole purpose of helping to defend the Catholic battlements in the field of education.” With that, the school opened exclusively for young boys with 212 students taking primaria enseñanza and secundaria enseñanza, the equivalent respectively of grade school and high school with the first two years of college. El Colegio de San Beda was located in Arlegui Street.[1]

In 1906, the Royal, Pontifical and Catholic University of Santo Tomas, as the then leading Catholic institution in the Philippines, recognized and assisted the then-relatively young San Beda College in its course offerings. In 1910, however, the school revised its whole academic curriculum, as a result of the requirements set by a new law in order for schools to be recognized by the government. San Beda was now an independent private college with the authority to grant the Bachelor of Arts degree, and elementary and high school diplomas. It also began to abandon Spanish as its language of instruction and started to teach not only the English language but American history and politics, as well. In 1918, as a result of the growing American influence, the college decided to drop its old name, El Colegio de San Beda and began calling itself, San Beda College.[1]

In 1926, the Benedictine monks moved the school in Mendiola Street, where it still stands. The reason for the transfer was that a bigger campus was needed to cope with demand. By 1927, the courses offered by San Beda expanded. It included grade school and high school, the two year courses of pre-medicine and pre-law and the first two years of commerce. During that year also, Bedan athletes won their first crown in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) league.

From 1940 to 1947, the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat in Manila was under the apostolic administration of Abbot Alcuin Deutsch, OSB of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Three monks were sent to Manila to administer the Abbey and San Beda College. The College welcomed the only American rector in its history, Fr. Boniface Joseph Axtmann, OSB. It was also in 1940 when the school began to carry the Red Lion as the emblem. When World War II broke out, San Beda College was used by the Japanese Imperial Army a concentration camp. During these years, classes were held quietly in the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, although such classes were only limited.

After the liberation by joint Filipino and American troops, San Beda briefly functioned as an American army hospital for Japanese resistance fighters.[1]

After the War, the school began to expand. After Fr. Axtman's liberal democratic style of running the College ended in 1947, a similar kind of leadership emerged under the administration of the Spanish Benedictine monk, Fr. Sergio Martinez, OSB. It was during his term that he decided not only to offer programs in the fields of arts and sciences but also in jurisprudence. In 1948, Fr. Martinez formally established the San Beda College of Law. From 1953-1958, the San Beda Law School earned the distinction of producing a 100% passing record during the Bar examinations. San Beda College also became one of the founding schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

Eventually, San Beda College became a chartered school of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities in 1957. Then Rector Fr. Benigno Benabarre, OSB was responsible for the school’s inclusion to the PAASCU. Fr. Benabarre also set up an alumni network of Bedans, which would eventually become the San Beda College Alumni Association.[1]

On June 17, 2001, San Beda College celebrated its centennial. During the opening ceremonies for its pre-centennial in 2000, former president Corazon Aquino, Bedan alumni senators Raul Roco and Rene Saguisag and then rector-president Bernardo Ma. Perez, OSB graced the event.

In that same year, a new administration under Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB emerged. That same year, San Beda College offered the Graduate Program in Business which was granted full autonomy and rated "very good" by the Commission on Higher Education.[4]

On June 17, 2002, the San Beda College of Medicine and the Graduate Program in Liturgy were inaugurated, heralding the school’s expansion program in health sciences. The following year, the College of Nursing and the Graduate School of Law were also established.

To give a more conducive academic environment to grade school and high school students, the San Beda College-Rizal campus was formally opened in June 2004. That same year, St. Benedict's College was formally renamed San Beda College Alabang.

In 2007, Rev. Fr. Mateo Ma. J. De Jesus, OSB became San Beda's twenty-first rector-president. Recently, Fr. De Jesus' administration undertook an aggressive physical renovation project to improve, update and strengthen the facilities of San Beda College. Under Fr. De Jesus' priorities are the signing of mmemoranda of agreements with foreign educational institutions on faculty and student exchange programs as well as on research. These institutions are: University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, Universitas Persada Indonesia Y.A.I., Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia, Universitas Widyatama, Bandung, Indonesia, National Taitung Junior College, Taiwan. A few more institutions in the Peoples' Republic of China are scheduled for visit and signing.

San Beda represented the Philippines in a five-country research collaboration in the ASEAN region. On February 10, 2009, Fr. De Jesus, representing San Beda College, signed an agreement with the Presidents of Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia; Universitas Kelantan, Malaysia; Ho Chi Minh Business University, Vietnam; and University of St. Galen, Switzerland (in collaboration with Singapore), establishing the ASEAN Network for Inter-Cultural Management and Economic Studies (ANIMES). The Research Network will provide faculty members of San Beda College an international window for their research outputs as well as joint research activities with peers from the other ASEAN countries.

[edit] University Status

In Early July 2009, San Beda College announced in their "The Bedan today" that the institution has submitted application for university status. The College hopes that by year 2013, it would be granted as San Beda University.

School traditions

For more information, see San Beda Red Lions

San Beda College adopted the Red Lion emblem from the ancient Scottish/English heraldic symbol, the Red Lion Rampant.[17][18] The school, named after the Venerable Bede of England, naturally chose the heraldic symbol of the ancient Scots/English for courage.[19] It has been said that the Judeo-Christian roots of the Anglo-Saxon world was preserved by the Benedictines during the Dark Ages through faith and courage.[20] Pope Benedict XVI himself openly declared that the Benedictines saved Europe's Christian roots.[21] San Beda pays tribute to the courage of the Benedictine monks by adopting the Red Lion, the symbol of courage in the Catholic tradition and in the land of St. Bede.[22] It has to be noted that the Benedictines are a key part of the history of Great Britain itself.[23][24][25]

The Bedan hymn

Before the beginning of the 1960s, Bedans were singing a different school hymn. In 1966, Senator Raul Roco, then a San Beda law student, wrote a new alma mater hymn which would capture the Bedan spirit. Mrs. Sonia Roco, wife of the late senator, said that her husband wrote the lyrics of the Bedan Hymn on their honeymoon. After finishing the lyrics, Roco then gave the lyrics to Rev. Fr. Benildus Ma. Maramba, OSB for its melody. It took Fr. Maramba, two days to finish the song composition.[26]

It is sung at important events such as the NCAA basketball season, the Bar exams, and alumni gatherings but also at simple affairs such as seminars and small get-together of Bedans.

Red Lion and The Ancient Red Lion Rampant

The Red Lion Rampant

The practice of adopting a school moniker became both fashionable and an imperative especially for Catholic school named after Saints during the 1940’s in the Philippines.[18][27] The American Catholic schools started the rage earlier when the clergy became wary of sports headlines such as “ St. Peter mauls St. Paul 80 – 40”. In the Philippines, headlines of whipping and trashing of schools named after saints drew mixed emotions among the clergy and devout Catholics. “Why would a Catholic saint whip another Catholic saint?”, they would ask.

On July 31, 1940, Fr. Sergio Martinez OSB, inspired by English tradition, coined the moniker “Red Lion” for the school.[28] Red is the color of courage, of a warrior and a martyr. The lion, on the other hand ,represents dominance as the king of the jungle.[17][18][29]

[edit] Indian Yell

The San Beda Red Army cheering the Indian Yell

The Cuerba brothers, both Bedans, composed the Indian Yell in 1947 after the liberation from the Japanese empire.[18][28][30] The Indian Yell was initially solely performed on drums accompanied by cheers from the students. However, this made the cheer somewhat lacking in power and needed something to rejuvenate the audience. So they changed the sound of the yell and incorporated a horn section. Accompanied by the tomahawk chop, the Indian Yell became more lively, intimidating, and full of spirit.[17][28]

The Indian Yell is San Beda's romanticized version of the Indian war whoop. It mimics the native Indian war chants and vocalization techniques designed to intimidate the opponent.[30] North American Indian war chants are verbalization of tunes that implore the great spirits to help them in battle. The romanticized Bedan Indian Yell is believed to have been inspired by the Plains Indian.[17]

The Indian war whoop also gave rise to various derivative chants most especially the Lion's Roar. The Lion’s roar, with the simple "Wooohooo", also mimics primitive chants of Native American Indians. This is an indirect offspring of the Wahoos started by both Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia in the 1890s.[31] Bedans popularized this aboriginal Native American form of chanting in the Philippine collegiate league and has spawned variations now used by many other schools.[17][18][30]

Little Indians

The Little Indians

To accompany the Indian Yell, the Little Indians were conceptualized by Ramon Ventoza (. GS '46, HS '51).[17][18][30] Mon Ventosa is the longest serving moderator / instructor of the San Beda College Cheering Association. A cheerleader himself during his student days in San Beda College, Mon was appointed as instructor of the College's Cheering Squad (1952 - 1962). He came up with idea to counter the gaining popularity of the dance number of Jose Rizal College.[28]

There were only three Indians in 1947: Gabriel Gasar and the Casal brothers, one of which eventually became a Benedictine monk. Slowly , the recruitment process changed and participation from the grade school pupils rose because many wanted to become Little Indians. Tito Mon wanted the Indians to be stout and adorable. From three Indians since 1947, the membership rose to a minimum of eight in the 90’s.[18][28]

Animo San Beda!

Have Courage San Beda! Animo San Beda!

One of the more popular line in the traditional Bedan cheers is "Animo San Beda".[32]

Bedans use Animo to mean courage in their cheers. When Bedans yell “Animo San Beda!” they actually mean “Courage San Beda!/Have Courage San Beda!", faithful to the Spanish idiomatic usage of the word.[17][33].[34] Animo is a Spanish word which means spirit, energy, vitality, purpose and will. Used as an expression of encouragement by Spanish speaking societies, it means courage or have courage. "Avance San Beda!" and "Vamos!" were also popular then. In the pre-war Spanish San Beda cheer (also known as El Colegio de San Beda Tiene que Ganar!), "Animo" is also included.[32][33]

Rector-Presidents of San Beda College

There has been 21 rector-presidents of San Beda College, including the current rector Rev. Fr. Mateo Ma. J. De Jesus, OSB. From 1901 up to the 1970s, most rectors were of Spanish descent. Fr. Silvestre Jofre, OSB was the first Benedictine monk to become rector of San Beda. Fr. Boniface Axtman, OSB was San Beda's only American rector-president. Fr. Axtman is credited for his liberal and democratic style of leadership for bringing back stability, progress, and order in San Beda, which had been devastated by the onslaught of World War II.

Fr. Bernardo Ma. Perez, OSB became the first Filipino rector-president of San Beda in 1971 and holds also the distinction of becoming the longest-serving rector-president of the Benedictine college, from 1971-1974, 1977-1983 and from 1985 to 2001. His successor, Rev. Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB was the former rector-president of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome before assuming the rectorship of San Beda in 2001; Fr. Chupungco was also rector-magnificus of the Pontifical Athaneum of Sant'Anselmo, also in Rome. It was during his term that the college saw significant changes such as the admission of females in San Beda, the establishment of the Graduate Schools, and the opening of the largest San Beda campus in Taytay, Rizal.

Current San Beda College rector-president Rev. Fr. Mateo Ma. J. De Jesus, OSB is the first doctoral graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, USA, to become rector-president of any educational institution in the world.[35] The administration of Fr. De Jesus is pursuing projects such as the improvement of student services, school facilities, and academic programs and linkages in San Beda.

The Rector-Presidents (1901-present)

  • Fr. Silvestre Jofre, OSB (1901-1903; 1906-1909)
  • Fr. Arsenio Insausti, OSB (1903-1906)
  • Fr. Anselmo Catalan, OSB (1909-1914)
  • Fr. Fausto Ameijeiras, OSB (1914-1918)
  • Fr. Rosendo Fernandez, OSB (1918-1923)
  • Fr. Ildefonso Saez, OSB (1923-1924)
  • Fr. Urbano Caseres, OSB (1925-1927; 1947-1948)
  • Fr. Bernardo Lopez, OSB (1927-1937; 1949-1952; 1958-1961)
  • Fr. Beda del Hoyo, OSB (1937-1939)
  • Fr. Wilfrido Rojo, OSB (1939-1941; 1952-1955; 1956-1958)
  • Fr. Boniface Axtman, OSB (1941-1947)
  • Fr. Sergio Martinez, OSB (1948-1949)
  • Fr. Benigno Benabarre, OSB (1961-1966)
  • Fr. Ildefonso Origenes, OSB (1966-1967)
  • Fr. Hildebrando Munoz, OSB (1967-1968)
  • Fr. Isidro Otazu, OSB (1968-1971)
  • Fr. Bernardo Ma. Perez, OSB (1971-1974; 1977-1983; 1985-2001)
  • Fr. Emmanuel Ma. Balcruz, OSB (1974-1977)
  • Fr. Silvestre Lacson, OSB (1983-1985)
  • Rev. Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB (2001-2007)
  • Very Rev. Fr. Mateo Ma. J. De Jesus, OSB (2007-present)

Notable San Beda Alumni

Bedan alumni are well-known for their intense devotion, unwavering commitment and great love for their alma mater, San Beda College. A Bedan's graduation from college does not end his or her relationship with San Beda. In fact, as many Bedan alumni have recounted and attested, one's graduation is only the beginning of that individual's life-time connection and relations with the school.

The San Beda College Alumni Association (SBCAA) handles and manages the alumni network as part of its efforts to keep the Bedan spirit alive and intact among San Beda's graduates and alums. The SBCAA holds yearly the much-anticipated Red and White Ball, usually at the NBC Tent located in The Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The Red and White Ball serves not only as a reunion for Bedans but as a social gathering of prominent people in Philippine society, as well.

For complete list see:

Main article: Notable San Beda College alumni

San Beda College-Mendiola

Heroes and Freedom Fighters

  • Benigno Aquino, Jr., (HS) - (former) Senator and key personality of the anti-Marcos dictatorship struggle
  • Raul Roco, (AB, Ll.B) - Late Filipino statesman; 2004 Philippine presidential candidate; former senator and education secretary
  • Ramon V. Mitra, (HS, Ll.B )- 1992 Philippine presidential candidate; former Speaker of the House of Representatives; former senator and agriculture minister; human rights lawyer
  • Rene Saguisag, (AB,Ll.B) - former Philippine Senator; Human rights advocate; co-founder of the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity, and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI)
  • Agapito "Butz" Aquino (GS, HS) - Leading personality of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution; former Philippine senator and House Minority Floor Leader

Senators and Representatives

Judiciary and Legal Services

Local and Provincial Officials

Appointed Government Officials

  • Jose D. Lina, Jr. (GS, HS) - Former Philippine Senator, former Secretary of Interior and Local Government, former governor of Laguna
  • Peter B. Favila (GS, HS) - Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, businessman
  • Lilian Hefti (Ll.B)- Commissioner and head of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
  • Leila M. De Lima (Ll.B)- Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights; prominent election lawyer of Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca
  • Ricardo T. Saludo (GS, HS) - Cabinet Secretary, journalist, writer; Chair, Civil Service Commission
  • Antonio C. Delgado (GS, HS)- Former Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican; Delivery Services and Hotel Pioneer

Business and Economics

  • Dr. Manuel V. Pangilinan (GS, HS, Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa) - Chairman, Philippine Long Distance Company; chief executive officer, Metro Pacific Corporation and chairman of the Board of Trustees of San Beda College-Mendiola, Manila
  • Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, Jr. (GS)- Chief Executive Officer, San Miguel Corporation, former ambassador, politician and 1992 Philippine presidential candidate
  • Don Eugenio "Geny" Lopez, Jr. (GS) - Founding Chairman, ABS-CBN Network, Inc.
  • Andrew Gotianun (BSC) – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Filinvest Land Corporation
  • Marlo A. Sanchez (AB)- Entrepreneur and author of the business book series, Pinoybisnes

Religion and Theology

Arts and Humanities

  • Jaime Licauco (GS, HS, AB) - guru of Philippine parapsychology and paranormal studies; author and writer; former professor, New Age philosophy and Parapsychology, Department of Philosophy and Human Resource Development
  • Dr. Zeus A. Salazar (GS)- historian and cultural anthropologist' writer and author; former dean of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
  • Arturo Luz (GS, HS) - National Artist for Painting
  • Francisco Mañosa (GS, HS) - foremost Filipino architect
  • Alfredo A. Yuson (GS, HS) - Writer, Poet, Essayist and Academician
  • Antonio "Tony" Israel (BSC) - Asian Ufologist, broadcast journalist and academic writer
  • Alejo L. Villanueva, Jr. (AB)- writer and philosopher; author, Bonifacio's Unfinished Revolution and San Beda College of Law: Its History

Media and Entertainment

[edit] Medicine and Health Sciences

  • Dr. Ramon L. Arcadio (GS, HS, Doctor of Humanities, honoris cauca) - Chancellor, University of the Philippines-Manila
  • Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan (GS, HS) - Former Secretary of the Department of Health
  • Dr. Louie Kodumal - Most Outstanding Overseas Bedan - NY/NJ/CT/PA
  • Dr. Reynaldo R. Rey-Matias (GS) - Chairman of the Philippine Board of Examiners in Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy, leading authority in rehabilitative medicine

Sports and Athletics

Honorary Alumni and Notable Faculty

  • Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah (Doctor of Laws, honoris causa)- Malaysian Chief Justice; head, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Law Association
  • Corazon C. Aquino (Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa)- Wife of Bedan senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and the first female president of the Philippines and in Asia
  • Fidel V. Ramos- Former president of the Philippines; Honorary Alumnus, San Beda College of Law
  • Robert de Ocampo (Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa)- Former secretary, Department of Finance; president, Asian Institute of Management
  • Estelita G. Juco (Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa)- Journalist and Congresswoman
  • Artemio Panganiban- 21st Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Philippines; honorary alumnus, San Beda College of Law
  • Diosdado P. Macapagal- Former president of the Philippines (1961-1965); lecturer and professor, San Beda College of Law
  • Arturo Tolentino- Former Philippine senator; professor, San Beda College of Law
  • Isagani Cruz - former Supreme Court Justice; writer and columnist; professor, San Beda College of Law
  • Rev. Fr. Ranhilio C. Aquino - Constitutionalist, author, and dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law
  • Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo - Chairman, National Historical Institute; Chairman, National Commission for Culture and the Arts; former Benedictine monk and history professor at San Bed, awardee 2006 MetroBank Outstanding Teacher, decorated by the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of France.
  • Dr. Tita Evasco-Branzuela - Vice-President, Academic Affairs Division, San Beda College; former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), former Director of the Research, Planning, and Development Center (RPDC) of San Beda College
  • Dr. Leopoldo J. Dejillas - social economist, author and writer; former head of SBC-CAS's Research, Planning, and Development Office (RPDO), former faculty member of the Economics Department of the College and Arts and Sciences of San Beda College, and at present Director of SBC's RPDC
  • Dr. Teresita P. Pedrajas - Chairperson, World Council for Curriculum and Instruction (WCCI-UNESCO); awardee, 1999 Metrobank Most Outstanding Teacher of the Philippines
  • Dr. Felina Young - First female and lay vice-president of San Beda College (2004-2007); author, writer and business expert
  • Dr. Ramon Benedicto N. Marcelino - Former economic adviser to the late 2004 presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr. and current chairperson of the Department of Economics of San Beda College
  • Prof. Bienvenida Amarles-Ilago - Chairperson, Social Sciences department; co-author, "1898-1992: The Philippine Presidency," with Alex Brillantes, Jr.

San Beda College-Alabang

Notable alumni

See also


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