Beginning and Development

Shortly after Central Philippine Union Mission was organized in 1964, a dream for a college in Central Philippines was foremost in the minds of its leaders. Consistent with that dream, years were spent by CPUM to explore the whole Visayan Islands in quest for a favorable location. The search finally ended in Alegria, Murcia, 23 kilometers from Bacolod City with the purchased of 71 hectares of land for only P600,000.00 in 1979. The property was widened by 35 hectares with the generous donation of $64,000 received from Donor May Chung.

Developments moved rapidly since the acquisition of the property. To meet/address the great need for funding, General Conference set aside the 2nd quarter 13th Sabbath School Overflow Offering in 1981 for the Central Philippine Union Mission college project. on August 12, 1981, seventeen years after the dream was conceived, the ground breaking ceremonies for the college took place. The keynote speaker was Dr. C.B Hirsch, General Conference Director of Education, and the guest speaker was Negros Occidental Governor, the Honorable Alfredo Montelibano, Jr. The actual construction began on October 2, 1981, with architect-contractor Raymundo R. Victoriano donating his services as supervising engineer. 

On June 14, 1982, registered with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) as Central Philippine Adventist School, the college opened its doors to 100 students and 17 faculty members with Pastor David Recalde serving as the first President. As a junior or vocational college, the first courses offered were Rural Health Nursing, Building Construction, Agriculture, and Biblical Studies.

Initially, there was only one multipurpose building called Pioneer Hall to house everybody and everything; the dormitories, the faculty homes, administrative offices, cafeteria, library, and the gymnasium which was used for chapel convocations, church, and other gatherings. This single imposing structure amid the ocean waves of sugarcane earned the moniker, “Noah’s Ark.”

In the Ark, the dormitories had no shutters; the faculty apartments had neither shutters nor room divitions, and the classrooms did not have desirable chairs and acoustics. Then, in September 1984, super-typhoon Nitang struck and knocked the walls of the ark down. But God has a way of turning misfortune into blessing. Out of the ruins came the funds to rebuild the ark’s walls with concrete. From the onwards, CPAC has seen significant development in staff qualifications, programs and physical structure.

On October 11, 1985, the name Central Philippine Adventist School was changed to Central Philippine Adventist College upon approval by the DECS of the four-year Agriculture course. New degrees and their corresponding buildings were added to the growing college: BSBA- Accounting, BSBA-Computer Science, Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education, and BS Nursing. The Quiet Hour clinic, motor pool, cafeteria, and the dormitories were constructed to meet the needs of a fast growing academic community.

By the year 2001, the college saw the construction of the Recreation Center, which was equipped with two swimming pools, guesthouses, two tennis courts, and rows of cottages. A gazebo, Student Government Center, Fast Food Center, college store, the three-storey building for the School of Nursing, the basement and second floor of the School of Business, and the mushroom house literally mushroomed one after another.

School year 2001 marked the founding of the Education That Saves Village, where working students enjoy low-cost housing. In January 2005, the Conference Hall was inaugurated. Meanwhile, the Engineering building, Function Hall, and the College Church were rising almost simultaneously and inaugurated during CPAC’s Silver Anniversary in August 2007. At Vespers of August 10, this Church – one of the tallest, largest and most beautiful in the country was dedicated to the Lord.

Within the next two years, more parks dotted the college’s refreshingly rural landscape: the Wisdom Park, Iternational Friendship Circle and the NSTP guesthouses in front of the tilapia pond. In April 2008, a multipurpose building primarily built as worship hall was constructed for the working students in the Education that Saves Village.

On March 20, 2009, two inauguration and dedication ceremonies were held: the Eco-Park beside the Education that Saves Village and the long-awaited Library. The Library, which includes the Review Center is on the second floor and stands on two QUADS: the fully renovated Agriculture and old Nursing buildings. The audio-visual room (AVR) and the Speech Laboratory are located on the ground floor of the Library. In 2010, the new gate and soccer field were constructed.

The college now offers twenty curricula in five schools namely: School of Arts, Sciences and Technology, School of Business, School of Education, School of Nursing and School of Theology. Two computer laboratories and virtually all offices and faculty homes are wired to the internet 24/7, and all offices and dormitories are equipped with telephones.

The campus also serves as Distance Learning Center (DLC) for the Adventist International Institute for Advanced Studies (AIIAS). For three decades, the College has placed priority on educating and training skilled and service-oriented professionals who will contribute as denominational employees and leaders. It develops educated and supportive graduates who will strengthen and enrich their respective congregation.

CPAC also shares the church’s educational philosophy and seeks to function as a resource center which can facilitate the development and spread of the Gospel in Central Philippines and far beyond.