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The Santa Isabel College, also referred to by its acronym SIC, is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...
,
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
owned and operated by the
Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (; abbreviated DC), commonly called the Daughters of Charity or Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, is a society of apostolic life for women within the Catholic Church. ...
in
Ermita Ermita is a district in central Manila, Philippines. It is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of Manila, bearing the seat of city government and a large portion of the area's e ...
,
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. It was founded on 24 October 1632. Santa Isabel College is one of the oldest colleges in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
and in
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
. In 2018, its administration building and the chapel of the Sto. Cristo de Tesoro was declared National Cultural treasure by the
National Museum of the Philippines The National Museum of the Philippines () is an umbrella government organization that oversees a number of national museums in the Philippines, including Ethnography, ethnographic, Anthropology, anthropological, Archaeology, archaeological, an ...
.


History

Santa Isabel College has operated for more than three centuries. * April 6, 1594 – Institution founded as a Charitable Brotherhood * October 24, 1632 – Institution becomes the Colegio de Santa Isabel beginning its educational history * May 25, 1636 – Rules and regulations governing the college were drafted * March 25, 1733 –
Philip V of Spain Philip V (; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was List of Spanish monarchs, King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724 and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign (45 years and 16 days) is the longest in the ...
orders the college be called "Real Colegio de Santa Isabel" (Royal College of Saint Isabel) * 1852 -
Isabella II of Spain Isabella II (, María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868. She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain. Isabella wa ...
orders the Daughters of Charity to the Philippines * July 22, 1862 – Daughters of Charity arrive in the Philippines * 1866 - Real Colegio de Santa Isabel merges with Colegio de Santa Pontenciana * August 13, 1933 – A fire destroys almost half of the college * February 7, 1945 – A fire destroys the college during the
Battle for the Liberation of Manila The Battle of Manila (; ; ; ) was a major battle during the Philippine campaign of 1944–45, during the Second World War. It was fought by forces from both the United States and the Philippines against Japanese troops in Manila, the capital ...
* September 14, 1947 – A marker is unveiled commemorating the new, English name of the college The Colegio de Santa Isabel was founded on October 24, 1632, with the primary purpose of educating Spanish orphans in this most distant Spanish colony, and is one of the oldest girl schools in the world. In later years its doors were opened to Spanish Filipina girls as well. In 1733, by a royal decree the name of the college was changed to "Real Colegio de Santa Isabel". The records of its establishment can be found at the Archive of the Indies in Seville, Spain. On July 22, 1862, fifteen
Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (; abbreviated DC), commonly called the Daughters of Charity or Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, is a society of apostolic life for women within the Catholic Church. ...
arrived in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
from
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. Two years after, the Daughters of Charity took over the administration of the Real Colegio de Santa Isabel. The college was then in
Intramuros Intramuros () is the historic walled area within the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is administered by the Intramuros Administration with the help of the city government of Manila. Intramuros comprises a centuries-old hist ...
until World War II when it was totally destroyed by shelling and fire in the liberation of
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
. After losing the Colegio, the sisters sought refuge at St. Rita's College which was fortunately spared from the ravages of war. The sisters taught in St. Rita's College to support themselves, determined to keep alive the name of this illustrious college. The sisters left no stone unturned until they found a temporary home for its students. It was through the kindness of the benevolent and compassionate Vicente Reyes, then parish priest of San Miguel Parish, who offered some rooms in the convent so that the sisters were able to renew their apostolate of educating the young. The sisters, led by Juana Zabalza, Superior of the College at that time, and the principal, Candida Ocampo, who later became the first Filipina Superior of the College, were able to acquire the former St. Rita's College at 210 Taft Avenue, Manila. Some time after the war, the name was changed to Santa Isabel College. Since 1968, four buildings were added to Santa Isabel. The school auditorium, built in 1953, was modernized. The Sister Catalina Ledesma Mini Recital Hall was constructed from the funds provided by the Sister Catalina Scholarship Foundation. Just after the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, Santa Isabel College opened the Center for Assistance to Displaced Persons. The refugees and boat people from
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
,
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
and
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
were assisted by the Center under the sisters and staff. The Louise de Marillac Foundation, Inc. caters to the needs of an adopted community in Paliparan, Dasmariñas, Cavite and in
Barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
736, Zone 80,
Quirino Quirino, officially the Province of Quirino (; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Cabarroguis while Diffun is the most populous in the province. It is named after Elpi ...
Avenue,
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
. In 1982, Santa Isabel College celebrated its 350th Foundation Anniversary. After three and a half centuries, Santa Isabel College has expanded its educational programs. The courses, Bachelor of Science in business administration, Bachelor of Science in accountancy, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of elementary/ secondary education, and
music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
are still being offered, but the curricula were updated and enriched according to the demands of the times. Teacher Certificate Program (TCP) for professionals was opened. The music program, likewise, has expanded and now gives short term courses. The Bachelor of Science in public relations was given government recognition in 1981. Santa Isabel College then is the only school in the Philippines offering Bachelor of Science in public relations. Aside from the said offerings, the school's four courses were given recognition by the government. They are: Bachelor of Science in information technology, Bachelor of Science in information management, Bachelor of Science in office administration, and Bachelor of Arts in human development. With the opening of the courses, Santa Isabel College opened its portals to male students, which was not actually new because the Music Program has always been accepting male students since it opened after the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. After the PAASCU visit last February 27–28, 2000, the school was granted reaccreditation for a period of five years, effective April 2002 – 2007. In the school year 2003-2004 the school community underwent sessions on the revision of the institution's vision-mission statement, an integration of the vision-mission statements of the MAPSA (Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association) and the SLMES (St. Louise de Marillac Educational System), as well as scenario building and strategic planning. All of these are aimed for continuous growth and improvement, harnessing the capacity for continual transformation. Santa Isabel College undertook intensive curriculum revision, realigning and mapping for more cohesive and relevant offerings. Thus, new programs were conceived: two-year Associate in computer technology, two-year Certificate in hotel and restaurant management, and two-year Certificate in accountancy. The school year 2005-2006 ushered in new programs: Bachelor of Science in hotel and restaurant management and evening classes for working students. In 2004, the Bachelor of Science in hotel and restaurant management was offered. To comply with the practicum requirements of the course, the Chateau Santa Isabel Practicum Center was built. The practicum center serves as the in-house training ground of the hotel and restaurant management students. It was inaugurated on March 15, 2005, and was opened to the public on May 1, 2005. As part of the reinvention, the internet café was inaugurated and became operational for use of the students and personnel. Eventually, the internet café became part of the facilities of Chateau Santa Isabel Practicum Center which was opened on May 1, 2005. The Higher Education Department passed the Level 2 PAASCU Accreditation on January 25, 2005, during the Interim Visit. The visit was conducted for Liberal Arts, Education and Business Administration programs. The Alternative Learning System (ALS) was introduced by the Office of the Community of Extension Services. The music department, this year, celebrated its Diamond Jubilee (75 years). The opening concert was held at the Philamlife Theater and the closing concert at the
Cultural Center of the Philippines The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP; ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) established to preserve, develop and promote Arts in the Philippines, arts and Culture of the Philippines, culture in the Philippines.Presid ...
. On October 24, 2007, Santa Isabel College marked its 375th Foundation Anniversary. The celebration was highlighted by a stage play entitled "Vincent and Louise in the city". It was performed by selected students and faculty at the Sto. Cristo del Tesoro Auditorium. A High Mass was also presided over by Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales at the
Manila Cathedral The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, commonly known as the Manila Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic basilica and cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Manila. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of ...
. Santa Isabel College has an alumni association which meets every month. They hold fund-generating projects to help improve the school plant, give scholarships and help those who are materially deprived. Every year those Manila-based alumni join their fellow alumni in the United States and Canada in a grand reunion. The basic education department has organized a Parent's Council for the whole department. Officers and members are parents and guardians of students from all programs. Parents are organized as partners of the school in educating the young.


Academic programs offered

*Pre-school (Nursery and Kindergarten) *Elementary (Grade 1 to Grade 6) *High School (Grade 7 to Grade 12) *Bachelor of Music with majors in Music Education, Composition, Piano and Voice *Bachelor of Arts in English *Bachelor of Elementary Education *Bachelor of Secondary Education with majors in Religious Education, English and Computer Education *Bachelor of Science in Accountancy *Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Human Resource Management, Marketing Management and Financial Management *Bachelor of Science in Information Technology *Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management *Master of Music *Master of Arts in Music *TESDA Short Courses


College seal

The Cross at the center of Santa Isabel College's seal symbolizes Christ, the Center, whose charity urges the institution in its mission of educating the youth. The even arms of the cross stand for the school's freedom from bias in the choice of her students. In between the arms are inscribed four Latin terms, namely: Caritas-
Charity Charity may refer to: Common meanings * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sha ...
, Humilitas-
Humility Humility is the quality of being humble. The Oxford Dictionary, in its 1998 edition, describes humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. However, humility involves having an accurate opinion of oneself and expressing oneself mode ...
, Sapientia-
Knowledge Knowledge is an Declarative knowledge, awareness of facts, a Knowledge by acquaintance, familiarity with individuals and situations, or a Procedural knowledge, practical skill. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is oft ...
, and Disciplina-
Discipline Discipline is the self-control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed, and the ability to keep working at something that is difficult. Disciplinarians believe that such self-control is of the utmost importance and enforce a ...
. The school instills in the young, benevolent love, humility, and self-control in relation to themselves, their peers, and specially the less-privileged. The students are given equal opportunities to acquire and interpret knowledge of truth about the realities around and most especially, the reality of God's providence to human beings, through the different programs. These four aspects of the seal are integrated in the context of the student's
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
and human development. The colors in the seal are maroon and gold. The cross is colored gold, and the letters and lines are maroon. Gold symbolizes the Church dedicated to the cause of Christian Education. Maroon is the symbol of royalty. Santa Isabel College was founded out of the Spanish Queen's unselfish devotion to the welfare of others. She provided free education to the orphaned daughters of the Spanish soldiers and later to deserving Filipino young girls.


External links

*
History of Santa Isabel College
(official website) {{authority control Catholic universities and colleges in Manila Catholic elementary schools in Manila Catholic secondary schools in Manila Education in Ermita 1594 establishments in the Philippines Universities and colleges in Manila