On July 2, 1941, the old Albay Institute, forerunner of the Bicol College, Inc. came to existence, the first non-profit, non-sectarian private educational institutional in the province of Albay.
It was born amidst a great economic difficulty for the country. “It was an economic crisis of unprecedented magnitude,” the Founder would describe it. During that period, hundreds of secondary students could not be accommodated in the provincial high school on account of the shortage of classrooms, lack of teachers, absence of instructional supplies and equipment and death of library books and materials.
Through the Provincial Governor, the students and their parents sought the help of the late Engr. Roque F. Tabuena, a UP-bred civil engineer who, at that time, was engaged in the lucrative construction business, principally in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon. Against the advice of some well-meaning friends and relatives, he faced the dilemma with firm resolve, fortitude and blind determination of a concerned father to save a drowning son. He could not sacrifice the welfare of the students, nor turn deaf ears to the pleas of distraught parents.
Throwing all cautions to the wind, he motored to Manila and in 48 hours returned with Government Permit to offer the secondary course. (1941)
Classes started at once in the Old Albay Country Club, where today stands the Albay Provincial Capitol Annex. Three hundred eighty-two (382) students enrolled.
Unfortunately, World War II broke out in December of that year and the school had to cease operation.
The Albay Institute re-opened after liberation, in 1945, three hundred seven(307) students enrolled. This time they occupied a rented residential house in Sagpon, Old Albay, Legazpi City.
The collegiate department opened in July, 1946. The first courses offered were Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Commercial Science (ACS), and Elementary Teacher’s Certificate (ETC).
Branches of the Albay Institute were established that same year in Legazpi Port, Malinao, and Polangui. Putiao and Bacon (Sorsogon) soon followed.
Daraga Institute was founded in 1950; Juban Institute (Sorsogon )in 1952; and Pilar Institute (also in Sorsogon), in 1953. Only Juban Institute remains today, in deference to the wishes of the Founder, “because my roots are there.”
The name of the Institute was changed to Bicol Junior Colleges in September, 1949. At that time, its program offerings already included elementary, high school and four-year courses in Education, Liberal Arts, and Commerce.
In 1951, its name was changed to Bicol Colleges. The institution left its Old Albay site in 1957, after initially acquiring a 1,652 sq.m. lot in Sagpon, Daraga, Albay, along the national highway. Buildings were constructed as soon as additional adjacent sites were acquired.
It was 1n 1953 where the Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) was granted Government Recognition No. 444.
In 1960, Bicol College offered the Master’s program in Education, leading to MAEd degree. The late Dr. Jose S. Reyes, (Columbia U, USA) executive secretary of then Philippine President Sergio Osmeña, Sr., served as Dean. The program had a star-studded faculty line up composed of: Dr. Dedimo Fonbuena (NYU, USA), Prof. Pedro Ancheta, PNU, Manila. The program was issued GR No.332s 1965
First to graduate was Pedro M. Marcellana, Jr. He was followed the next year by Victoria Paulate, and Felicidad E. Gavina, the first public school principal, and the second, an instructor in then BRSAT (now BUSAT). After THEM, several others followed. At that time, oral exams were defended in public. All interested parties gathered in the social hall to witness the whole proceedings.
Government Recognition (GR) was granted immediately after the first candidate graduated and issued the corresponding Special Order from the Bureau of Private Schools, Manila.
In 1961 the Bachelor of Arts (AB) and Bachelor of Library Science (AB in Library Science) were granted Government Recognition No. 346 s 1961. AB in Library Science is now with a new Program named Bachelor in Libery Information System (BLIS) where the school was issued a Government Recognition under CMO No. 8 s 2005.
Law was offered in 1963. It was headed by late Atty. Delfin de Vera, a topnotcher in the 1941 Bar examinations. Besides Dean de Vera, the pioneer faculty line-up included Judge Ignacio Calleja, Jr., Atty. Jose T. Rubio, and Atty. Benito Se. It was issued Government Recognition No.073 s 1985.
Atty. Mariano Baranda Jr., succeeded Dean de Vera, followed by Atty. Jesus Roberto Bernabe (cum laude, UST). At present, Atty. Ian Ll. Macasinag, (cum laude, AUL), BC Legal Counsel, is the Dean of the College of Law.
The BC College of Law made history when, in 2003, Atty. Jose C. Evan placed 10th in the Bar examinations, the first among Law schools in the Bicol Region until 2012.
The Criminology program was opened in 1969, with Atty. German M. Marantal, formerly Deputy Regional Commander on Police Matters for Region V, as Dean. It has since become what many refer to as the “flag carrier of Bicol College,” the premier Criminology school in Region V. It has produced many top- notchers in the Criminology Board examinations nationwide. It was issued Government Recognition No. H -0012 s 1985.
On November 11, 1988, the Bicol College offered the Doctoral program leading to the degree of Doctor of Education (EdD), major in Educational Administration. It was issued DECS Recognition No. 031 on July 17, 1991.
By 1989, the Bachelor of Elementary Education was granted Government Recognition No. H 004s1989.
In 1991, the Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) was granted recognition under No. 031 s 1991.
Master in Management (MM) was extended Government Recognition on July 4, 1994 (R-H-005 s. 1994).
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) was granted Government Recognition.
PhD, major in Human Resource Management, was offered in November, 1997 when CHED issued Temporary Permit No. 150, dated September 11, 1997, and renewed yearly thereafter. On January 10, 2000, the program was granted Government Recognition (GR No. 028, s. 2000).
In August 2003, Nestor B. Belga placed No. 1, in the Criminology Board Examination. Earlier, many became placers in said examination such as : Sulpicio Salle, landed 3rd; Roberto Llamera, 6th; Christopher Aduviso, 8th; and Joel Zubeldia, 9th place.
As the Graduate School continued its operation many deans took turns in its administration. From 1994 - 2000 it was headed by Dr. Manuela M. Magdamit, a retired DepEd ROV official. She was followed by Dr. Josefino A. Rito,from 2001 -2011. Dr. Rito was succeded by Dr. Epifanio B. Buela, a retired Schools Division Superintendent of Legazpi City and Catanduanes. He was succeeded by Dr. Victor M. Belgica from 2013 – 2017. Then Dr. Jean C. Dela Torre, CPA, a retired dean of DWCL and later dean in the Graduate School and College of Business Administration UST-Legazpi took over from 2017 – 2019. Then from 2019 to present the deanship is with Dr. Maria Luisa N. Gonzales.
More programs were added with the passing of the years: MS Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd), Bachelor in Secondary Education ( BSEd), Liberal Arts (AB), Business Administration, Computer Science, Nursing, Hospitality Management, Travel Management, Bachelor of Library Information Science, Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) in Criminology. Entrepreneurship and several short-term TESDA courses were also offered, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Security Management (BSISM), BS Midwifery.
Government Permit (No. 18), dated 5, June 2013, was issued for Accountancy, which is in popular demand. Atty. Wilfredo Busalla, CPA, was the dean.It was granted Government Recognition No. 16 s 2016.
Bicol College, Inc. has also been issued CHED Permit Nos. 001 and 002 to offer Special Review Programs in Education and Criminology. The Permit Numbers proved that ours is the first school in the Philippines to be issued CHED authority to conduct review classes in the two programs.
The institution is now well known as Bicol College, when the Board decided to drop the S on July 14, 1995. The change was made official with the approval of the amendment of the school’s Articles of Incorporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 6, 2006.
The history of Bicol College, Inc. has somewhat changed quite recently with the absorption of Juban Institution, in Tughan, Juban, Sorsogon, as its branch, effective December 5, 2012, by virtue of DepEd Order No. 11, s. 2011, dated February 4, 2011, signed by Bro. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, Secretary of Education.
Embracing the full implementation of the K to 12 Program or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 by Department of Education (DepEd), Bicol College, Inc. offered Senior High School Program in SY 2016-2017 with two tracts: Academic and Technical-Vocational Track: (a) Home Economics (Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Bartending NC II, Food and Beverages Service NC II, Housekeeping NC II and Caregiving (b) Information and Communication Technology (Computer Hardware Servicing). In the academic track, students can choose from the following strands: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), General Academic Strand (GAS) while the Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) Track, the field is along Home Economics. To make education more accessible to all, in SY 2018 -2019, the school offered free SHS through the Dep-Ed Voucher Program.
Plaques of recognition are awarded annually to Outstanding Bicol College, Inc. alumni who have made exemplary achievements in the respective fields, significant contributions to society and for their accomplishments that have brought credit and prestige to their Alma Mater.
Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship has been issued CHED permit with Government Recognition No. 04 series 2014. Bicol College, Inc. is a proud member of PACUCOA, Inc. with 13 accredited programs. PACUCOA is an accrediting organization that is governed by high standards of excellence, ISO Certified 9001-2008, a full member of International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), and an affiliate member a Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP). Bicol College, Inc. has received its award twice already as the “College with the fifth highest number of accredited programs in the country.” Needless to say, it is now seriously determined to put in Education and Bachelor of Elementary and Secondary Education and Bachelor of Science in Criminology place the primary requirements for Level III accreditations for some of its key programs.
In December 2022, the school received the Government Recognition of three (3) programs namely: Bachelor of Physical Education (BPED I-IV) GR No. 15 s 2022; Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECEd) GR No 16, s 2022, and Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BSM) GR No. 14 s. 2022, all effective AY 2022-2023
There are several private institutions in Albay which, no doubt, are also built along the same foundation as the old Albay Institute. Bicol College, Inc. which can proudly claim that it has pioneered education in Albay. In it are reposed the anguish, pains and sacrifices - and the glories, too – the beacons that light the trail for others to follow.
