De La Salle Lipa

De La Salle Lipa, or DLSL is a Lasallian educational instution located in Lipa City, Batangas, the Philippines. It is the latest of the third generation of La Salle schools founded by the De La Salle Brothers in the country: La Salle Academy-Iligan (Iligan City, Lanao del Norte) in 1958, La Salle Green Hills (Mandaluyong) in 1959, Saint Joseph School-La Salle (Villamonte, Bacolod City) in 1960 and lastly, De La Salle Lipa in 1962.

History
First established as La Salle High School, it first operated as the Boys’ Department of the Maryknoll Sisters’ Our Lady of the Rosary Academy (OLRA), since the Maryknoll nuns were phasing out the Academy's Boys' Department. During this first year, 221 students were admitted into DLSL. The school was built on a 59,000 square metre lot along the National Highway. Construction of three one-storey wings of classrooms, a gymnasium-auditorium and the Brothers’ House began in January 1962.

In 1963, the school obtained a provisional permit to operate as a La Salle High School. On September 22, the school's first principal, Br. Henry Virgil FSC died of a heart attack. Br. Hugh Damian was appointed as Br. Virgil's successor and held the post until 1965. In 1966, the school population more than doubled during its fourth year of operations, necessitating the construction of the two-storey St. Joseph’s Hall during the administration of Br. Frederick Martin (later known as Br. Raymond Bronowicz) in 1967.

The Maryknoll nuns continued to send their boys into La Salle until the end of the 1960s, when a large percentage of students began to come from the various private and public elementary schools around Lipa City. To better prepare students for high school, the school began accepting elementary students in 1967, with Br. Vernon Mabile FSC as the first Principal.

Girls were admitted into the school in schoolyear 1974-75 under Br. Emiliano Hudtohan FSC, however, the girls were limited to the first- and second-year high school levels only.

During the term of Br. Antonio Narciso FSC, the school's incorporation papers and by-laws were amended; the school was then registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as De La Salle Lipa, Inc.

Up until the 1980s the school would undergo numerous changes, which included the construction of the Immaculate Conception Hall, enrollment reaching 1,200, the high school attaining PAASCU accreditation, and the establishment of a functional Board of Trustees, the Campus Ministry Office, the Religious Education Center, and the Educational Technology Center.

In schoolyear 1985-86, the College Department was formally opened, with Ms. Elsie Rabago as officer-in-charge. Ms. Norma Blanco was appointed the school's first lay high school principal in 1989. Because of the burgeoning school population, a resident President was appointed, Br. Narciso Erquiza FSC.

On May 15, 1995, Br. Rafael Donato FSC, former President of De La Salle University, assumed the presidency of De La Salle Lipa. Under Donato, the school constructed the SENTRUM, the Sen. Jose Diokno Building, the Chez Avenir Hotel, the St. La Salle Building and Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo Clusters of the Jose Rizal Building and the Centennial Sports Plaza.

He also spearheaded the integration of the elementary and secondary schools into what is now known as the Integrated School, and established the Home Learning Department for children aged 1½ to 4 years to make Lasallian education available to students of a younger age group.

Donato retired in 2003 and was conferred the title President Emeritus by the school in special ceremonies held at the auditorium of the Sen. Jose Diokno Building.

Degree programs in Accountancy, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Elementary and Secondary Education, Economics, Nursing, Tourism, Mathematics and Engineering were also offered, with pending applications at the Commission on Higher Education for more relevant degree programs.

In 1996, the school opened a graduate school, offering a Master in Management Technology. In 1997, the school became the first educational institution in Batangas to go online, with its web site launched in the same year.

A year later, DLSL became one of the first schools around the world to launch an alumni registry web site. Called Umpokan, the web site has become fully interactive and is an online meeting place for graduates of the school.

In 2002, Mr. Juan Lozano was appointed the school's first Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. In 2003, Br. Rafael Donato retired from active service and was named President Emeritus. Br. Manuel Pajarillo of the south FSC was then appointed President.

The school changed its organizational structure in 2005. With Pajarillo still the school's President, Lozano was elevated to the position of Executive Vice-President. Mr. Rex Torrecampo was, meanwhile, appointed as the first Vice-President for Administration. The following year, Dr. Corazon Abansi became the school's first Vice-President for Academics and Research.

In 2006, the school's corporation papers were amended to officially make it part of an umbrella corporation, De La Salle Philippines, which was formed to see to it that the operation of De La Salle schools are in line with the mission of the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines.

In May of 2007, in keeping with the standards set by De La Salle Philippines, the Executive Vice-President became known as the Chancellor, while the two Vice-Presidents became known as Vice-Chancellors. While in schoolyear 2006-2007, Pajarillo was president of three De La Salle schools (Lipa, Dasmariñas and the Health Sciences College), in 2007 he was President solely of De La Salle Lipa.

Campus
The De La Salle Lipa campus sits on a 10-hectare lot next to the J.P. Laurel Japan-Philippine Friendship highway, just on the outskirts of Lipa City. It is 5 minutes away by car from the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), which links the city to the Southern Luzon Express Way (SLEX).

The port city of Batangas is 30 minutes away by car. Tanauan, the province of Batangas’ other city, is 10 minutes away via STAR.

The high school of the ever famous Franco Oliver Dalag.

Entering the main access gate at the front of campus, visitors drive into well-paved concrete roads with parking facilities for more than 200 vehicles. The SENTRUM is the first major structure seen, a multi-purpose building which has been the venue of pop concerts, professional basketball games, corporate assemblies and religious gatherings.

In front of the SENTRUM is a well-kept garden that has a stone sculpture of the founder, St. John Baptist de la Salle.

Just a stone’s throw away are the Chez Avenir, a laboratory hotel for BS Hotel & Restaurant Management majors, and the Sen. Jose Diokno Building, which holds the College’s Learning Resource Center and the offices of top administration.

There are two unofficial divisions to the campus: the Integrated School side and the college side, although students are not restricted from crossing to either side. In the Integrated School side, the most recognizable structure is the St. La Salle Building, which is made up of several clusters just in front of the highway.

The main cluster that offers the main access gate for Integrated School students is called the Hall of Lasallian Saints. The hall offers access to the building’s classrooms as well as to the historic Br. Henry Virgil Memorial Gymnasium.

The other main structures for Integrated School students are the St. Benilde, St. Mutien Marie Building and Br. Gregory Refuerzo Buildings. The Learning Resource Center is located inside the Br. Vernon Mabile Building.

College students hold classes in the western half of the campus. The main structures in this side are the Claro M. Recto, Jose Rizal and Apolinario Mabini Buildings.

Also in the College side of the campus is the Gregorio Zara Building, informally known as the I.T. Domain Building, which holds the school’s Network Operations Center as well as three computer laboratories.

Beside the Zara Building is a gate and an access road that leads to the De La Salle Brothers’ Novitiate.

Basic Education

 * Home Learning Department (ages 2½ to 4)
 * Kindergarten (ages 4 to 5)
 * Prep (ages 5 to 6)
 * Primary Learning Community (Levels I to III)
 * Junior Learning Community (Levels IV to VII)
 * Senior Learning Community (Levels VIII to X)
 * St. Br. Jaime Hilario Learning Community

College Degree Programs

 * AB in Communication
 * BS in Accountancy
 * BS in Biology
 * BS in Commerce
 * BS in Computer Engineering
 * BS in Computer Science
 * BS in Economics
 * BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering
 * BS in Electrical Engineering
 * BS in Elementary Education
 * BS in Entrepreneurship
 * BS in Financial Management
 * BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management
 * BS in Industrial Engineering
 * BS in Legal Management
 * BS in Marketing Management
 * BS in Management Technology
 * BS in Mathematics
 * BS in Nursing
 * BS in Psychology
 * BS in Secondary Education
 * BS in Tourism

Graduate Degree Programs

 * Master in Management Technology
 * Short Intensive Management Seminars

Certificate Programs

 * Certificate in Entrepreneurship
 * Certificate in Hotel and Restaurant Management
 * Certificate in Information Technology
 * Certificate in Culinary Arts
 * Certificate in Medical Transcription

Academic Division
Integrated School College
 * Primary Learning Community
 * Junior Learning Community
 * Senior Learning Community
 * College of Business, Economics, Accountancy & Management (CBEAM)
 * College of Education, Arts & Sciences (CEAS)
 * College of Information Technology & Engineering (CITE)
 * College of Nursing
 * Student Services

Administrative Division

 * General Services
 * Information Technology
 * Marketing Communications
 * Financial Resource Development
 * Human Resource Development
 * Central Purchasing Department

Offices Under the OP and the OEVP
Office of the President
 * Presidential Management Office

Office of the Executive Vice-President
 * Lasallian Ministries
 * Sports & Culture

Institutional

 * The President's Report (Annual)
 * The Ala (Salle) Eh! (Quarterly)
 * SADYÂ (Twice Monthly)

Integrated School

 * Bulik (Integrated School Broad Sheet)
 * Bulik Literary Folio (Student Magazine)
 * Bakas (Student Newsletter)
 * Kamalig (Student Newsletter)

College

 * LAVOXA (Student Broadsheet & Tabloid)
 * Umalohokan (Student Newsletter)
 * L Magazine (Student Magazine)
 * Utak Berde (Student Literary Magazine)
 * Talas (Faculty Journal)
 * MMT Link (Graduate School Journal)
 * Etudes (Research Office Newsletter)
 * Infobits (Guidance Newsletter)
 * Parents’ Bulletin (Guidance Newsletter)
 * Educator’s Link (Guidance Newsletter)