Philippine Christian University - History

History

In 1945, American missionary Bishop Edwin F. Lee of the Methodist Episcopal Church envisioned a Christian college in Manila. On October 6, 1946, laymen of the Evangelical Association of the Philippines agreed to the establishment of the college. Their initial Board of Directors was composed of the UCCP Presbyterians: Atty. Mateo Occena, Dr. Emilio Javier, Mr. Gerardo Armonio, and the Methodists: Dr. Juan Nabong, Sr., and Dr. Mauro Baradi.

On January 11, 1947, the Articles of Incorporation was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The original name of the institution was Manila Union University; this was later changed to Philippine Christian College.

Dr. Roxy Lefforge, an American Methodist missionary, was the first executive dean.

Dr. Emilio Javier (1952–1958), an outstanding layman of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), was elected as the first president. Under his leadership the institution expanded the ecumenical efforts in education. The Union High School of Manila and Union Elementary School founded by the Presbyterian Church in 1919 and 1946 respectively became part of PCC in 1947. The college added a degree course in Nursing when the Mary Johnston School of Nursing, founded by the Methodist in 1907, affiliated with PCC in 1953.

Dr. Juan Nabong, Sr. (1958–1969), a United Methodist layman, was the second president. Under his Administration, a four-storey concrete building was constructed in 1960 beside the UTS building on Taft Avenue. A year later, a two-storey building for the elementary school was constructed in Vasquez Street, Malate. The Ellinwood College of Christian Education was merging with the Philippine Christian College in 1968 and its curricular programs integrated with the programs of the College of Education.

Dr. Lino Q. Arquiza (1969–1988), a UCCP educator, was the third president. Under him, the growth and expansion of PCC was steady and impressive. What was not impressive under his administration was that American Land was taken by PCU without any sort of compensation. It was made legal by President Marcos on May 24, 1974 issuing Presidential Decree Number 471. There was for many years a cold relationship with the U.S. Denominations that lost property particularly around Taft Avenue.

In 1976, PCC acquired its University status and Philippine Christian University. A highlight of the efforts at cooperation came during Dr. Arquiza’s term when the Union Theological Seminary and PCU merge in 1978. With the merger, the Philippine Christian Center for Learning (PCCL) was born.

The merger enabled PCU to expand its offerings in the 97-hectare UTS campus, 36 kilometers south of Manila.

With this move, Philippine Christian University and Union Theological Seminary, established an ecumenical relationship that is more expansive and more coordinated. Institutional cooperation extended to non-Protestant schools when in 1972, PCU and DLSU joined hands in a resource-sharing program. This move ushered in the formation of five-school Inter-Institutional Consortium (I-IC) in 1975 composed of De La Salle University, St. Scholastica’s College, St. Paul’s College of Manila, Philippine Normal College and Philippine Christian University. The Consortium enjoys the full support of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia.

In 1990, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. Carlito S. Puno (1990–2000), a United Methodist lay leader, as the fourth president of the university.

The year 2000 saw the election of the fifth president, Rev. Dr. Oscar S. Suarez of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

In 2006, Rev. Dr. Oscar Suarez was temporarily on leave because of alleged irregularities in finances at PCU. Temporary head was the former UCCP Southern Luzon Jurisdictional Bishop, the former General Secretary of the UCCP (1986–1994); and former Dean of the Silliman University Divinity School, Bishop Emeritus Erme R. Camba. Currently, PCU is under the Court appointed Management Committee