Republic of the Philippines - Stamps & Postal History

 

RP Issues of 2012

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2012, March 21.  St. Agnes Academy of Legazpi City - Centennial

Litho Offset.  Amstar Company, Inc.  Perf 14

Se-tenant Blocks of 4, Sheets of 40 (4 x 10)

           

 

Se-tenant Blocks of Four  (50,000)

   7p  Artistic View of St. Agnes Main Building Façade

   7p  Façade of St. Agnes Main Building World War II Ruin

   7p  Façade of St. Agnes Main Building in Graphic Rendition

   7p  Front View of St. Agnes Main Building

 

Designer: St. Agnes Academy Centennial Committee

Layout Artist: Victorino Z. Serevo

Design Coordinator:  Ma. Theresa S. Ras

 

First Day Covers:  Manila & Legazpi City

 

  


ST. AGNES ACADEMY OF LEGAZPI CITY CENTENNIAL

St. Agnes Academy was founded in 1912, formerly known as Academia de Sta. Ines. It is the oldest Catholic School in the province of Albay, Bicol, Philippines.

In 1912, Rev. Fr. Juan J. Calleja, then parish priest saw the great need of a Catholic School in Albay. He presented an appeal with the help of Msgr. J.B. Macginley, D.D. Bishop of Diocese of Nueva Caceres before the Apostolic Delegate Msgr. Etheus. On May 30, 1912, Srs. Ferdinanda, Alexia and Edilburgis came to Legazpi City, in response to the call. Thus St. Agnes Academy was born on July 1, 1912 with 47 enrollees in the parish’s old parochial convent.

The Academy struggled with a lot of forces that threatened her existence. There are strong typhoons that destroyed the physical structure of the school. In 1928 the Mayon Volcano erupted and World War II claimed the lives of the three pioneering Benedictine Sisters – Mother Clodesindis, Sister Edilburgis and Sr. Gertrude, an oblate.

The sister’s determination to educate the young Bicolanos succeeded and survived the turbulent years. St. Agnes Academy grew with a stronger spirit and indomitable courage, despite the trials and difficulties that occurred. A free school was opened for the poor. In the early 1940’s, Vocational courses where incorporated with the academics. On January 1974, accreditation was granted to Grade School Department by Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), the first in the Bicol region and the fifth in the country to be accredited. In March 1983, the High School was accredited, the second school to be accredited in Legazpi City. Bursting with new life, on that same year, the High School became co-educational, primarily, to provide a more integrated education to the young.  Since then, there was a gradual increased of enrollment. This necessitated rearrangement and improvement of existing facilities.

Adapting with the changes of modern society, St. Agnes Academy found it necessary to become involved in a wider program of activities. The school tried to reach out to the poor through its socio-pastoral apostolate to give maximum service to its students and to the larger community as a whole. The Agnesian family involved themselves in many different activities. Ecological drives, medical and dental missions, catechetical instructions and community workshops formed part of the school’s effort to keep in touch with present day realities.

In 2006, the school encountered another difficulty. While preparing for the PAASCU re-accreditation, Mayon Volcano erupted and typhoon Milenyo and Reming hit the country that damaged the schools infrastructure and all its preparation that bought it to its knees. The morale of the school community remained strong and the spirit of volunteerism and cooperation helped them to bounce back with a new start.

Since then, the school continued its facilities improvement. They intensified and restructured its Social Involvement Program. Parish and diocesan linkages were strengthened and program thrusts and services were refined.

The centennial celebration was launched in school year 2011-2012 to honor a century of Catholic Benedictine in Albay.

Today, after the debris of typhoons, ashes of eruption and devastation of war, St. Agnes Academy continues to soar high and stands proud of her achievements. As another century unfolds, she continues to commit herself to the struggle for justice, peace, preservation of the environment, children and women’s rights, moral regeneration and social transformation. All these for God’s honor and glory. Dios Mabalos, Dios Mapadagos. 


 

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Articles by Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak

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Issues of 2012