Central Mindanao Colleges
September  2006

For better education and enlightened citizenship

The CENTRAL MINDANAO COLLEGES (CMC) was conceived in the heart of the resistance movement during World War II. Datu Udtog Matalam, then the Battalion Commander of a guerilla unit with headquarters in M’lang, Kidapawan, Cotabato, proposed the idea of putting up a school to Esperanza Sabulao, who was then engaged in social work among guerilla personnel and soldiers in the community. He promised that if he would survive, he would pursue the idea.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

The war ended sparing not only the life of the Datu but also that of his family and many friends. True to his word, right after the Liberation, he invited prominent and educationally minded people and together, with whatever resources they had, founded CMC. The papers of Incorporation were prepared and submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with Datu Matalam as the interim chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT). Members were Atty. Buenaventura Sabulao, Cerilo Ebol, Fidel Verora and Luis Madrid. Esperanza Sabulao was appointed as directress and Lorenzo Saniel as treasurer.

In its early years operation, CMC, with permission from the local government of Kidapawan, occupied two abandoned Japanese headquarters building on the lot of Arsenio Sibug situated at crossing Manga, Brgy. Lanao, Kidapawan, North Cotabato.

The Central Mindanao Colleges along Osmeña Drive, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. During the interim period in the summer of 1946, the CMC opened its doors offering the Elementary Teachers Certificate (ETC), High School and Elementary Education and Short–term Vocational Courses. The school started with 11 faculty members composed of High School principal Fidel Verora, English teacher Aurora Corpuz, History and Language teacher Maria Mijares, Math and Science teachers Lilia Galang, and General Science and Physical Education teacher Filomena Roldan. In the Elementary Department, Grade VI teacher Godofredo Icawalo, Grade V teacher Janiva Flores, Grades I and II teacher Esperanza Cabales, and Grades III and IV teacher Asteria Salanga took charge. In the Short-term courses, the teachers are Fashion and Arts department head Candelaria Lachica and Secretarial department dead Cesar Mijares.

On July 3, 1947, the CMC was duly registered with the SEC with Registry No. 2974.

In 1949, CMC held its first graduation, with seven proud students conferred with diplomas in ETC and 37 with High School diploma. The following year, there were 23 graduates in High School.

With the increasing number of enrolment in 1954, the founders decided to look for a bigger site in the town proper where the present school now stands – along Osmeña Drive in Kidapawan City, fronting the city plaza. CMC has occupied a 46,000–square–meter land area.

With the school founders’ desire to be a part in educating and developing the youth into genuinely useful citizens, many courses/programs were opened.

In 1955, High School and Elementary levels were duly recognized with government recognition no.285, which served as the laboratory of the ETC course. In 1956, the Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education and Elementary Education were granted government recognition.

Pursuing its desire for excellence in tertiary education, Liberal Arts was opened in 1961, followed by the B.S. in Commerce. A few years later, the Bachelor of Laws was also opened.

In 1970, the Graduate School was established, offering Master of Arts in Education, which provided teachers the opportunities to raise their field of expertise to the highest standards. Two years after, the school offered a two-year course in Criminology, then to B.S. in Criminology in 1972. A few years later, Kindergarten was opened. In 1974, the B.S. in Civil Engineering had its first class. In 1977, the school became a member of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU). In 1996, the Master in Business Administration was granted government recognition.

For 59 years of touching lives, the school has produced a significant number of graduates in the tertiary education, majority of which have been employed in their chosen field.

PRESENT TIMES

The Central Mindanao Colleges is a stock corporation, co-educational and non-sectarian educational institution that offers Elementary, Secondary and Tertiary levels of education. Faced with challenges, the CMC continues to shine through the test of time with its vision "for better education and enlightened citizenship". The institution is committed to provide the citizenry relevant and holistic education built on experience and openness through excellent training, researches, skills and community services for optimum level of competency and leadership towards national development. It is the school’s goal to produce graduates who are intelligent, resourceful, productive and responsive to the needs of the community.

To make sure that the institution is providing quality education and producing competent graduates, CMC has been working for its accreditation for the Teacher Education Program.

For students to be well-trained in their different fields, the institution provides for Elementary, Secondary, Tertiary and Graduate School Libraries; General Science/Biology, Physics and Chemistry Laboratories; a Computer Laboratory with advanced models capable of new version in Windows with Internet; a Speech Laboratory; a Criminology Laboratory; an Engineering Laboratory (materials testing laboratory, soil mechanics laboratory and hydraulics laboratory); an Audio-Visual Hall with the necessary equipment; a power generator; and a water system. At present, the school is undergoing the stage construction.

To accommodate its sports and recreational activities, the campus has a spacious quadrangle for Basketball, Volleyball and other sport games, as well as a functional stage. A two-hectare lot for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), for driving area and athletic events (Intramurals) and Boy Scout Camporal.

College of Education

The Teacher Education Course was strengthened when BSSEd and BSEEd received government recognition in 1956 and 1966, respectively. It is the objective of the program to equip future teachers with positive values, knowledge, skills and training that will employ the best methods and strategies in their different fields of specialization to enhance teaching-learning process. It has maintained its good performance in the Licensure Examination for Teachers and in the employment of its graduates dominating in the public and private schools not only in North Cotabato, but also throughout the country. At present the College of Education has a total of 10 competent faculty members handling professional education subjects, three of whom hold Doctorate degree; four, Master of Arts in Education holders; and three, undergraduate degree holders.

School for Graduate Education

With the inspiration of the college to see their qualified graduates handling juicy positions in the different schools, the M.A. in Education was recognized in 1970. This program is designed to develop a research culture among teachers who can do scholarly activities related to production of new knowledge and to develop critical and independent inquiry for the advancement of knowledge observing the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

The department offers M.A. in Education with majors in Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counseling, English, Filipino, and Mathematics. In 1996, the MBA program was opened with government recognition no. 0002.

College of Criminology

The opening of the College of Criminology in 1972 has made the school prepare students for careers in Professional Law enforcement, scientific crime detection and crime prevention. It also aims to develop within the students an understanding of the constitutional guarantees and due process of law insofar as administration of justice is concerned.

Most faculty members of the college assigned to handle the major criminology subjects are registered criminologists.

The productive performance of the department has allowed its graduates to be employed as men and women in uniform holding different positions in the Philippine Army, Philippine Marines, Philippine Navy and Philippine National Police.

At present, the College of Criminology has linked with the Maritime Industry through its program for Sea Marshals who provide extensive training for the protection of passengers, crew, goods, the vessel, the port of call and home-port facilities. The program has helped its graduates become Sea Marshals in the inter-island and eventually overseas vessels.

Engineering, Liberal Arts, and Commerce Departments

The College of Civil Engineering aims to give the graduate a balanced education in the specialized areas of Construction, Environmental, Geotechnical, Structural and Water Resources, as well as in the social sciences and humanities – a recognition that technical solutions in civil engineering problems must often consider the socio-economic, legal, political and environmental aspects. Numerous graduates of the department are now employed in the different private and public agencies throughout the country and even abroad.

The Liberal Arts Department aims to develop the student’s understanding of the accumulated knowledge of mankind and develop his values to enable him to cope with the manifold problems facing man in a constantly changing world, and to develop fully his potential as a humane person and responsible member of the world community. The department offers majors in English, Filipino, History, General Science, Mathematics, Political Science and Economics.

The Commerce Department was opened in 1962. The program is designed to produce graduates who can enter the job market in business and industrial firms, banking and finance; marketing and advertising. The school is proud to see its graduates in the different government and private firms.

Student Development

CMC is popular on its cultural and social presentations. The formation of the Dawan Dance Troupe led to the school taking pride as the organization has been awarded in the "Hall of Fame" of the street dancing competitions and other cultural presentations in the Kidapawan City and Cotabato Province. The troupe has also performed in different significant events in North Cotabato, even in national events.

In 1997, the CMC reached its 50th year Corporate Life. Upon petition of the BoT and stockholders, SEC has extended another 50 years of corporate life of the school with Dr. Cesar Sabulao as the school president.

At present, the school has a total of nine kind-hearted administrators, 41 brilliant teachers, 27 proficient non-teaching staff and 33 highly qualified part-time instructors in the different disciplines.

In the school’s five year-projection for 2006-2010, CMC has laid its goals to establish standards of excellence and competitiveness among faculty/staff and students through a comprehensive faculty and student development program and support activities; make a comprehensive physical development master plan; strengthen linkages with the stakeholders and alumni overseas for a possibility of faculty/student exchange programs; and conduct teambuilding activities for the faculty and community as partners in strengthening its educational programs and services.

CMC radiates with numerous profiles of achievement and excellence in different levels of learning. For 59 years, CMC has proven the worth to be an institution of better education. The sound foundation not only in the academic equipment, but in moral, physical, social and other helpful developments imparted by our beloved Alma Mater has made its constituents shining examples to others.

Every life touched by the Central Mindanao Colleges is cultured with good virtues and noble principles, thus, embedded in their hearts and minds the lines, CMC Dear…onward, upward we go! (Dr. Bea D. Gosadan)

Onward and upward we go!

From its humble beginnings, there was intense and passionate zeal to educate the youth… and until now, the Central Mindanao Colleges continues to serve its stakeholders and most especially – the reason for its existence – to keep on touching lives.

Our vision "For better education and enlightened citizenship", which we have instilled in our hearts and minds, is the very reason why CMC stays to shine through the test of time.

For six decades and onward, we keep the community informed, educated and service-oriented, adhering to what Dr. Jose Rizal said, "Education is the greatest weapon of our national strength."

We keep our institution abreast with information technology, by providing our learners with computer laboratories, Internet services and advanced crime laboratory and engineering equipment.

Bringing quality education to its learners, CMC has produced a significant number of graduates employed in the different government and non-government agencies not just in Central Mindanao, but all throughout the country and even abroad.

Like our vision, which we have engraved in our hearts and minds, we take seriously the CMC spirit through our partnership with the community that touches the lives of every citizen and is committed to better education.

We welcome our clients warmly and with open hearts, treat them with love, care and concern and that is simply "the way we are". We make our learners knowledgeable, skilled and value-oriented in all their actions and decisions.

We care for the community and the environment; thus, the CMC family actively involves itself in different civic and government programs for the environment.

We promote co-curricular activities and we perform them excellently such as dance troupe, college choir, clubs, journalism and athletic competitions. We have received various awards and recognition in these activities in inter-school competitions and in the regional and national levels.

We are a child-friendly institution with kind-hearted administrators, faculty and staff. We serve the community through our internship programs with friendly student teachers, police interns, marketing, management and engineering trainees.

The Central Mindanao Colleges is moving upward to be the leading institution in Central Mindanao in the field of education, commerce, criminology, liberal arts and engineering. This is a vision we are working now – a legacy which we are proud of to leave for today’s generation and for the future generation. (The author is the head of publication of the Central Mindanao Colleges)

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

 
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