A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTHWESTERN VISAYAN COLLEGES

Nestled in the heart of Ati-Atihan town of Kalibo, the Northwestern Visayan Colleges,
after undergoing the ultimate test of time, has reached the height of its academic existence.
Upon celebrating the 50th year of its founding this institution adopted the theme “Golden Years
of Global Competition Thru Relevant Education” in consonance with the Philippine Centennial
celebration whose mission is propelled towards the attainment of global competitiveness.

On April 7, 1948, the NVC was established at the intersection of Plaridel St. (now G.
Pastrana St.) and 19 Martyrs St. with the avowed objective of training young men and women
along the lines of education in order to heed the call of the time for more graduates to tackle
the educational problem of the century. The founders’ task was to arm the youth with the
realms of learning which involved the education of the body, mind, and heart. Through quiet
and relentless efforts classes were opened with only 350 students in all levels occupying one
building which is presently the Administration Building.

What attracted many of the future educators was her being a non-sectarian institution
“conceived in freedom and dedicated to the ideals of freedom”. When the NVC was flexing her
legs after the initial and traditionally painful struggle with the difficulties of establishing for
herself a firm foundation, the Administrative was optimistic and the students themselves were
enthusiastic. She was a young institution budding like a plant that had just pushed up and
sprouted its first yellow-green leaves from the hard brown earth. Tender and delicate as she
was, she showed the promise of future blossom when many a school in the province rose to
college status only to close down in a short time when financial and other problems would not
permit their existence.

Three years later the Victorino Mapa Law College, a particularly daring venture of the
school was a floundering year. The students were extraordinarily active. Organizations –
intellectual and social came up here and there. A student supreme court was organized.
 The driving force that impelled the NVC to prepare the students for the future was very
effective and laudable. A few years after its opening there was an exploding student population
thus necessitating its transfer to a more spacious location. It was then that the Education
Building was erected. The Administrators, faculty members, and students alike experienced a
heightened sense of accomplishment and belonging with the opening of new courses such as
sanitary science, commerce, agriculture, arts, and sciences. In keeping with the needs of the
times non-degree and short-term courses and high school night classes for self-supporting
students were offered. To help out the needy and deserving students’ scholarships were made
available.

Amidst the many feverish activities, a group of pioneering scholars inspired perhaps to
perpetuate a beautiful picture in the NVC’s history of growth and to persevere from the
fickleness of time and memory of the scenes of memorable moments, the maiden issue of “The
Maroon” was launched a name adopted from the school’s official color.

In 1968 we share the same hope and the same reasons. A new and modern edifice, the
Commerce Building, located on an ideal site was completed. Thanks to the steady patronage of
the public and the loyalty of the studentry. If the NVC possessed the charisma to attract
thousands of students in a period of twenty years, it had to look hard to find enough
classrooms especially when the agriculture course was so much in demand due to the
government campaign for food production, so another building was put up to accommodate
the growing number of agriculture students.

At the start of the school year, 1980-81 the President of the college insinuated the
opening of a two-year associate in Criminology to help the community solve the general
malaise that afflicts society. In the same year, the DECS gave the go-signal for the opening of a
post-Graduate Course with a major in Educational Management.
 The NVC has always shown deep concern for the development and professional growth
of its faculty members because quality instructions and academic excellence depend on a large
measure of the capability of the teaching staff. So the faculty members are encouraged to
enroll in masters programs, attend seminar-workshop and massive upgrading sessions.

The NVC today is a picture of progress, a picture of an institution ever-growing, ever-

expanding, and ever-building itself. With its growth is the growth of its mission and the
educational upliftment of the youth. Its five decades of existence boasts of a record high in
enrolment. Its student population surpassed the 4000th mark. From its modest beginning with
the only old Administration Building as its standard bearer, the college has grown into a
complex educational institution with four sprawling structures: the newly constructed High
School Building adjacent to the Computer Center, the Educational Building, the Commerce, and
the Criminology Buildings at the Capitol Site which houses the Post Graduate Studies. Finally,
we have for this year’s main event, the inauguration, and blessing of a modern 3-story RSQ
Memorial Building which will be born the impressive and symbolic NVC Alumni Hall on the third
floor, a well-equipped auditorium on the ground floor and a fully air-conditioned Computer
Center with complete library holding and laboratory facilities.

SCHOOL PLANT

From a modest beginning with only the old NVC Administration Building as the flagship
tower at the heart of the capital town of Kalibo, the college has grown into a complex
educational institution with four sprawling edifices: the newly constructed High School Main
Building adjacent to the Computer Center, the NVC Educational Building which is a few blocks,
away, the Commerce and Criminology Building at the Capitol Site which houses the Post
Graduate Studies.
 The Faculty Development Program is in full swing at the Distance Education Program of
UP Visayas, an Open University.

We got 100% passers in the National Elementary Assessment Test or NEAT and 94% in
the NSAT.

In school facilities, the ongoing computerization is quite noticeable. The procurement of

several computer units, gross increase in library holdings and laboratory facilities, more
typewriters, and above all the proposed project of ventilating all classrooms conducive to fast
learning are also worth mentioning.

The NVC has maintained linkages with Seoul Korea particularly with the University of
Chung-Ang for about 2 years now Korean professors and students teach NVCnians the art of
Korean Cuisine, Taekwondo, Dancing, Computer, and the Korean Language.

Our PAG or Performing Arts Guild has lured many students gifted with dramatic ability
and dancing skills, especially in ballroom dancing. ASQ Scholar and other Scholarship Grants ‘n
Aid numbered more than 1,500 at all levels.

A glance at the roster of Teaching and non-Teaching staff sums up to 150.

The challenge facing its leaders, faculty, employees, students, and alumni is the
continuing commitment and service to the youth, with its objectives, the goal of quality
education and academic excellence, NVC proposes to address this challenge through its NVC
plan 2005, a deliberately expensive plan.

As the NVC draws high to its 50th year or GOLDEN FOUNDATION ANNIVERSARY, come
February 1998, your alma mater through the NVC Alumni Association trumpets a call for
concerted efforts of translating this vision into reality, of sharing perceptions and working for a
more progressive and greater NVC. Because of the void left by the founder of the college, this
year will be different from all the past years, but with our ever-loyal and devoted alumni who
will step into his shoes, Judge Rustico S. Quimpo’s dream, our dream, of outing up an Alumni
Hall will be a vision come true.