Colegio San Agustin-Makati
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| Motto | Virtus et Scientia (Virtue and Science) |
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| Established | 1969 |
| Type | Augustinian/Roman Catholic |
| Rector | Fr. Horacio R. Rodriguez, OSA |
| Principal | Dr. Cecilia P. Lacson (Pre-School) Fr. Horacio R. Rodriguez, OSA (Grade School) Fr. Julian C. Mazana, OSA (High School) |
| Location | Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Campus | Urban (10 hectares) |
| Sports | Athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, golf, karate, rock climbing, soccer, softball, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball |
| Colors | Red and gold |
| Mascot | Golden Eagle |
| Website | www.colegiosanagustin.edu.ph |
- For other schools/colleges of the same name, see Colegio San Agustin (disambiguation).
Colegio San Agustin-Makati (abbreviated as CSA and called CSA-Makati when distinguishing between other schools of the same name) is a private, co-educational Catholic school conducted by the Augustinian order. It is located on Palm Avenue, Dasmariñas Village, Makati City, Philippines. While it is not the oldest Augustinian school in the Philippines named Colegio San Agustin (that honor going to Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod), it is the most prominent[citation needed] of the three schools bearing the same name. Like its namesake schools, the students of CSA-Makati are called Augustinians (Filipino: Agustino).
The school is one of the most diverse in the Philippines in terms of nationality, with 11% of the entire student population coming from as many as 41 different countries.[1]
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[edit] History
Colegio San Agustin in name was established in 1968 by the Augustinian Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines. On September 1, 1968, then-Auxiliary Bishop Bienvenido Lopez of the Archdiocese of Manila blessed the cornerstone of what would be the first CSA building. Construction would last for ten months until June 7, 1969, when the school opened its doors to its first batch of students, numbering 652, for both the Grade School and High School. Its first two buildings, the Administration Building and the present-day Grade School Building, were blessed by Rufino J. Cardinal Santos on August 28, 1969.[2] At that time, two priests and twenty-four female teachers ran the fledgling school.[2]
According to Mrs. Corazon S. Reyes, one of the first and longest-serving teachers in CSA (but not one of the original twenty-four teachers), the students that formed the High School student population when it first opened were largely of Spanish or mestizo descent and were largely drop-outs from other schools. She also said that many of her students then, like their batchmates, did not know how to speak or spoke little Filipino.
Rapid expansion of the student population also caused the school's expansion. The bullring-shaped Pre-School Building was completed in 1972, followed by the Chapel, Phase I of the present-day covered courts, Phase II of the Grade School Building and the Grade School Canteen in 1973, and the Sports Complex in 1974.[2] In 1976, the school accepted a donation of two hectares of land from the Ayala Corporation, in addition to the eight hectares purchased from the same.[2]
As the student population continued to grow, further expansion was needed, starting with the completion of the High School Building in 1977.[2] Other expansions and additions include those of the Theatre in 1980, the High School Annex and Phase II of the covered courts in 1985, the Grade School Building's southeast wing in 1986, the Polysport complex, Cafetorium and Lounging Shed (now St. Monica Hall) in 1987, the renovated Administration Building (since renamed Urdaneta Hall) and Pre-School Buildings in 1992, the renovation of the High School Science laboratories in 1997, and the Grade School Annex in 1998. Air conditioning was introduced in the 1990s for administrative offices and function rooms, and in 2003 for classrooms in all departments. The latest renovation was when the Theatre was demolished and rebuilt in 2005 and 2006.[2]
Policy and curriculum changes also became evident during the last ten years of the school. Student possession of mobile phones, for example, were banned outright since the late 1990s, but has since been relaxed for High School students since the early 2000s. The school's English Campaign, which started between 2000 and 2002, was later intensifed, and the use of English in CSA today is highly encouraged among the community. Because of its accreditation by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, or PAASCU, the transition from the Filipino-language HEKASI (short for Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika, Filipino for geography, history and civics) and Araling Panlipunan (English: Social Studies) to the English-language Social Studies was made, first in the High School, then in the Grade School.
[edit] School symbols
[edit] Patron saint
Colegio San Agustin is named in honor of the fourth-century saint, St. Augustine of Hippo. The Spanish Augustinians were the first Christian religious order to enter the Philippines and begin its conversion to Catholicism. Augustine was a key figure in the doctrinal development of Western Christianity and is often referred to as a "Doctor of the Church" by Roman Catholics. Two of his surviving works, namely "The Confessions" (his autobiography) and "The City of God", are regarded as Western Classics and are still read by Christians around the world. Augustine is often considered to be one of the theological fountainheads of Reformation, because of his teaching on salvation and grace; Martin Luther himself also having been an Augustinian friar. Augustine was not a Biblical fundamentalist.
[edit] School vision, mission and thrust
[edit] Vision
The current vision of Colegio San Agustin-Makati is A Christian community committed to the building-up of the City of God.[2] In the past, the vision also included the formation of Christian leaders, something since incorporated instead in the school mission.
[edit] Mission
The current mission of Colegio San Agustin-Makati is as follows:
- Colegio San Agustin seeks to fulfill the mission of the Church by providing Christian education to the youth of the Philippines through well-balanced curricular offerings, development of moral and social virtues, promotion of health and cultural programs and fostering of civic and patriotic attitudes.[2]
The vision is designed so that it leads to the relization of the mission. Because of that, the school seeks to complete its mission through the following goals:[3]
- To provide a cohesive atmosphere for Christian education and the achievement of Catholic ideals without prejudicing those of other religions, being a Catholic school
- To foster love and patriotism and encourage awareness of national identity among Filipinos and the Filipino nation while permitting interaction between members of other races, ethnic groups and nationalities, being a Filipino school
- To foster a sense of community among the different sectors of the school community in line with the Augustinian theme, "To live in harmony, having but one mind and one heart intent upon God", being an Augustinian school
- To promote a free atmosphere and proper behavior among members of both sexes, being a co-educational school
- To render service to the poor and marginalized in society through the means of outreach programs and extension service, being a service-oriented school
[edit] Thrust
The CSA-Makati thrust for school year 2006-2007 is A renewed Christian community of friends committed to the service of the Church through the promotion of justice and peace, fraternal communion and simple living.[4] Unlike the vision and mission, the school thrust changes every year.
[edit] Facilities
[edit] Athletic facilities
CSA has three main athletic facilities: the Cassisiacum Sports Complex, the CSA Polysport Complex and the fields.
[edit] Cassisiacum Sports Complex
The Cassisiacum Sports Complex consists of a gymnasium for athletic and cultural programs, which for a short time was used as a replacement for the Theatre when it was under renovation. The complex also contains badminton and squash courts, a rock climbing center, a swimming pool, a bodybuilding center, two open and two covered tennis courts, taekwondo, karate and martial arts rooms, a canteen, and an aerobics room.[2]
[edit] CSA Polysport Complex
The CSA Polysport Complex is dominated by the six Covered Courts, two for each department. While they primarily serve as basketball courts, they can also be modified to become volleyball courts as well. Physical education classes are usually held in the Covered Courts, and there are stages for various presentations. The offices of the Athletics Department are within the Polysport Complex.[2]
[edit] Fields
There are two fields in CSA: one primarily for soccer and one primarily for baseball and softball. The soccer field is also used by the Aerospace Cadets of the Philippines. Beside the soccer field is the Grandstand.[2]
[edit] Educational facilities
CSA has three educational buildings: the Pre-School Building, the Grade School Building and the High School Building. However, there are common facilities to all the buildings: classrooms, libraries, computer laboratories, the Guidance Center and, for the High School, the Audio-Visual Room and science laboratories
[edit] Classrooms
The typical CSA classroom is air-conditioned, has a blackboard and contains around 20-45 desks, depending on the year level, for the use of students. In the High School, there is also a platform for teachers to stand on. There are also bulletin boards inside classrooms, as well as a clock, a crucifix and pictures of Saints Augustine and Monica.
[edit] Laboratories
The High School as four science laboratories, each with its own function. There are laboratories for physical science, biology, chemistry and physics. The Chemistry Laboratory is under renovation.
There are also computer laboratories in each department, one in the Pre-School, three in the Grade School and four in the High School. They are used for general computer classes.
[edit] Libraries
CSA has three libraries, one for each department. The largest of these libraries is the Grade School Library, and all are air-conditioned. All libraries contain reference, Filipiniana, Augustiniana (works by St. Augustine), fiction and non-fiction sections. In the Grade School and High School, there is a "Teacher's Corner" for the exclusive use of teachers, containing textbooks and textbook manuals, as well as teacher references. There are also small "computer corners" in each Library.
All the libraries are open until 4:00 pm PST (UTC+8).
[edit] Cafetorium
The Cafetorium or Integrated Canteen is located above the Covered Courts and has 23 stalls reaching from end to end, which offer various foods and other meals in a fast-food like fashion.[2] There are eight entrances to the Cafetorium: two from the High School Building, two from the Grade School Building, two from the Covered Courts and one for each school bus terminal. It has a seating capacity of 2,186 and is reported to be the longest cafeteria in the Philippines.
[edit] Chapel
San Agustin Chapel (Spanish: Capilla de San Agustin) is where all year-level, organizational and sectoral Masses are heard.[2] Its size can handle around 400-500 persons, which is the size of an average year level. Due to its small size, departmental and institutional Masses are heard at their respective Covered Court or, in the case of institutional Masses, the Grade School Covered Court.
San Agustin Chapel offers Sunday Masses in English and Filipino, as well as a Spanish-language Anticipated Mass.
[edit] San Agustin Theatre
The San Agustin Theatre, also known as St. Ambrose Hall, was inaugurated in 1980 by Fr. Horacio R. Rodriguez, the current Rector.[2] The Theatre then had a seating capacity of 1,000 persons and was quite modern for its time. However, by the late 1990s and even the early 2000s, while the exterior was decent in its appearance, students and staff often complained of the dilapidated interior. It is because of that the Theatre was renovated starting in 2005, finally being completed and inaugurated in mid-to-late 2006. The only remaining original structure of the Theatre is the mosaic that is visible from the entrance to the Theatre. The Theatre's capacity was also expanded to 1,100, and according to some, its quality now is comparable to the theaters at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
To avoid a repetition of the rapid deterioration of the Theatre's quality in the past, students are always asked to inspect their chairs before and after a program, and no writing materials, food, drinks or anything that can leave marks or stains are allowed inside the Theatre.
[edit] Urdaneta Hall
Urdaneta Hall, also known as the Administration Building, is the location of all CSA-wide offices, including the office of the Rector, Vice-Rector and all other offices which have an impact on all school functions. The CSA Accounting and Registrar's Offices are located on the ground floor. There are bathrooms inside the Accounting and Registrar's Offices for the use of parents, and other than those offices, the rest of Urdaneta Hall is off-limits to students. Beside the Accounting and Registrar's Offices is the Technology Services office.
[edit] Notable people
Some notable alumni of Colegio San Agustin-Makati include a number of Philippine celebrities. Among such personalities are television talk show host Kris Aquino, singer Roselle Nava, morning show host Suzie Entrata-Abrera, and news anchors Vicky Morales-Reyno, Cess Datu and Karen Davila.
The children of some Philippine politicians have also been known to have graduated from the school. Some of these politicians include the late Reynaldo Wycoco, former director of the National Bureau of Investigation, and José de Venecia, Jr., the current Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives. His late daughter, Kristina Cassandra or KC, for example, was a CSA alumnus. Other notable persons include alumnus Joaqui Mendoza and current student Fred Payawan, two housemates of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition.
[edit] See also
- Augustinian Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines
- Colegio San Agustin-Biñan
- Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod
- University of San Agustin
- Santo Niño de Cebu
[edit] External links
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Student Populace, Colegio San Agustin-Makati, retrieved November 18, 2006
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Colegio San Agustin-Makati (2006). CSA Student Handbook. Makati City: CSA Press.
- ^ For the purposes of this article, this is a simplified list of the school goals. The full description of the goals is available in the CSA Student Handbook.
- ^ School Thrust, Colegio San Agustin-Makati, retrieved November 19, 2006
