Lake View Academy

Lake View Adventist Academy (LVAA), known as “The School that Trains for Better Citizenship,” is a secondary educational institution operated by the North Central Mindanao Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at Don Carlos in Bukidnon in the Philippines. In 2018, Central Mindanao Mission, a new Mission branch of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bukidnon, was organized, putting LVAA under its care.¹ Lake View Adventist Academy was established to fill the need of the constituents for Adventist education, specifically those in the provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, and parts of Misamis Oriental. It was founded in 1967 at a site in the center of the town. In 1989, the school was relocated to its new campus, where it now sits, overlooking Lake Pinamaloy.²

The Academy offers the following programs: Junior High School (JHS)—Grades 7 to 10, and Senior High School (SHS)—Grades 11 and 12. The SHS program offers Technical, Vocational, and Livelihood strands and the following Academic Strands: General Academic Strand (GAS), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and Accounting, Business, and Management (ABM).

The school environment is conducive to learning and training since it is some distance away from the center of the town and is also surrounded by trees and other colorful plants. The school ground is well-kept; the surroundings are clean and green. The campus is situated on an eight (8) hectare land that contains the administration building along with the classrooms, library, science laboratory building, music building, cafeteria, and dormitories. Other buildings on the campus include faculty houses, canteen, automotive shop, and powerhouse for water supply. It also includes basketball, volleyball, tennis, and badminton courts as well as a spacious open field grandstand.

Developments that Led to Establishment of the School

Prior to the establishment of the academy, the Don Carlos Seventh-day Adventist Church congregation felt the need for establishing a secondary learning institution to cater the growing number of Adventist youth there. The desire to have a church-operated secondary school was foremost upon the minds of those concerned parents. Their contagious enthusiasm compelled the mission leadership to lay plans for the establishment of a high school.³

In harmony with the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on education, the board members of Don Carlos SDA Church started the initial discussions and began plans for setting up the school. Dr. Arthuro Saberola Sr., Esmeraldo Cayanong, Esteban Poryo, Serapio Ruelan, and Zoylo F. Abejo⁴ were among the individuals who led the founding of the school with the support of the brethren of the church. ⁵

Dr. Arthuro Saberola Sr. donated an 8-hectare lot beside the beautiful Lake Pinamaloy intended for the school setting. With this, the school was named Lake View Academy. At that time, the site was not yet cultivated, and the road was rough as if it was not intended for public transportation. Additionally, the church brethren thought that it was too far from the center of the town and that students would have a hard time getting to school. So, it was decided that the location for the school construction would be nearer to the national highway alongside the elementary church school.⁶ The one hectare lot, wherein the school was first situated, was acquired through the efforts and negotiations made by the Mission Committee headed by Pastor Teofilo Layon, then the Northern Mindanao Mission president and chairman of the Academy Board.⁷

Founding of the School

The building construction for Lake View Academy started during the early months of 1967. Elpedio Llido, Bonifacio Garcia Sr., and Maximo Edpalina facilitated and even helped in construction of the school building.⁸ In the same year, the academy was recognized and authorized by the Northern Mindanao Mission (now the North Central Mindanao Conference). The early source of funding included donations and solicitations from the church brethren. With this, an administration hall with two classrooms as well as two small dormitories for the ladies and the gentlemen were first constructed. These initial buildings were made of half-concrete walls and half-wood walls. The school also developed a farm that helped in the finances of the school.

Lake View Academy opened its doors for the first school year in June 1967 with seven teachers including the first principal, Pastor Serafin F. Fadri. It served 141 initial students, and it offered first and second year only in its curriculum. Eventually, the third and fourth years were added to the school curriculum. In 1971, the first graduation was held.

Soon, the growing population necessitated the relocation of the school. In 1989, the school was moved to the donated lot of Dr. Arthuro Saberola Sr. that was near Lake Pinamaloy, where it is presently located.

Since it was the younger of the two academies (the other is Mindanao Mission Academy), both of which are operated by the Northern Mindanao Conference, the needs were enormous. The Union assisted financially in the surveying, processing of documents, and notarial fees of the school property. The Northern Mindanao Conference met the other needs, including the installation of the water pump and generator as well as providing cots for the dormitories, trays, forks, and spoons for the cafeteria, typewriters, adding machines, and a mimeographing machine.

Lake View Academy continued its role as a refuge for the youth. the improvement of physical facilities also continued through the aid of the students, faculty, and staff. The first concrete building was erected in 1989, and it housed the classrooms, administrative office, and a library. The school also provided the cafeteria and dormitories for students from far places. A chapel was also built through the efforts of the students and teachers as well as the assistance of generous alumni, supporters, parents, and mission and union workers.

Lake View Adventist Academy was established not only to teach sciences, but to give instruction in the great principles of God’s Word and training students to become better citizens of this world and for the world to come. The holistic development of the physical, mental, social, and most especially spiritual aspects of the student is the great aim of LVAA. In this, the philosophy, mission, and vision of the school were formulated. Marie Bingcang wrote the school song as a reflection of its mission.

History of the School

The table below shows the enrollment of Lake View Academy from School Year 1967-1968 to School Year 2019-2020. The first school year (1967-1968) of the institution had the smallest number of students. A decade after the opening of the school, in School Year 1978-1979, the highest number of enrollees was marked.⁹

SCHOOL YEAR	TOTAL NUMBER OF ENROLEES
1967-1968	141
1968-1969	226
1969-1970	142
1970-1971	260
1971-1972	269
1972-1973	240
1973-1974	173
1974-1975	265
1975-1976	251
1976-1977	302
1977-1978	344
1978-1979	473
1979-1980	436
1980-1981	411
1981-1982	415
1982-1983	413
1983-1984	357
1984-1985	375
1985-1986	335
1986-1987	298
1987-1988	273
1988-1989	278
1989-1990	245
1990-1991	189
1991-1992	169
1992-1993	189
1993-1994	208
1994-1995	162
1995-1996	189
1996-1997	205
1997-1998	180
1998-1999	177
1999-2000	197
2000-2001	227
2001-2002	231
2002-2003	196
2003-2004	233
2004-2005	238
2005-2006	254
2006-2007	225
2007-2008	222
2008-2009	206
2009-2010	216
2010-2011	203
2011-2012	205
2012-2013	203
2013-2014	211
2014-2015	215
2015-2016	174
2016-2017	243
2017-2018	282
2018-2019	330
2019-2020	383

M. Racero (1967-1970), Norma Jondonero (1970-1972), Lilia H. Tiangha (1972-1977), Esther O. La Sage (1977-1984), Lilia H. Tiangha (1984-1985), Elpedio C. Moscoso (1985-1991), H. M. Saberola (1991-1992), C. C. Catolico (1992-1994), Eden B. Moscoso (1994-1995), Naomi G. Ruelan (1995-1998), Alberto Ponsica (1998-1999), and Darlene C. Dulana (2001-present) are among the registrars who have kept all the school’s record safe. ¹⁰

In 2001, with Dr. Alberto Ponsica as principal, the construction of the new administration building began. In 2013, the first story of the building was completed, housing three spacious classrooms, science laboratory, conference room, and the administrative offices--business office, registrar’s office, guidance counselor’s office, and the principal’s office. In 2016, under the administration of Pastor Romel R. Subigca and through the help of the South Philippine Union Conference, generous alumni around the globe, students, parents, faculty and staff, the construction of the second story of the building was initiated. In 2018, under the leadership of Shepard R. Abejo, the second story of the building was completed and was fully furnished, adding a spacious library, additional offices, a teachers’ lounge, and four more classrooms for the Senior High School.

The Lake View Academy Alumni in the United States and in other parts of the world have been very generous to their Alma Mater. The school cafeteria was renovated in 2017, making it a more enjoyable place for students to eat. The renovation was made possible for it was the project of the USA Alumni-Chapter. In 2018, Dr. Arturo Saberola and Dr. Sally Lou La Sage-Saberola of the LVA USA Alumni Chapter sponsored the construction of the music laboratory. It was completed and furnished in the same year, giving an encouraging space for students to improve their God-given musical abilities. Many alumni and friends had given personal scholarships and monetary endowments to LVA.

The Home and School Fellowship, an organization of parents and teachers of LVA, has also meaningfully contributed to the school’s improvement. The concrete-wall fence safeguarding the school campus, point to point ramps, pathways, and other classroom facilities are just a few of the projects the HSF has provided for the school.

In August of 2017, through the efforts of Pastor Romel R. Subigca, the name “Lake View Academy” was changed to “Lake View Adventist Academy” and was also registered to the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines. The new name was made based upon the suggestion of the Board of Trustees of the school and the conference to add the word “Adventist” in the names of all secondary institutions. Shepard R. Abejo also headed and processed other transactions regarding the change of name of the school, such as in the Bureau of Internal Revenue and in other offices wherein the school is affiliated.

Lake View Adventist Academy is an accredited member of Accrediting Association of the Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges and Universities (AAA), 12501 Old Colombia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland; Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSU), 89-C 9^th Floor, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines; and Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), 25^th Floor Philippine AXA Life Centre, Makati City, Philippines.

Also, the school has farmland that produces corn, coconut, sugar cane, and other fruit trees and vegetables. In 2017, a part of the farmland has been converted for the planting of Falcata Trees. When harvested, these will meaningfully augment the school’s finances.

Lake View Adventist Academy continues to carry on the mission and vision of the Church by never neglecting the sacred duty of focusing students’ attention on the Lord’s leading and His teachings. The school has given an array of religious programs, in-reach, and outreach activities to mold the spiritual aspect of each student. The integration of faith and spiritual values into all subject classes, as well as through Chapel Convocations, Week of Prayer, Sabbath Services, dormitory worships, devotionals and other religious programs, provide the spiritual atmosphere on the campus with the goal of leading students to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior through baptism. LVAA also offers extra-curricular activities and programs for the holistic development of the students, preparing them to be better and responsible citizens committed to render excellent service to God, humanity, and the church.

Historical Roles of the School

Lake View Adventist Academy has extended its sphere of influence and has become a channel of blessings to the students and the community. Ellen G. White has written: “The most important work of our educational institutions at this time is to set before the world an example that will honor God. Holy angels are to supervise the work through human agencies, and every department is to bear the mark of divine excellence.”¹¹ The Academy’s Philosophy is: “Serve and train students by developing their holistic aspects of life, preparing them for better and responsible citizenship, committed to render excellent service to God, humanity and the church”; the Mission is “ Preparing holistically developed citizens committed to render excellent service towards God and man”; and their Vision is that “all its graduates will become excellent citizens rendering service towards God and man.”¹²

Lake View Adventist Academy has been serving the Seventh-day Adventist Church since the beginning of its existence. Different activities of the Church are held in the school, including camping, fellowship and constituency meetings, association and federation gatherings, sports festivals, and other Adventist youth programs. Students are also trained to be future leaders of the Church as they lead the Sabbath Services. There are also scheduled Saturdays wherein groups of students are assigned to visit neighboring churches and lead their Sabbath programs. Evangelistic efforts are also done by the students in collaboration with the teachers, Church, and district leaders.

LVAA Harmony, the school’s official singing group, has been invited from time to time to use their talents to praise and give glory to God in different church events like evangelistic meetings, concerts, and other church gatherings. They are also invited to sing in important events of the municipality or barangay.

The community also benefits from LVAA through its various community and extension services. On scheduled Saturday afternoons, students go out to different barangays (small territorial and administrative districts forming the most local level of government) to conduct Branch Sabbath School Programs where they share God’s love with the community children. Children are taught Bible stories, religious children songs, Bible memory verses, and fingerplays. Also, students are also involved in clean-up drives, feeding programs, health seminars, tract-giving programs, visitation and serenading, etc., under their Pathfinder and Work Education classes under the supervision of their teachers. Through these activities, the harmonious development of the four aspects (physical, social, mental, and spiritual) in the lives of the students are fulfilled.

The following behaviors are often evident in the lives of the students: adopting scripturally-based Seventh-day Adventist philosophy, objectives, and standards that will become their mode of life; demonstrating a good understanding of the scriptures and be conversant with the doctrines of the church; developing qualities needed for church leadership on various levels of responsibility; demonstrating understanding from a scriptural standpoint and with historical perspective the religious, political, social, scientific, and economic forces which shape contemporary life; developing an intellectual excellence; choosing and commencing preparation for vocational, technical, or professional occupations that will make them effective employees of the denomination or self-supporting leaders in the life of the community; respecting the dignity of labor and demonstrating a sense of responsibility for economic values; developing significant Christian personalities and characters modelled after the personality and the character of Christ; practicing and upholding wholesome social standards; accepting their responsibilities; and developing a deep spiritual life and upstanding mental qualities through a true understanding of the delicate relationship between the mind and the body, which belong to the Creator.¹³

Principal Chronology

Serafin F. Fadri (1967-1969); Rueben L. Cabaluna (1969-1970); Romulo E Guanzon (1970-1971); Armande G. Tiangha (1971-1978); Gabriel B. Mendoza (1978-1882); Charles R. Aguilar (1982-1988); Eliezer M. Saberola (1988-1991); Moises Rafanan (1991-1992); Idefonso F. Faigmani (1992-1994); Elpedio C. Moscoso (1994-1995); Samuel Sanes (1995-1998); Yolando A. Queruela (1998-2000) Alberto Ponsica (2000-2007); Lowell Roxas (2007-2009); Alberto B. Ponsica (2009-2012); Romel R. Subigca (2012-2018); Shepard R. Abejo (2018-present).¹⁴

Sources

Central Mindanao Mission, Secretary’s File. Central Mindanao Mission Archives, Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines.

Lake View Academy Enrolment Summaries, School Year 1968-2019, Registrar’s Office, on File. The Lake View Academy archives, Don Carlos, Bukidnon, Philippines.

Lake View Academy Student Handbook 2017. The Lake View Academy archives, Don Carlos, Bukidnon, Philippines.

Lake View Academy School Profile provided by Darlene C. Dulana, Registrar. The Lake View Academy archives, Don Carlos, Bukidnon, Philippines.

Registrar’s Office on File provided by Darlene C. Dulana, Registrar. The Lake View Academy archives, Don Carlos, Bukidnon, Philippines.

Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1996.

White, Ellen G. “The Aim of Our Schools,” ARH (January 11, 1912). Accessed September 21, 2020. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.32614#32614.

Notes

1. Central Mindanao Mission, Secretary’s File. Central Mindanao Mission Archives.↩

2. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (1996), 10, 895.↩

3. Gealin Rey C. Poryo (LVA Alumnus), interview by author, October 6, 2017.↩

4. Noemi G. Ruelan, school teacher and registrar of Lake View Academy for 36 years, phone interview by author, May 4, 2020.↩

5. Ibid.↩

6. Ibid.↩

7. Lake View Academy Archives, 2010.↩

8. Gealin Rey C. Poryo (LVA Alumnus), Interview by author, October 6, 2017.↩

9. Lake View Academy Enrolment Summaries, School Year 1968-2019, (Registrar’s Office on File).↩

10. Registrar’s Office on File provided by Darlene C. Dulana, Registrar.↩

11. Ellen G. White, “The Aim of Our Schools,” ARH, January 11, 1912, par. 6, accessed September 21, 2020, https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.32614#32614.↩

12. Lake View Academy Student Handbook 2017, 3.↩

13. Ibid., 4-8.↩

14. Lake View Academy School Profile provided by Darlene C. Dulana, registrar.↩