South Philippine Adventist College Academy

By Luther U. Bendanillo

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Luther U. Bendanillo is the chair of the theology department of South Philippine Adventist College, Matanao, Davao del Sur, Philippines. He holds a master of arts degree in religion, specializing in historical-theological studies, from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies. He is married to Sharon Azcuna Bendanillo, an English teacher at the same college. They are blessed with four children.

First Published: April 19, 2022

Origin of Adventist Work in Digos City and Matanao, Davao del Sur

Adventism in Mindanao dates back to 1920.1 The workers who pioneered the work in Mindanao were Dr. and Mrs. Carlos Fatterbert who landed in Misamis in 1920. The work of Adventism grew rapidly that year throughout the whole of Mindanao. Later on, three large Adventist missions were established in Mindanao.2

Adventism next spread to Digos, Davao del Sur (southern part of Mindanao) through the pioneering effort of Ruperto Sumicad Sr. He was a member of the Tiguman SDA Church,3 which was said to be the first Adventist church in Digos, Davao del sur. He was also one of the pioneers of Digos Center, the Adventist church and elementary school in Digos.

Ruperto Sumicad was not just a great leader in establishing Adventist schools in Digos City, but also an elder and a lay worker who untiringly shared the gospel with the community. His family was originally from Old Sagay, Negros Occidental. Because of the news of the fertile soil of Mindanao, they migrated to Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay, where he first heard of Adventism. The influence of his older brother, Alfonso Sumicad, an Adventist pastor who was then working in Western Mindanao, partly in Pagadian City, caused him to accept the Adventist faith. He moved to Digos, Davao del Sur, were he met his future wife and was also baptized as an Adventist.4

Organizational History of the Academy

South Philippine Adventist College Academy (SPACA) began in Digos, Davao del Sur, in 1950, as an elementary school.5 It was registered with the name Digos SDA Elementary School. The school was established in response to the growing need felt among the members to open a school for the training of the children and youth. Tiguman SDA Church and Digos SDA Center Church, through their leaders and members, united their efforts for the realization of this plan. Ruperto Sumicad Sr., Pastor Serapio Solano, Manuel Abayon, and Bernabe Samson facilitated the acquisition of a portion of land and began construction of the school.

In 1952 the school obtained government authorization to offer the first two years of high school. The school became a junior academy, bearing the name of Southern Mindanao Junior Academy.6 Since then the school has grown tremendously and attracted a large number of students. Consequently, the school experienced deficiencies in classrooms, equipment, and ground space. The overcrowded condition necessitated looking for a larger area to accommodate the growing population.7

About 20 hectares of land at Baranggay Managa (now Camanchiles), Matanao, Davao del Sur, was purchased at the cost of P7,000 through the efforts of Ruperto Sumicad Sr.8 Mr. and Mrs. Frank La Sage, an American Adventist couple, contributed P1,000, and another person from the Southern Mindanao Mission (now Davao Mission) added P1,000. The Far Eastern Division (now Southern Asia-Pacific Division, or SSD) allocated P40,000, and the South Philippine Union Mission (now South Philippine Union Conference) gave P20,000 for the construction of the school buildings.9

In 1952, the junior academy became a full-fledged academy.10 It was initially proposed that the school would be registered as Apo View Academy,11 named after the majestic and highest mountain in the Philippines, Mt. Apo. Eventually it was decided to name the school Southern Mindanao Academy (SMA), since it was the only academy in Southern Mindanao Mission. The school lived with the philosophy—The school that builds character—encapsulating its mission to prepare every young person to be a citizen of this world and of the world to come.

In the school year 1958-1959, the academy moved to its present site at Baranggay Camanchiles, Matanao, Davao del Sur. In 1959 the academy was duly recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (now Department of Education).12 Southern Mindanao Academy became a college in 1994 and is now known as South Philippine Adventist College. The college continues to offer high school programs, and South Philippine Adventist College Academy is the laboratory school of the education department.

In 2013 the Philippine government implemented a reform in its educational system. By virtue of the Republic Act No. 10533, which is also known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013,” it requires mandatory kindergarten education and an additional two years of senior high school.13 In response to the government mandate, the academy opened its door in 2016 for the first batch of senior academy students with specialization in three academic tracks: accountancy, business, and management (ABM); humanities and social sciences (HUMSS); science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Throughout its development, accreditation has been an essential process for SPAC as it aspires for excellence. The academy is accredited by the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA) and the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities – Accrediting Association Incorporated (ACSCU–AAI). The AAA is a recognized accrediting organization commissioned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to monitor and assess the operation of Adventist academic institutions around the world.14 ACSCU-AAI is an accrediting agency among Christian affiliated institutions in the Philippines, and it is committed to building national competence, national consciousness, and national conscience.15 In both accrediting agencies, AAA and ACSCU-AAI, SPAC maintained a high level of accreditation status.

With this humble beginning, SPAC hopes to spread its influence through uncompromised Adventist Christian education. Its curriculum is specially crafted to deliver the balance of four dimensions in the education of the young—mental, physical, social, and spiritual. More importantly, it continues to strive to fulfill its mission in “preparing a people for God’s kingdom by integrating faith into the academic learning rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and nurturing students for a meaningful and productive life of service for church and society.”16

Academy Principals

Pastor Salvador G. Miraflores (1952-1954), Pastor Jose M. Atil (1954-1963), Pastor Delfe B. Alsaybar (1963-1965), Pastor Rudney Z. Bartolome (1965-1966), Abelardo G. Gensolin (1966-1967), Pastor Delfe B. Alsaybar (1967-1968), Pastor Eliezer A. Moreno (1968-1970), Pastor Arsenio Y. Baculanta (1970-1973), Pastor Rogelio J. Aguadera (1973-1975), Abelardo G. Gensolin (1975-1978), Pastor Rogelio J. Aguadera (1978-1986), Dr. Jimmy Faderogaya (1986-1992), Pastor Benonie P. Llanto (1992-1994), Consorcio S. Lavador (1994-1995), Pastor Benonie P. Llanto (1995-1996), Dr. Chliejvferwyn C. Catolico (1996-2000), Ely D. Ombiga (2000-2001), Consorcio S. Lavador (2001-2003), Dr. Chliejvferwyn C. Catolico (2003-2004), Dr. Lotchie D. Genon (2004-2015), Ranzolin G. Bayeta (2015-2019), Irvin Mirabueno (2019-present).

Sources

Adventist Accrediting Association. Accessed November 9, 2020. https://adventistaccreditingassociation.org.

Arrogante, F. M. “All United for the Construction of Apo View Academy.” Far Eastern Division Outlook, April 1957.

Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://acscu.org/brief-history/.

Atil, Jon M. “An Ideal Academy Site.” Far Eastern Division Outlook, April 1957.

Lamera, E. L. “Early History.” Far Eastern Division Outlook, June 1960.

Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines (2013), Republic Act No. 10533. Accessed November 9, 2020. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/.

South Philippine Adventist College History. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.spaconline.org/home/south-philippine-adventist-college-history/.

Notes

  1. E. L. Lamera, “Early History,” Far Eastern Division Outlook, June 1960, 9.

  2. Ibid.

  3. Tiguman Seventh-day Adventist Church is located approximately 8 km away from Digos City.

  4. Ruben Sumicad, The son of Ruperto Sumicad Sr., interview by Luther Bendanillo, South Philippine Adventist College, Camanchiles, Matanao, Davao del Sur, Philippines, November 9, 2020.

  5. South Philippine Adventist College History, accessed November 9, 2020, http://www.spaconline.org/home/south-philippine-adventist-college-history/.

  6. Ibid.

  7. F. M. Arrogante, “All United for the Construction of Apo View Academy,” Far Eastern Division Outlook, April 1957, 8-9; See also, Jon M. Atil, “An Ideal Academy Site,” Far Eastern Division Outlook, April 1957, 8-9.

  8. South Philippine Adventist College History; see also F. M. Arrogante, “All United for the Construction of Apo View Academy.”

  9. Ibid.

  10. South Philippine Adventist College History.

  11. F. M. Arrogante, “All United for the Construction of Apo View Academy”; Jose M. Atil, “An Ideal Academy Site.”

  12. South Philippine Adventist College History, accessed November 9, 2020, http://www.spaconline.org/home/south-philippine-adventist-college-history/.

  13. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines (2013), Republic Act No. 10533, accessed November 9, 2020, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/.

  14. Adventist Accrediting Association, accessed November 9, 2020, https://adventistaccreditingassociation.org.

  15. Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities, accessed November 9, 2020, http://acscu.org/brief-history/.

  16. South Philippine Adventist College History website, accessed November 9, 2020, http://www.spaconline.org/home/philosophy-vision-mission/.

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Bendanillo, Luther U. "South Philippine Adventist College Academy." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. April 19, 2022. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=AASY.

Bendanillo, Luther U. "South Philippine Adventist College Academy." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. April 19, 2022. Date of access February 18, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=AASY.

Bendanillo, Luther U. (2022, April 19). South Philippine Adventist College Academy. Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved February 18, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=AASY.