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The Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) is a sectarian institution situated in the culturally pluralistic province of South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. It started as Notre Dame of Marbel (NDM), a secondary level educational institution founded by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) with the Religious of Virgin Mary (RVM) Sisters in 1946. It is the first high school to open in South Cotabato and Koronadal Valley. In 1950, the Oblate Fathers turned over the Boys Department's ownership and management to the Marist Brothers of the Schools (FMS). Two years later, the Dominican sisters assumed the direction of the Girls Department. The Marist Brothers, through the years, have transformed it into a College (Notre Dame of Marbel College). Inspired by the charism of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, Notre Dame of Marbel University anchors its faith and life on the following core values as foundational qualities with which the Marist Brothers, Mission Partners, and students approach the entire educational process and academic atmosphere of the University: Family Spirit, Marian, Love of Work, Preference for the Least Favored, Quality Education, Integrity of Creation, and Culture-sensitivity. Notre Dame of Marbel University occupies an 8-hectare lot main campus along the busy Alunan Avenue, City of Koronadal, South Cotabato. It is in the heart of the City of KOronadal and adjacent to the University is the South Cotabato DepEd Division office, the SMRAA Sports Complex, the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center, and the Development Bank of the Philippines and within walking distance to the major commercial centers of the City, banks, government agencies, private companies/establishments, the City Hall of Koronadal and the Provincial Capitol of South Cotabato. By its location and having very good cemented roads and highways, the rest of Koronadal and its environs are easily accessible by private or public transportation. Through the years, Notre Dame of Marbel University has become an important landmark sharing the development growth of a growing Agro-Industrial zone in the Southern Philippines. With thirty (30) large and small functional buildings, the University has a population of 10,000 consisting of administrators, faculty members, students (Elementary, High School, College, Graduate School, and Short-term courses), and Non-teaching support staff. Seventy-five percent of the students are from the rural area outside the City of Koronadal, and close to 85% are children of farmers, whose income are very much dependent on agriculture.NDMU has other campuses that serve the educational needs of South Cotabato and its environs. Five (5) kilometers away from the main campus is a Demonstration Farm, complete with structures and instructional facilities for the Agriculture Department. Planted on the 35-hectare Demo Farm are varied crops plus 800 mango trees and other fruit trees that meet the Agriculture students' instructional and laboratory needs. The Demo Farm also houses livestock for academic purposes and a human-made lake for tilapia culture. The most modern post-harvest facilities installed in the Demo Farm also serve as a training center for the CCC-Farmers College and other Agriculture-based projects of the University. Love of the poor is a precious part of the heritage left by Blessed Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Congregation. In the face of poverty, of the poor's needs, he would be there with his friendship and his assistance, with his Brothers, with consolation and material help. It is in this rationale that NDMU named its Extension Department "Champagnat Community College," which is concentrated on helping the impoverished sector of the society through its extension service programs. The increasing awareness of people toward education and social crises puts NDMU in the essential prerogative to reach out and make its resource readily available to other communities in order to give a flexible continuing education that does not provide only formal education to NDMU students but also non-formal education that reaches down to the marginalized poor and the less privileged. To maximize the use of building spaces and strengthen administrative, physical logistics, the St. Lorenzo Ruiz administration wing was renovated to house the President's Office, Board Room, Graduate School Dean's Office, Faculty, and Conference Rooms, and the Research Office. In 2008, the CHED, DepEd, and Teachers Education Council awarded the University as the Training Institution of the DepEd and INSET Program. The CHED also awarded the Teacher Education Program of the University as the Center of Excellence in Teacher Education. To keep pace with the needs of the Business Programs, the Maurus James Hall was renovated in 2009 to house the business simulation room, new audio-visual room, and spacious classrooms. The College of Business Administration building and the HRM Laboratories were also constructed to provide upgraded facilities. Likewise, to provide the community with greater access to the MedTech Diagnostic and Training Laboratory services, it was transferred to its new location along Alunan Avenue with complete equipment and facilities. The early part of 2010 marked another milestone of the University's daring move to provide educational programs needed by the community. It opened the BS Criminology to provide a professional workforce to law enforcement agencies locally and nationally. The third floor of the Doherty Hall was renovated to accommodate the Criminology Laboratories. As NDMU continues to pave the way towards making history, it has become more aware and reflective of its earnest attempts to keep pace with the changes and needs of the communities it serves and play an active role in the process of developmental change. View full university