Central Colleges of the Philippines

On January 18, 1954, firmly adhering to the vision of contributing to the nation's progress and development through producing competent engineers and architects trained in the most modern and advanced methods and techniques, the Polytechnic Colleges of the Philippines was established. Founded by a group of respected educators that included Messrs. Manuel I. Felizardo, Vicente Y. Orosa, Ciriaco Y. Coronel, and Emilio M. Javier, the School's first President was co-founder Gonzalo T. Vales, who had earned his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Southern California. He was until then, the Dean of the Mapua Institute of Technology.
With only one building and enrolment of about three hundred students in 1954, PCP initially offered a limited number of disciplines, namely: Bachelor of Science Degrees in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering, and a separate course in Surveying. Two years later, the High School Department was established with Mr. Miguel Pacquing as its first principal. The College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business Administration was opened in the school year 1960 - 61.