Holy Trinity University

(HTU) is a private sectarian university in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, run by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena. Holy Trinity University is a dynamic center of Catholic education in Palawan, Philippines.

Holy Trinity University is the pioneer institution of higher learning in Palawan, established in 1940 as the Holy Trinity College Academy. The Academy's first administrators were Rev. Mother Cruz Rich, O.P., Rev. Mother Paulina Cruz, O.P., and Rev. Mother Trinidad Acosta, O.P... The latter worked in close cooperation with the Augustinian Recollect priests under the leadership of Msgr. Leandro Nieto, ORSA, the Prefect Apostolic of Palawan.

The first courses offered were Kindergarten and Elementary level, followed by the secondary level. On September 10, 1950, with Sisters Amparo Bautista, O.P. as the first Directress, HTC rose to become a Junior College and opened the following courses: Elementary Teacher's Certificate (ETC), Vocational Stenography, and Typing. In October 1953, the school became known as Holy Trinity College, where Associate in Arts (1953-1954) was offered. In January 1955, Fr. Arsenio Villanueva, ORSA, became the Director of the College. New courses such as Secretarial course (1955-1956), Dressmaking, and Liberal Arts (1957) were opened.

In 1958, Mother Rosa Santiago, OP, was appointed Directress. During her leadership, Associate in Commercial Science and Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (1959) were opened. It was also during her term that improvements in the school's physical structure were made. Sister Victoria San Juan, O.P., became the Superior-Directress in 1963. Her tireless efforts to improve the College led to the construction and inauguration of the three-story St. Dominic building and opening of the Pre-Nursing Course. They then established the Graduate School of the College in 1965. The highlight of student activism in the entire country during the seventies posted a significant challenge to HTC. The Directress and Dean Sister Lucia Hacbang, OP, amended specific policies for the studentry's more significant benefit to respond to the times' challenges.

In June 1976, Sister Leonor Pagorogon, OP, became the Directress and Dean of the Graduate School. Through her dedicated efforts, HTC became the first FAPE (Fund for Assistance to Private Education) Unit Center in Palawan.Sr. Leonor Pagorogon, OP, went for a 3-year (1979-1981) study leave for her doctorate. Bernadette Izon, OP, served as acting Directress of the College. After completion of her Doctorate in June 1981, Sister Leonor came back to improve the College further. She then became the First President of the College.

The Academic Year 1983-1984 marked the establishment of the HTC-PNAC consortium and the opening of more courses, namely, Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Master Electrician Course, Electronic Service for Television, and Electronic Service for Radio. The school year, 1984 – 1985, paved the way for opening a two-year General Radio Communication Operator Course and the construction and inauguration of the first phase of the St. Catherine building. In 1985-1986, the College opened its Automotive and Electrical Engineering courses. In June 1987, Sr. Teresita Medalle, O.P., became the President of HTC and worked to open the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During her leadership, the College implemented an inactive development program called the Catholic Schools Systems Development Program (CSSD) concept in the operation of the school.

During the school year 1990-1991, HTC celebrated her golden jubilee of service to the community. She looked back to fifty years of educational service which was made possible through the development of a robust research tradition that included the Palawan Environmental Research Center (PERC) professional chairs, and research grants are offered to enhance further the research outputs of faculty after which the outputs were published in the HTC Graduate Journal and the Faculty Research Journal.

The school Year 1994-1995 saw the birth of new programs, namely Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Master of Arts (M.A.) program in Public Administration, Religious Education as a major in Education, Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Biology. The Mother Francisca Community Extension Service Program was also formally organized to include all the existing extension services programs of the College. These are the Human Resource Development Program (HRDP), the various colleges' extension services programs, and the institutional community extension services. In 1997, HTC applied for the conversion of the College into a university. The CHED's evaluation team has given recommendations for further improvement and enhancement of the institutional program and services to qualifying the College for its intention of conversion into university. Estrella T. Tangan, O.P., became the President from 2000 to 2007. Other doctorates and master programs were offered during her term, namely

• Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration,
• Doctor of Philosophy in Development Education,
• Master of Arts in Education major in Teaching English,
• Teaching Math, and
• Teaching Science.

In 2007, Sr. Caroline S. Capili, O.P., took the challenge of finally converting the College into its university status. A University Task Force was organized, series of sessions, consultations, planning, reorganization, restructuring, realignment, evaluation, and accreditation of programs and services and policies and procedures to better respond to the call of excellence and the fast-changing times.HTU submitted its reapplication papers to CHED for the conversion of HTC into a university in February 2009.

CHED's Technical Team visited the school to validate the application for conversion on April 28–29, 2009. On July 23–24, 2009, the school had its PAASCU accreditation on the following programs: resurvey for Education, Liberal Arts, and Business formal survey for a preliminary Nursing visit for Criminology, Hotel, and Restaurant Management, Master of Arts in Education and Master in Public Education. On September 4–5, 2009, CHED Commission En Banc headed by the CHED Chairman Emmanuel Y Angeles, the Commissioners and other CHED officials, came for the final visit and validation to convert the status from College into university.

Consequently, Holy Trinity College was converted as Holy Trinity University by CHED CEB Resolution No. 490-2009 under the pertinent provision of the Republic Act (RA) 7722, otherwise known as the "Higher Education Act of 1994" during the 345th Commission En Banc meeting on December 23, 2009. The College of Nursing Education has granted Level I PAASCU accreditation. Liberal Arts and Business Administration were Level II reaccredited. Candidate Status was granted to the following programs: Criminology, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Master of Arts in Education, and Master in Public Administration.

On April 5–10, 2010, the entire community celebrated the Inauguration of Holy Trinity University and its 70 years of providing quality education in the city and the province with the theme "Gather…Remember…Celebrate!" On June 23, 2010, HTU received two Governor's Award for the Private Education Category and Women Development Category. HTU also received the Mayor's Award for the Academe category on March 4, 2011. In May 2011, Sr. Mesalina E. Cloma, O.P., became the second University President. Through her leadership, the offering of ETEEAP Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master in Business Administration was approved by the Commission on Higher Education. The consortia between Holy Trinity University (HTU) and the following universities, namely University of San Carlos (USC), University of Mindanao (UM), Palawan State University (PSU), and Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU), were established. During her term, research in Engineering and Palawan Ethno-environmental Research Center won as best research both in the region and national convention /symposium. In 2013, Senate, as HTU Training Hotel in Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa City, was opened.

On June 16, 2014, Sr. Mercedes R. Lalisan, O.P., was installed as the new University President. From April 29 to May 1, 2015, HTU celebrated its 75 years of being part of Palawan's historical and critical moments. She served as a "landmark" and demonstrates how liberating a proper Christian education is for human society. Holy Trinity University alumni, former and present administrators, faculty, and students gathered for a three-day celebration and voluntary service to the city and province's people with the theme "HTU Shining Bright and Soaring High @ 75".On August 29, 2015, HTU received the Excellent Award for the Cleanest and Greenest School- Poblacion Category from the Office of the City Mayor of Puerto Princesa. HTU also received the Best Research Paper Presenter and Best Research Poster Presenter both for the professional category during the MIMAROPA Health Research Development Consortium 4th Health Research Forum at Filipiniana Hotel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro last November 25, 2015.

Holy Trinity University (HTU), a dynamic center of Catholic education in Palawan, is committed to being a symbol of missionary sacrifice, a fierce bearer of Truth, an active catalyst of the event as she responds with faith and helps shape the community it envisions, through unity with the church and society through actively participating in relevant social concerns and meaningful causes and issues, thus building progressive Christian community that will effectively contribute to the extension of the kingdom of God.