Santa Isabel College

SANTA ISABEL COLLEGE OF MANILA is an audacious Christ-Centered educational institution committed to empowering learners' communities into the inner-directed Vincentian leaders who are advocates of persons in poverty situations and of God's creation.
As a learning institution, Santa Isabel College is currently offering a 3-level education framework that consists of the Basic Education Department, the Higher Education Department, and the Graduate School. The Basic Education Department is designed for students from Kindergarten to Fourth Year High School (Grade 10). The department also offers an educational program for Pre-school or Nursery. It aims to develop the student into a fully-functioning person as he/she progresses through an articulated holistic and systematic sequence of experience, to achieve awareness, exploration, and preparation about the area of his/her individual growth as a person - Christian, Filipino, Vincentian as he or she interacts in the school, home and community.
The Higher Education Department is open to any student who wishes to avail of its services, provided he/she meets the requirements and regulations set forth by the school. The department offers bachelor's degree such as Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Arts in English (AB-English), Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEEd), Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSEd), Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA), Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT), Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM). The Graduate School is a graduate program for graduates of a baccalaureate degree in Music. It offers a Master of Music in Piano, Voice, Composition, and Music Education. Master of Arts is also offered with a concentration in Music Education.
The Higher Education Library supports the curricular offerings of Santa Isabel College. It provides an organized and readily accessible collection of print, non-print, and online resources to cater to the information and research needs of its clientèle. It is located on the Fourth Floor of the Higher Education Building. A professional librarian manages the whole unit library, along with support staff and student assistants. Together we ensure that quality library services are provided. The Basic Education Department Library provides services to facilitate the integral formation of its clientele by providing well selected educational materials, well-organized collection, and services that will enhance the learning process partake the vision-mission of the D.C. Education Ministry in its dream of forming enlightened and committed Filipino Christian community and contribute to social transformation by showing respect for human dignity, promoting the integrity of creation, putting their gifts and talents at the service of the poor, working for justice, peace and solidarity, thus responding to the call of the Church and Society. The library provides an organized and readily accessible collection of print and non-print materials and supportive equipment to meet students' and faculty's institutional, instructional, and individual needs.
The Reading Program is a unique program for Grades 1 to 3 pupils to assist those with reading difficulties as they prepare for the intermediate level. It provides enrichment activities for those who are advanced in terms of reading skills. The program offers various opportunities and means for acquiring competencies and skills in the following aspects: vocabulary, comprehension, study/library skills, literary appreciation skills, and oral reading.
The Colegio de Santa Isabel was founded on October 24, 1632, with the primary purpose of educating Spanish orphans in this most distant Spanish colony and is one of the oldest girl schools in the world. In later years its doors were opened to Spanish Filipina girls as well. In 1733, by a royal decree, the name of the College was changed to "Real Colegio de Santa Isabel. The records of its establishment can be found at the Archive of the Indies in Seville, Spain. On July 22, 1862, fifteen Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul arrived in the Philippines from Spain. Two years later, the Daughters of Charity took over the Real Colegio de Santa Isabel administration. The College was then in Intramuros until it was destroyed by shelling and fire during Manila's liberation. After losing the Colegio, the Sisters sought refuge at St. Rita's College, which was fortunately spared from war ravages.
The Sisters taught in St. Rita's College to support themselves, determined to keep alive the illustrious College's name. The zealous Sisters left no stone unturned until they found a temporary home for its students. Through the kindness of the benevolent and compassionate Monsignor Vicente Reyes, then Parish Priest of San Miguel Parish, offered some rooms in the convent so that the Sisters were able to start their apostolate of educating the young anew. The sisters, led by Sr. Juana Zabalza, Superior of the College at that time, and the indefatigable principal Sr. Candida Ocampo, later became the first Filipina Superior of the College, were able to acquire the former St. Rita at 210 Taft Avenue, Manila.