The Early History of La Consolacion College Bacolod

[Andrea Lizares Si (HS'73,AB '78)]

LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE OF BACOLOD CITY, formerly ( COLEGIO DE LA NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CONSOLACION) is Negros Occidental's Oldest Catholic Educational Institution. Established by the Augustinian Sisters on March 12, 1919, it was the first Catholic School in Negros Occidental to be opened after the Philippine Revolution of 1898.

The Augustinian Sisters began with a Girl's School in Sibalom, Antique in 1918. It was a big challenge for the Sisters but, though lacking in personnel, Mother Consuelo Barcelo y Pages acceded to the request of Jaro Bishop, Msgr. Mauricio Foley. Hardly had they started operation in July, 1918 when they were subjected to severe Anti-Catholic sentiments in a strongly Aglipayan Community. Fortunately, Antique Fiscal Quirico M. Abeto (later Visayas District Judge and then Secretary of Justice), whose son and daughter were schooling with the nuns, learned the predicament of the Augustinian Sisters from the Prioress, Sor Tomasa de La Sagrada Familia, O.S.A. Realizing that the unfriendly and at times hostile situation was dangerous to the nuns, Fiscal Abeto relayed to Bishop Foley his concern about the plight of the Sisters in Sibalom. Fiscal Abeto also relayed a similar message message to Negros Occidental Governor Matias Hilado, who agreed to help.

Bacolod was in need of a Catholic School. The idea for the transfer of the Augustinian Sisters to Bacolod was broached to Bacolod's Parish Priest, Augustinian Recollect Father Francisco Vega, who had also been urged by the rich and the prominent Hacienderos to invite a Women Religios Order to open a Colegio in Bacolod. There were no Catholic Schools in Negros so when Msgr. Foley came to Negros on a Pastoral Visit on August 30. 1919, the ladies presented the petition.

To bolster the appeal made by the Negrenses and to convince the sisters to come, Fr. Vega offered to give up the Parish House (now the Bishop's Palace) in favor of the Sisters. The COLEGIO DE LA NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CONSOLACION, an exclusive Girl's School opened in July 1919 with Sor Tomasa de La Sagrada Familia, Sor Maria Teresa de Jesus, Sor Alfonsa de La Santissima Trinidad, Sor Concepcion de La Sagrado Corazon and Sor Maria del Carmen.

The first Grade School was opened with 36 Internas (Living-In Colegialas) and 50 Externas. Fr. Vega subsidized the salary of 2 lay Maestras (teachers). The first High School Graduation was held in March 1930.

A member of the PHILIPPINE ACCREDITING ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES since the 1980's, La Consolacion College of Bacolod City is a leading Institution in Architecture and Fine Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Commerce, Cooperatives, and Education. Graduates of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts regularly make the top ten of the board exams.

(adapted from the LCC Bacolod friendster pagehttp://profiles.friendster.com/24103284#moreabout)

[Tristan Eua Lipa Yap]

woooow. centennial year is 11 years away na lang.. so glad to be part of that......

[Sophie Lizares-Bodegon (HS Class '71)]

Hi Nening, thanks for reminding us about this intriguing bit of history. Someone in search of a thesis topic for history, politial science, or education could explore this juncture in Negros and Panay history where Catholics were fleeing from the Philippine Independent Church (PIC). The PIC, which grew out of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, was seeking to uproot and debunk the teachings of the Spanish friars. At a time of American colonialism, it would be interesting to find how the college interpreted republican democracy, the division of church and state, Catholicism, and what it meant to be a woman to its internas. Three years after LCC was established, the National Federation of Women's Clubs was organized, advancing political rights to Filipino women. What where the Augustinian sisters thinking then?

Who were the women LCC attracted? What became of them? Better still, what did they make of themselves?

With its long history and involvement in local culture, LCC should also be on the tourist map of Negros! Of course we'd need a good presentation for that. Perhaps a project for the centenary!

How LCC has