SDCA aims for 15 PACUCOA Accredited Programs

MAP and MBA Level 1 Accreditation Formal Visit

By: Anna Marie Geraldino and Emanuel Samblero

In continuous pursuit of academic excellence and quality education, St. Dominic College of Asia School of Graduate Studies submitted itself for accreditation under the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) for the Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) and Master in Business Administration (MBA) programs on February 29 to March 2, 2024.

Led by Dr. Gregorio A. Andaman, Jr., SDCA President, the Opening Program was attended by the self-survey team, school officials, and the PACUCOA accrediting team. In his welcome message, Dr. Andaman encourages the SDCA self-survey team and officials to take advantage of the opportunity by seeking advice from the esteemed guests' best practices as he recalled the cordial relationships that were built between SDCA and PACUCOA in the past years.

SDCA self-survey team is composed of the Overall Chair of the SDCA Survey Team, Dr. Nilda W. Balsicas (VPAA), Dr. Philip C. Cuizon (SASE Dean and Psychology Chair), Dr. Romeo I. Parcero (Business Administration Chair), Dr. Alvin Jason A. Virata (SCMCS Dean and Quality Assurance Director), Dr. Wendell L. Galapate (Research and Community Extension Director), Prof. Mary Grace D. Demetillo (Student Services Director), Prof. Laila R. Ariate (Chief Librarian), and Mr. Jonathan V. Sta. Ana (Administrative Support Director).

The PACUCOA Accreditation Team includes Dr. Joyce Eugenio, Dr. Rosemarie Español, Dr. Teresita Calma, Dr. Eric Matriano, and the Chairman of PACUCOA Accreditation Team, Dr. Esther Vedaña, who commended the institution for its quality services “rest assured that we’re here to help you.” The program was wrapped up with the PACUCOA team starting the accreditation process.

The PACUCOA website describes accreditation as “a concept of self-regulation which focuses on self-study evaluation and on the continuing improvement of educational quality. It is both a process and a result.” Colleges and universities voluntarily submit themselves for accreditation to various agencies to ensure the delivery of quality education. Currently, SDCA has attained PACUCOA Level III Accredited status for 7 programs such as Business Administration, Information Technology, Secondary Education, Elementary Education, Psychology, Hospitality Management, and Nursing. While 8 programs have PACUCOA Level I Accredited including Communication, Multimedia Arts, Tourism, Pharmacy, Biology, Medical Technology, Radiologic Technology, and Physical Therapy.

The 3-day accreditation will end on Saturday as this undertaking is expected to have fruitful outcomes with a common goal of ensuring that SDCA will continuously seek ways to upgrade and enhance the quality of education they provide.

In an exciting leap toward academic unity, the libraries of the University of the East (UE) and St. Dominic College of Asia (SDCA) joined forces to establish a valuable partnership aimed at enhancing the learning and research experiences of their respective faculty members, staff, and students. This collaborative initiative, driven by a shared commitment to academic excellence, was formalized on January 31, 2024, at the Library Conference Room of the POD-CIT Building at the University of the East, Manila.

Representing SDCA in this collaborative venture are Dr. Nilda Balsicas, VPAA; Mr. Melbert Animas, ILO; Mr. Greg Cenon Andaman, ILO Director; Dr. Alvin Jason Virata, SCMCS Dean; and Ms. Laila Ariate, Chief Librarian. Ms. Venus B. Oruga, the University Library Director, played a pivotal role in cementing this mutually beneficial partnership. The momentous occasion of the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement in the realm of academia marks a stride forward in fortifying ties between two esteemed educational institutions and promises far- reaching benefits for the academic community.

With this partnership, SDCA and UE are expected to share library resources and online information services that are expected to enrich the academic materials of both institutions. Moreover, the two institutions may also avail of interlibrary loans, document delivery services, and expanded research collections, from which both students and faculty members may conveniently borrow materials from both institutions. On top of this, SDCA students, faculty members, and researchers may visit the UE Library without incurring the customary "researcher's fee," promoting a more inclusive and collaborative research environment. This groundbreaking partnership represents a pivotal moment in the academic landscape, exemplifying the power of collaboration in advancing education, research, and knowledge dissemination. The shared vision of UE and SDCA libraries is set to usher in a new era of academic enrichment, benefitting the entire academic.

For more information, you may visit the Dominican Learning Resource Center, 3 rd Floor, GD1, or email (DLRC’s Email Add).

St. Dominic College of Asia spiked its way to victory and created history for winning over Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite, during the 29th National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) Seniors Basketball Tournament on Monday at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Gym.

Pikemen pulled off a double-double with the Best Player Paolo Lira’s 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Shan Azurin scored seven of his 10 points in the 4th quarter to end the school’s five-game losing streak in their first year as a NCRAA member.

SDCA Pikemen had to struggle their way into the victory column, but eventually triumphed in a 59-48 final score over Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite.

Written by Reevah Mariel S. Angue