St. Dominic College of Asia (SDCA) welcomes the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) Colleges, Tanauan Batangas, for a National Service Training Program (NSTP) benchmarking initiative held at SIHTM Luigi’s Bar on July 8, 2025.
The activity, hosted by SDCA’s Prof. Emil James Los Baños, gathered esteemed faculty, coordinators and administrators from both institutions to share insights and explore potential collaborations in enhancing NSTP implementation.
The delegates from FAITH Colleges arrived, including Dr. Jerrylyn Magbuo, Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education (CASE), Prof. Martin Victor Melcor, General Education Coordinator, Dr. Jun Masongsong, NSTP Coordinator, Ms. Anna Bathan, CASE Secretary, and Ms. Joy Perez, College of Public Safety (COPS) Secretary. Also present at the said event were NSTP instructors from FAITH Colleges, Mr. Christopher Tionko, Ms. Alyssa Daño, Ms. Adelia Rulona, and Mr. Marvin Garrido.
The event formally began with an opening and welcome message by the SDCA College President, Dr. Gregorio A. Andaman, Jr., followed by Dr. Masongsong, NSTP Coordinator of FAITH Colleges, who highlighted the institution's milestones, academic programs, and virtual campus overview. He emphasized FAITH’s goal of forming strong partnerships for NSTP excellence.
SDCA NSTP Coordinator, Prof. Jeric Atillano, followed with an in-depth presentation of the SDCA NSTP framework, covering the grading system and key implementation principles. Prof. Atillano emphasized the program’s core standards which are the following:
- Needs-Based and Participating Project Identification
- Strong Institutional Support & Coordination
- Meaningful and Sustainable Projects
- Recognition and Incentives
Additional insights into SDCA’s NSTP system were provided by Community Extension and Service Officer, Prof. Apolonio Silva, offering a broader understanding of its operation and best practices.
Question and Answer held after the overview and discussion of NSTP from each school, which also serves as a dynamic open forum, exchanging ideas and their differences in the systems and culture of NSTP. The Q&A was initiated by Dr. Magbuo. Dr. Masongsong and Prof. Melcor also asked questions and provided clarification regarding the NSTP requirements for the students of each program. The SDCA officials, namely, Dr. Nilda W. Balsicas, VPAA, Dr. Wendell Galapate, RIDE Director, and Prof. Luzviminda Corpuz, Department of Arts and Sciences Chairperson, also actively participated in the discussion, sharing queries and valuable insights regarding the benchmarking process.
As the event concluded, certificates and tokens of appreciation were awarded to FAITH Colleges' guests and participants, facilitated by Prof. Melbert V. Animas, the Director for Institutional Linkages and Networking Office, and Prof. Cornelio Aguilar, Institutional Mobility Officer.
The benchmarking activity marked a promising step toward future collaboration and program enhancement between the two institutions. Moreover, this is also one step for the students to develop their skills in leadership, engagement, and serving communities, embodying the SDCA's Core Values.