Don Jose Ecleo Memorial College began its operation on the early part of 1980. It was founded by Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo through the desire and vision of her loving husband Hon. Ruben B. Ecleo Sr., the Supreme President and Founder of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, Inc. (PBMA) “ TO EDUCATE HIS PEOPLE”. The first name of the college was Marcos Romualdez College (MRC), offering the following programs namely Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Junior Secretarial. Since there is no available school building for the use of students, classes were conducted in the Barangay Cultural Center Building with 138 total enrollees.
Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo sent Mr. Rolando C. Collango, the appointed Registrar to ask assistance from fiscal Jo-Jac Atom Valmorida to legalize the school’s operation and the requirements for the registration in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Pertinent papers were submitted to SEC, however, the facilitators were required to obtain a permit from Malacañang allowing the school to use the Marcos Romualdez College as its name. Sensing the hardships and difficulties in securing the permit, Mr. Rudy O. Buray, brother of Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo, suggested that Don Jose Ecleo Memorial Educational Foundation(DJEMEF) to be the name of the institution.
On April 30, 1982, Dr. Violeta B. Omega, a private School Supervisor II, MECS Region X Cagayan de Oro City conducted ocular an inspection on the school and found out that it had meet the minimum requirements to be operational. Upon her recommendation, all necessary documents were sent to MECS, Manila for approval. Narciso Albaracin, Minister of Private Education, granted a temporary approval pending to SEC approval. Dr. Violeta B. Omega went to the office of Speaker Nicanor Iñiquez at the House of Representative, Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City, Manila, to secure recommendation for Commissioner Martinez of the Securities and Exchange Commision. All pertinent papers were endorsed to SEC, Manila with recommendation for speaker Iñiquez. It took almost three years of tiresome review and perusal. Finally, after tedious examination, with the blessings of the Divine Providence, the Licence of the school under the name Don Jose Ecleo Memorial Educational Foundation (DJEMEF) was approved last January 16, 1985, and Dr. Omega personally handed it to Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo, who brought the approved papers and applied for courses were approved: Four-Year Liberal Arts(AB), 1 Year Practical Electricity, 1 Year Electronic Radio Reciever, and 1 –Year Automotive Mechanics, effective June 17, 1985.
The first commencement was held last March 1985. There were 124 students for Bachelor of Arts and six (6) students for Electronics graduated. In an effort to improve school services. Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo, appointed Jesus A. Jariol, retired district supervisor in public school as School Director on June 1987 to 1989. It was during his term that the four-year course were approved last February 16, 1989, while Two-Year Junior Secretarial and Bachelor of Science in Commerce (BSC) were approved on April 21, 1989.
Lucila Bacud Borci, succeeded and assumed office as an Officer In Charge (OIC) for the period on 1990 to 1992. After Dr. Violeta B. Omega retired from the government service, she was hired as the School Director, who commenced her administration in 1993. Her expertise acquired during her time with the government paved the way for the conversion of the school name from DJEMEF to Don Jose Ecleo Memorial Foundation College of Science and Technology (DJEMC), approved on June 8, 1994.
The changing needs and diversity of the school operation prompted the president to appoint the administrators, Pacita T. Orbita and Valentine D. Maybuena Jr., to support the school director and administering quality education to its clientele. The result of such action improved school service wherein the following Technical Vocational Courses were duly recognized and approved by Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) :
1. 2-Year Nursing Aid; approved on June 5, 1997 effective in March 1997
2. 1-Year Electrical Technology and 3-Month Computer Business Application Software(80 hrs. Training Program); approved last June 9, 1999.
Elementary and Pre-School Education were also offered to meet the grade school needs of the community and serve as the laboratory school of the teacher’s education. During the 2nd half of the year 1999, the school participated in the National Search for the Best Voluntarism, a project of His Excellency Joseph E. Estrada. The school garnered 1st place in the regional level and ranked 8 in the national competition. Dr. Violeta B. Omega and Mrs. Pacita T. Orbita went to Malacañang Palace to receive the prestigious award in December 19, 1999.
The demands for blue collar jobs abroad compelled the National Government to standardize the human resources competencies to equalize or yet surpass Global standard. TESDA was mandated to strategize its operation to meet such ordeal. As a result, during the turn of the new millennium TESDA started implementing accreditation to private schools who are offering Technical Vocational Courses. In May 2000, the first accredited courses were approved. The 3-Year Information Technology Management (ITM) majors: Computer Programming, Computer Technolgy, Computer Secretarial Administration and Computer Architectural Drafting. Being the frontier in the islands offering TechVoc Courses, last 2002 the school was accredited as TESDA Testing Center in Dinagat Area.
During the TVET month Provincial Skills Competition 2002 spearheaded by TESDA participated by various Schools who are offering Tec Voc courses, the school won 3 major awards namely 1st place in Web Page Design, 1st Place SurfTras design and 1st place SURNATI design. This could not be achieved without the support from the School Administration and Mrs. Ann Orbita Tibe, Technical Vocational Department Head, facilitating.
Catastropic black Saturday happened last April 19, 2003, when the big fire devoured the school campus and consumed every bit of the properties that was established by the foundation. It was a horrible event, fire fighters and the community fought the fire together but such effort were wasted because it was too huge to contain it. An estimated 13 million worth of properties were damaged by the fire.
The school employees and the community were shocked by the fortuitous incident that took place. Rumors and speculation flooded the mind of everybody: Who is the arsonist? The reason behind the deliberate act, tearing down an educational edifice? But such a demoralizing stage did not shake the integrity of the organization because they foresaw this as a trial and challenge on the mission that they kept in their heart “Educating the Dinagatnons”.
Rebuilding an institution from scratch was not an easy task. It requires perserverance and determination. On May 11, 2003 a long distance call from Dr. Glenda B. Ecleo stating “ Let not this devastating event hinder us from pursuing our mission, vision and commitment to deliver the educational needs to the constituents in our island”. The statement made an encouraging impact on Dr. Violeta Omega-School Director and Mrs. Pacita T. Orbita-School Administrator, who in turn, made a great initiative in rebuilding the institution.
The school was rebuilt on its present location at Brgy. Justiniana, San Jose, Surigao Del Norte. The school year 2003-2004 kicked-off with the construction of new structures namely, the administration, computer laboratory and multi-purpose buildings. Classes were held temporarily in a Nipa Hut open shelters waiting for the completion of the construction of the structures. Despite the deficiencies, the faculty and staff continued to conduct regular scholastic activities.
The academic year 2004-2005 was very rewarding. During the TVET month Skills Competition, DJEMC garnered seven (7) gold medals, one (1) silver medal and three(3) bronze medals. The achievement depicts that the school is a living organism tht continuously improve its capacity in delivering quality education. It is also during this period that the library building and guidance office was inaugurated.
In June 2005, another milestone was achieved. Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) major in Biology and Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) major in General Science took its place as part of the program being offered by the school along with completion and occupancy of Science Laboratory, Student Affairs and Elementary Classrooms Buildings. Part of the school thrust, is the offering of various scholarship programs to poor but deserving students. In academic year 2005-2006, ten TESDA-PESFA scholar grantees graduated from ITM, two TESDA-ADB scholar grantees graduated from Nursing Aide to name just a few.
Now, the school continuously evolves into advancing its delivery of quality education to the constituents of the island. The school is projecting to be a University that would cater various curriculum and programs thus making it to global competitive institution.
Philosophy of DJEMC
The Don Jose Ecleo Memorial College was founded on the belief that Supreme Being is the origin of all wisdom, good and knowledge. The academe perceives and absolutely believes that education is a process used by man to serve the community, it is an expression and representation of man’s free will and devotion to the Almighty God.
As a non-sectarian college, its quest is to offer just services to all citizens closer to the vicinity or outside the islands, regardless of religion, political affiliations, races, ideology, historical and cultural heritage.
As a community, it aims to promote harmony and standing under the principles of Democracy.
As a vehicle for human development, the academe is committed to provide accessible venue for transformation of man into becoming a wholesome personality, “the total man”, with virtue, and then integrate the interrelationship among moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, socio-cultural, economic another related factors.
As an institution of higher learning, the school is dedicated to secure and provide a profound process that is in line with CHED, DEPED and TESDA standards based on the current century and train nation’s most important human resources on man-kind of educational advancement required for economic self-sufficiency.
As a research institution, The Don Jose Ecleo Memorial College of is convinced to improve school facilities, established and gather data through survey, experimentation, classroom innovations of strategy that help promote the best standard possible in encouraging good leadership, advancing knowledge about nature, man and its role and interrelationship that will prove the quality of human life in the society of men.
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