History

Saint Joseph College was founded on February 20, 1928 by His Excellency Most Reverend Sofronio G. Hacbang, D.D. (1887-1937), Bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog to which Samar and Leyte canonically belonged. It was first named Instituto de San Jose. Its primary purpose was to offer Catholic education through which the Church could fulfill its work of evangelization.

In June 1928, the school welcomed its first elementary and secondary students. Classes were held in a provisional school building made of light materials. Two years after, the school got government recognition for the said courses.

The founder-bishop entrusted leadership of the school to the diocesan priests assigned as parish priest of the Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption, Maasin. The first school director was Reverend Father Sofio Mandia, who came to Maasin as parish priest in 1931.

In 1937, the year Bishop Hacbang died, a new diocese was created — the Diocese of Palo covering the whole island of Leyte. The Instituto was then under the new Bishop of Palo, Most Rev. Manuel M. Mascariñas, D.D. The Instituto progressed rapidly under Fr. Sofio Mandia. Increased enrolment required new buildings. To serve those who wanted higher education but could not proceed elsewhere for financial reasons, the school offered the Junior Normal College Course in 1940.

World War II interrupted classes from December 1941 to December 1944. When classes reopened in January 1945, the Diocese of Palo asked the Benedictine Sisters to take over administration, marking a new epoch in the intellectual life of the Instituto. With Sister Godfrieda Baumeister, OSB as directress, new buildings were constructed and facilities improved.

In 1947, the government recognized the Junior Normal College Course, which paved the way to rename the school Saint Joseph Junior College. In 1949, the Two-Year Preparatory Law and third and fourth year of the Education Course were recognized. Later in 1949, after 21 years as Instituto de San Jose, it became Saint Joseph College.

The new college offered other collegiate courses, with government recognition as follows:

• Complete Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE) and Two-Year General Liberal Arts Course in 1950
• Two-Year Junior Normal Course in 1954
• One-Year Collegiate Secretarial Course in 1956
• Two-Year Collegiate Commercial Course in 1958
• Third year of the Four-Year Collegiate Commercial Course and third and fourth years of the Four-Year Liberal Arts Course (AB-General) in 1959
• Third and fourth years of the Preparatory Law Course (AB-Pre Law) in 1960
• Two-Year Collegiate Secretarial Course in 1961
• Two-Year Special Vocational Secretarial Course in 1962
• Third and fourth years of the Collegiate Normal Course (BSEED) in 1965

On August 14, 1968, the new Diocese of Maasin was created by Blessed Pope Paul VI, covering the whole new Province of Southern Leyte and six municipalities of Leyte. Supervision of the school transferred from the Diocese of Palo to the Diocese of Maasin, whose first bishop was Most Rev. Vicente T. Ataviado, D.D. (1929-1997).

In 1972, the Benedictine Sisters turned over administration to the Diocese of Maasin. The lay administration was headed by a president, with Mr. Marcelino Hanopol Jr. as first president. The Board of Trustees, chaired by the Bishop of Maasin, served as advisory and policy-making body. New courses opened:

• Third and fourth years of the Collegiate Commercial Course in 1973
• Night Secondary Course, One-Year Course in Electronic Serviceman for Radio Receivers, Practical Electricity Course, Auto Mechanics Course, Civil Engineering Course, Preparatory Law Course, and third and fourth year of the Collegiate Commercial Course in 1974

In 1978, Bishop Vicente T. Ataviado, D.D., took over the presidency besides being chairman of the board, assisted by three vice-presidents: vice-president for academics, vice-president for finance, and vice-president for general services.

In 1979, the Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration (OSF) started working for the school at the request of the Bishop of Maasin as administrators, teachers, and campus ministers. In the same year, an additional school site at Mambajao, Maasin, was developed where the Engineering building and part of the High School department were constructed.

In late 1981, the school adopted a new organizational setup headed by the president assisted by the Presidential Troika instead of three vice-presidents. Government recognition followed for the five-year Civil Engineering (BSCE) in 1985, Master of Arts in Education (MAED) in 1988, Four-Year Accountancy (BSA) in 1991, Associate in Computer Science (ACS) in 1994, and Associate in Computer Secretarial in 1995.

In 1995, Bishop Ataviado retired as school president and appointed Sister M. Anthony Kuizon, OSF to head the school. The president was assisted by the vice-president and members of the Administrative and Academic Councils. New grade school and college buildings rose to house newly offered courses, including in 1996 Master of Business Administration (MBA), Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS), Bachelor of Science in Secretarial Administration (BSSA), and two years later Bachelor of Science in Criminology (BSCrim).

In 1998, Most Rev. Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD became the second Bishop of the Diocese of Maasin, a year after the death of Bishop Ataviado. He assumed the presidency of the school in 2000. Under his leadership, the professional dimension was pursued with vigor and its Catholic character given greater and renewed emphasis, with reforms in organization, operations, services, curricula, campus development, and research.

Before completing school construction, the school president formulated the vision, mission, and goals to set a professional, Christian, and specifically Catholic direction. In 2001, Bishop Cantillas created the Theology Department with its own dean, making theology the core for college students from first year to fourth year.

Daily class Mass in elementary, high school, and college, recollection, and retreats nourished students spiritually. For this purpose, a recollection and retreat center in Macrohon called Shalom was built, and chapels in elementary, high school, college, and extension campuses were put up or renovated.

Other milestones in this period:

• 2001: Government recognition of Bachelor of Science in Criminology (BSCrim); fourth floor of the new college building finished
• 2002: Grade school program conferred PAASCU Level II accredited status
• 2003: Vocational Training Center (VOCTRAC) built with help from abroad for out-of-school youth, starting with Automotive NC II and Welding NC II, later with TESDA offering Electrical Technology (NC III), Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Technology (NC I), Consumer Electronics (NC II), Plumbing Technology (NC II), Computer Hardware Servicing (NC II), Short-Term Driving (NC II), Healthcare Services (NC II), Household Services (NC II), Housekeeping Services (NC II), and Bartending Services (NC II)
• 2007: Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA) offered
• 2008: Administration offices transferred to the New College Building; Office of Planning and Research established
• School year 2011-2012: Hotel and Restaurant Management founded on the fifth floor of the college building; following year the Giuseppe Hotel and Restaurant and other HRM facilities inaugurated; St. Felicity and St. Rose of Lima dormitories for female students blessed; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) recognized
• 2012: Community Extension Service Office established for outreach to needy communities
• 2013: Five-year management and development plan implemented; third and fourth storeys of the new high school building with classrooms, principal's office, and library blessed; Bachelor of Science in Accounting Technology recognized
• 2014: Office for Public Affairs, Publications, and Alumni Relations created
• 2016: In compliance with the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (Republic Act 10533), or the K to 12 Law, a new three-storey building rose in the middle campus behind the Maasin Cathedral to house senior high school; the Godfrieda Covered Court and wooden college building gave way to the new senior high edifice and the bigger Bishop Cantillas Gym
• 2018: Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) opened

In academic year 2023-2024, responding to demand for local professionals for infrastructure, the school introduced BS Architecture for those who could not afford to study outside the province or region.

On June 24, 2024, after 25 years, Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD passed on the presidency to Executive Vice President Msgr. Oscar A. Cadayona, PhD, SThL-MA.

On August 1, 2024, the new head was formally installed as the 5th school president. In his inauguration, he presented his Ten-Point Scholastic Agenda to realize the vision, mission, and goals toward the centenary: Back to Basics, Practice What is Taught, De-Construct in the Classrooms, Change for the Better, Oblation for Greater Good, Aspiration for a Big Dream, Corresponsibility, Synodality, Job Security, and Continuity (or BPDC-OAC-SJC Agenda).

In academic year 2024-2025, CHED approved new courses: A.B. Political Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The first medical course was housed in a new building on the ruins of the carpentry shop beside the Cathedral. Its ground floor served as dormition chapel and columbarium of the Diocese of Maasin, while the second to fourth floors housed nursing laboratories, classrooms, and the new SJC Library.

To date, physical plant and facilities have greatly improved, including Bp. Ataviado Hall, Bp. Hacbang Gym, Bp. Cantillas Gym, Msgr. Mandia Gym, the new four-storey Junior High building, the new three-storey Senior High building, the four-storey Nursing building, the five-storey College building replacing the old wooden Benedictine Sisters' Convent, and the ladies dormitories at the main Tunga-tunga campus.

The SJC Mambajao Campus refurbished the old Engineering building to welcome Architecture students.