THEY SAY education is a lifeline. Accordingly, despite this challenging time, both parents and students share the same responsibilities in overcoming difficulties in the new learning approaches.
I am also a lecturer in one of the universities here in the city. I know how hard it is to change our usual way of teaching students. I also got the chance to be invited to do webinars in one of the colleges – in Iloilo Doctors’ College (IDC). It may not be that easy, but it was something I enjoyed.
I have rays of hope that the education system is not failing despite the odds. Undeniably, I appreciate the invitation and the opportunity to share the rule of law with the IDC students.
Everyone feels like 2020 was a year that kept us on our toes. But like IDC, we all conquered the odds. And taking part in the activities of IDC gave me more ideas about it. Just this week, the College is celebrating its 49th Foundation Day.
The IDC was established on Feb. 13, 1972. It was then called Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital School of Nursing and Midwifery. It was an educational arm of Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital (IDH) which was founded the year before.
The school was owned and operated by the Integrated Educational Corporation, Iloilo (IECI). It is a sister corporation of IDC which was formed and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Feb. 9, 1973.
In the school year 1975-1976, the IDH School of Nursing and Midwifery was granted college status as a consequence of the opening of the Liberal Arts department. Later, the Department of Education (now Commission on Higher Education) and SEC approved the school to formally become Iloilo Doctors’ College. As a result, the College was able to offer additional baccalaureate courses and programs. It even opened a High School and Kindergarten department.
Another significant milestone of the College was when it opened its College of Medicine in consortium with West Visayas State College (WVSC). This was arranged to cater to the need for more physicians to take care of the health and needs of the small urban and rural populations of the country.
Fortunately, after two years, the College of Medicine was granted separate permit by the Ministry (now CHED). It was made autonomous and independent from WVSC. Hence, on July 24, 1987 the College of Medicine was established as a non-stock, non-profit educational corporation independent of IDC and officially known as the Iloilo Doctors’ College of Medicine, Inc. Additionally, the School of Dentistry was also opened to meet the need for dentists.
In 2009, the IECI Board of Directors issued Board Resolution 02-01-09 to pursue the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA). As a consequence, the Biological Sciences, Dentistry, and Nursing programs were conferred Certificate of Accreditation Candidate Status for the period September 2011-September 2013.
Thereafter, the IDC applied for accreditation for Level I Formal Visit of its Biological Sciences and Nursing programs. Thus, these programs were granted Level I Accredited Status by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP). It was later re-accredited to Level II through the PACUCOA. All academic programs are government recognized.
Moreover, the College operates the Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET). It offers TESDA Qualifications like the Health Care Services NCII, Hilot (Wellness massage) NCII, and Massage Therapy NCII.
This year, the IDC is celebrating its 49th Foundation Day. It is also the start of its countdown clock for next year’s 50th Foundation day. This is an opportunity for the College to acknowledge the tough times and the ways it has made to survive.
Truly, IDC is one of the many schools we have here in the city that prove that the system of education can dynamically adapt to changes as time goes by. And that it can stand still and make impact on its students and society./PN
