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The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) community on the beautiful island of Palawan moved one step closer to realizing their long-awaited goal of establishing an Adventist College in the region. On April 20, 2023, the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Adventist College Palawan took place on the site of the Palawan Adventist Academy (PAA) in Tacras, Narra.

Palawan is one of the finest islands in the Philippines due to its clear waters, breathtaking limestone cliffs, secret lagoons, pristine beaches, coral reefs, and the world's longest underground river. The Ministry of Education authorized the Adventist institution PAA to operate as a secondary school in 1967. The academy is located in the southern region of Palawan and was founded to meet the demand for Christian education on the island, and for the past 56 years, it has produced secondary school graduates with Adventist Christian values.

There are currently 439 students enrolled at PAA, and those who graduate will constitute the first cohort of the proposed Adventist College Palawan. The college is a top priority for the Palawan Mission, and the Executive Committee voted to approve and endorse the elevation of PAA to Adventist College Palawan in the North Philippine Union Conference.

"The proposed Adventist College Palawan will function as a center of influence among non-Christian groups in the region. Parents in the community were accustomed to sending their children to Palawan Adventist Academy for Christian education,” said Dr.Mary Jane Zabat, Education director of the Adventist Church in the North Philippines.

The proposed Adventist College Palawan seeks to provide quality Christian education to the people of Palawan and its vicinity. A survey reveals that Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Education Major in English, Bachelor of Science Major in Science, Bachelor of Arts in History, Philosophy, and Religion, midwifery, and other medical courses will be offered.

A significant portion of the 56 hectares of land adjacent to the national highway will be used for agricultural and industrial initiatives to support the proposed college. Existing facilities include the school building, boys' and girls' dormitories, a cafeteria, a science building, radio stations, and limited faculty accommodation. Still required are additional structures for classrooms, the college church, the administration building, the gymnasium, faculty housing, libraries, and convenience stores.

"We need financial support to sustain its growth," said Pastor Gerardo Cajobe, president of the Adventist Church in the North Philippines. “As Palawan Adventist Academy has done for the past 56 years, the proposed Adventist College Palawan will serve as a bastion of Christian education and a hub for social transformation as we confront the new challenges of a modern world,” Zabat added.

Members of the Adventist community, local officials, former administrators, instructors, students, alumni, and even the Adventist Hospital Palawan expressed their support for the proposed college during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The groundbreaking celebration was attended by representatives from the local government unit of Narra, Palawan, leaders from the North Philippine Union Conference, the Adventist Church in Palawan, the board of directors of the Palawan Adventist Academy, and alumni. The Seventh-day Adventist Church exists to give students an education that fits their academic, spiritual, and social needs. This suggests that education should take into account the full individual, including the brain, body, and spirit.

Pastor Daniel Malabad, president of the Palawan Adventist Mission, stated during the announcement of the groundbreaking ceremony, "We are praying and looking forward to the establishment of Adventist College Palawan in the year 2025."

Adventist College Palawan will continue the mission of the Adventist Church through education, producing graduates with Christian values who will serve in a variety of capacities in private, government, and SDA institutions, as well as become entrepreneurs who will contribute to the social and economic development of Palawan and its surrounding areas.

Edward Rodriguez with additional reporting from Pastor Ramil Rey