Don Bosco Academy, Pampanga

For schools of a similar name, see Don Bosco School.

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250px High School Building
Motto	Luctor Et Emergo (I Struggle, I Win!)
Type	Private, Salesian
Established	1956 (Bacolor) 1996 (Mabalacat City)
Rector	Fr. Ramon G. Borja, SDB
Principal	Fr. Rusty Dizon, SDB
Students	Approx. 1,400
Location	Mabalacat , Pampanga , Philippines
Campus	Urban
Accreditation	PAASCU Level II
Colors	Gray, Blue and White
Nickname	Bosconians, Busko,Salesians
Affiliations	MILO Best Pasarelle, SBP, TCPEIA, CEAP, CBCP
Mascot	Grigio
Website	www.dbapampanga.net

Don Bosco Academy (also called "Don Bosco Pampanga" or simply "DBA") is a private Catholic educational institution for boys run by the Salesians of Don Bosco in the Philippines. Its campus is located in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, Philippines.

This school was named after St. John Bosco whom the Catholic Church has proclaimed as the "Father and Teacher of Youth." St. John Bosco dedicated his life to education of the youth. To continue this work, he founded a religious congregation of priests and brothers - the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB).

History

File:Dbahsbuilding.jpg

Statue of Don Bosco

Don Bosco in the Philippines

The presence of Don Bosco in the Philippines began in 1912 when two Salesian priests arrived in the Parish of Nuestra de los Remedios in Malate, Manila. Ten years later, the Rt. Rev. Msgr. William Piani,SDB and Rev. Louis Morrow,SDB were appointed Delegate and Secretary respectively. The Salesian mission in the Philippines took a more definite shape with the designation of Rev. Fr. Charles Braga, SDB as the first Provincial Superior. He paved the way for the establishment of a permanent Salesian Society in the country.

The first Salesian educational institution, St. John Bosco Academy, was founded in 1951 in Tarlac, Tarlac. A second institution was established in 1952 at Victorias, Negros Occidental, and was followed by other schools in Mandaluyong in 1953, in Cebu and in Makati in 1954 and eventually Pampanga in 1956.

Development

The years that followed saw an ever-increasing enrollment of students that paved the way for the construction of more buildings and facilities inside the DBA campus.

The grade school curriculum offering expanded to add Grades 3 to 4.

In 1963, a fourth edifice was added. This was the two-story Juniorate or Salesian School for Minor Seminarians, a seedbed for many future Salesian priests and lay brothers in the Philippines. A large multi-purpose gymnasium was also built on the same year to house the sports and cultural facilities of the school.

As DBA's fame grew, it saw a continuous expansion of its campus facilities and a significant increase in student population to a point that the school had to regulate enrollment admissions in the form of entrance exams and interviews. In less than a decade, a young school exclusively for boys, seminarians and out-of-school youth flourished rapidly to meet the growing interest in the charism of Don Bosco.

Relocation

Lahar covered most of the buildings of Don Bosco Academy in 1995. The school almost transferred in another province if not for the intervention of Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, D.D. of the Archdiocese of San Fernando. Through the generous offering of the Benedictine Sisters, they allowed Don Bosco Academy to hold classes in their school shifting with their students (Monday to Wednesday for the Scholasticans and Thursday to Saturday for the Bosconians). This continued until Don Bosco Academy was given a second founding in 1996 in the northern town of Mabalacat, Pampanga. Much like the persistent nature of its founder, Fr. Godfrey Roozen,SDB Don Bosco Academy was transplanted in this area and the Salesian charism and system of education continued.

Generous benefactors in the form of the heirs of the late Mr. & Mrs. Tomas and Maria Dizon donated a four-hectare land in Barangay Mabiga of this town to the rebuilding of Don Bosco Academy. By moving to the north of the province, the Salesians of Don Bosco have expanded their presence and service to more Kapampangan.

In May 2009, the School opened its newest wing, consisting of the St. Francis Auditorium, where some events are held. The Savio Hall holds meetings or some classes if the rooms are not available. Lastly, the General Science and Biology Laboratories and the computer rooms have been moved to the newest wing.

In 2010, Don Bosco Academy inaugurated the gymnasium for badminton together with the expansion of the dining hall of the Salesian Residence in time for the visit of the Regional Superior of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Vaclav Clement, SDB.

At about August 2011, a new room was built, the Collaborative Classroom, wherein a section will spend 1 day of a regular school day in this classroom, bringing their laptops for various activities. Each day a section is scheduled, starting from the 4th years going down to the Grade Seven.

With the help of the Parents' Council, the Grade School football field was improved in the summer of 2012. Top soil was placed on it and drainage system was installed to avoid the flooding of the field.

In early 2014, two flagpoles were built as part of the A.P. Club's and school year's legacy project.

On March 11, 2015, the renovation on the school chapel started.

A new wing on the High School Building is currently being considered for the expansion for the K-12 program. Don Bosco Academy is now accepting girls but only for Senior High School.

There are only 2 sections in kindergarten. Kinder Sections:

• Bessuco
• Magone

For grades 1, 2 and 3, there are 2 sections while for grades 4, 5 and 6 is 3.

Grade School Sections:

• 1st Grade: Comini, Quadrio,
• 2nd Grade: Arribat, Stuchly
• 3rd Grade: Albera, Cimatti
• 4th Grade: Aparicio, Guanella, Convertini
• 5th Grade: Calazanz, Markiewicz, Kowalski
• 6th Grade: Czartoryski, Rua, Rinaldi

There are 5 sections per grade level located at the High School Department.

High School Sections:

• 7th Grade: Blanco, Giordani, Kazmiersky, Kesy, Klinik
• 8th Grade: Eirin, Gracia, Ramos, Sandor, Srugi
• 9th Grade: Ferrando, Hlond, Lustosa, Olivares, Ortiz
• 10th Grade: Cafasso, Caravario, Murialdo, Versiglia, Zatti

Grade 11 courses will offer:

• STEM
• ABM
• HUMSS
• GAS

Vision-Mission Statement

Don Bosco Academy envisions the Educative Pastoral Community especially the young to become integrated persons who are servant-leaders in the Church of the Poor.

It commits itself:

• to give preference to the young who are poor, abandoned and in danger;
• to provide them quality and holistic Catholic, Salesian Education;
• to instill in them the love of family, community and country;
• to develop their giftedness and power of choice for social transformation;
• to equip them with technological skills to become productive members of society;
• and to collaborate and network with all forces that work with the young

The Salesians

The Salesians of Don Bosco Academy for school year 2015-2016 consists of:

• Fr. Ramon G. Borja, SDB - Rector
• Fr. Rusty B. Dizon, SDB - Principal
• Fr. Exequiel G. Veloso, SDB - Vice-Rector & Economer
• Fr. Keith Michael T. Simbulan, SDB - Grade School & High School Spiritual Moderator
• Fr. Benedict Cavestany, SDB - T.V.E.T. Spiritual Moderator
• Fr. Vester P. Casaclang, SDB- T.V.E.T. Director

Clubs

Religious Sodalities

• Auxilium - A club which focuses on devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, particularly to Mary Help of Christians. It is the usual sodality with the highest number of members. The Marian Rally, which is usually held during October, is an event hosted by the club where different schools are invited to devote themselves to Mary.
• Knights of the Altar (KOA)- This sodality is formed by members called to serve on the altar. They are active during EPC masses, often assisting the mass celebrant.
• Savio Friends - This club is focused on getting to know more about St. Dominic Savio and how to apply his examples in the daily lives of high school boys.
• Juventus - This club is about being one with Don Bosco himself. This also known as the media team of the school.
• Music Ministry - This club is for music and instrument enthusiasts. The club is divided into two groups: the choir; and the instrumentalists. The club is responsible in providing Church music during masses.

Interest Clubs

• Siuala - has been the official publication of Don Bosco Academy Pampanga for more than twenty years. The school paper has housed the best writers and artists of the Academy and has been a training ground for students who share the passion for writing and the visual arts. Siuala is derived from a Kapampangan term which means "voice". It serves as an instrument of communication between the students, parents, alumni, faculty, Salesians and the rest of the Academy.
• Teatro Busko - This school organization develops the student's skills in acting, singing, dancing and creative thinking.
• Catechists - A club for those who want to help in teaching young kids about the Bible.
• Dewey's Peers - It is club formed by book enthusiasts and those who spend most of their time helping out in the library.
• Don Bosco Choir - This club is for those who want to share their talent in singing through singing in masses.
• PhotoGuild - The club for aspiring photographers. They are in charge of taking photos of school events which go public.
• Bayung Pluma - the first Grade School newspaper. The publication started in the year 2009. Bayung Pluma is derived from a Kapampangan term "Bayung" which means NEW, and the term "Pluma" which means PEN.
• Quiz Circle - A club composed of those who want to enhance their academic skills through quiz bees and contests.

Academic Clubs

• Kamfil (Filipino Club)
• Math Club
• Science Club
• English Club
• Com-Arts (Computer-Arts)
• Araling Panlipunan Club (A.P. Club)
• Boys Scouts of the Philippines Pampanga

Notable alumni

• Amando Tetangco, Jr. - is the incumbent Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
• Bishop Honesto Ontioco - The First Bishop of Cubao.
• Eddie Panlilio - is a Kapampangan Roman Catholic priest and former governor of the province of Pampanga. He was notable for being a reformist and anti-corruption leader with his caption, "ing daing da reng pakakalulu atad tamu kapitolyu."
• Liberato Laus - a Filipino entrepreneur. Founder of Laus Group of Companies and Chairman of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Inc. He is known as one of the most respected business leaders in central luzon.
• Nestor Mangio - is the principal architect of Nestor S. Mangio Associates, an architectural and urban planning company; chairman, president and CEO of Central Country Estate, Inc.; president of N.S. Mangio Construction and Development Corporation; managing director and architect of Nobleman Properties, Inc.; owner of Hotel Gracelane; president and general manager of A.C. Emerald Realty & Development Corporation; and Chairman of the National Real Estate Association of the Philippines.
• Atty. Christopher Ryan T. Tan - A prominent Lawyer in the Philippines. He is the National President of the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines, Inc. (OSHDP); Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Hausland Development Corporation, Fiesta Communities Incorporated and Villages Water Supply System, Inc.
• Aljur Abrenica - a Filipino actor. He appeared on the fourth season of StarStruck.
• Vin Abrenica - a Filipino actor who appeared as a contestant on the reality-based talent search show Artista Academy and later won the competition with Sophie Albert. He is a younger brother of GMA Network talent Aljur Abrenica, himself a winner on StarStruck: The Next Level.
• Ryan Raymond Baranda - a ex-Filipino designer who is now based in Singapore. Aside from his job, he currently teaches young kids how to play the drums.

See also

• Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong
• Don Bosco School, Manila
• Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac
• Don Bosco Technical Institute, Victorias

References

Don Bosco Pampanga - Official Website