Colegio de San Pascual Baylon
Colegio de San Pascual Baylon or the College of St. Paschal Baylon, CSPB (formerly St. Pascual Institution (SPI) is a collegiate school at Obando, Bulacan in the Philippines. The school started as a catechetical school on February 11, 1913, through the efforts of Rev. Fr. Juan Dilag, then parish priest of Obando. It became a pre-elementary school, and elementary institution in 1936, added a secondary level in 1939 through 1943, then became a college. Formerly managed by the Sisters Religious of the Virgin Mary, it is currently managed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph, a religious congregation in Bulacan. It was formally recognized by the government of the Philippines in 1921. Its name was derived from one of Obando, Bulacan’s patron saints.
HISTORY
Colegio de San Pascual Baylon (CSPB) is one of the Catholic Diocesan Schools of the Diocese of Malolos, a member of t he Malolos Diocesan Association (MADICSA), Manila Schools Association (MAPSA), and Catholic Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
CSPB was founded as a Catechetical School in collaboration with the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM).
1913 – Rev. Fr. Juan Dilag, the Parish Priest of Obando, Bulacan, founded St. Paschal Institution as a Catechetical School in collaboration with the RVM Sisters. However, the RVM Sisters expanded these classes into formal school offering pre-school, primary, and secondary education.
1921 – St. Pascual Institution was incorporated.
1936 – The school was given government recognition.
1939 – The school offered high school exclusively for girls.
1943 – The boys were admitted in the high school department but had a separate campus for the girls.
February 1945 – Obando was raged by fire and the school was not spared.
1947 – Post-liberation, reconstruction began.
The school offered complete elementary and secondary courses. The steady increase in enrollment necessitates the construction of additional buildings. To facilitate better supervision, Rev. Fr. Rome Fernandez, the parish priest and school director, built a separate high school building for boys which he himself took charge. The girls’ department was managed and supervised by the RVM sisters.
1975 – 1976 – marked the merging of the two departments
1979 – The union lasted only for three years. Rev. Fr. Rome supervised the Boys’ department.
1985 – The school opened college courses which eventually led to its change in status as Colegio de San Pascual Baylon with Mr. Nilo Agustin as the first college dean. The opening of the college department had made it possible for working students to enroll in education, commerce, and computer science courses.
1987 – The Colegio underwent a major revamp. It was turned over to the care of Most Rev. Cirilio Almario, D.D., Bishop of Malolos, as a diocesan institution.
The reorganization recognized the three departments under the administration of Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rome Fernandez, H.P., the parish priest and School director.
As to the supervision, Bishop Almario assigned the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph, a Diocesan congregation to take over the place of the RVM Sisters.
Through the years, Colegio de San Pascual Baylon has been spearheading the task of evangelizing the Obando youth through quality education and genuine community involvement transforming them into effective leaders and zealous Christians as evidenced by the numerous graduates successful in different disciplines and fields of endeavor. Indeed, Colegio de San Pascual Baylon has been the bastion of faith of the youth and the vanguard of their service to society.