Bicol’s Top Choice University
THE HISTORY OF UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES
The University of Nueva Caceres is a private non-sectarian university in Naga City, Bicol Region, Philippines. It is ran by iPeople, Inc., a joint venture of Ayala Corporation and Yuchengco Group of Companies. It is the oldest and the first university in southern Luzon. Founded in 1948, it offers pre-school, elementary, junior high school, senior high school, undergraduate, and graduate programs.
Realizing that Bicol Region needed an educational institution which will provide an opportunity for higher learning at relatively cheaper cost and with a quality equal if not better than those in the greater Manila, considered the center of learning, I considered it a rare challenge to be of service to the region by organizing a school that will meet those needs. By doing so, my co-organizers and I believed that we were contributing to the social, political, economic and cultural upliftment of the region.
Honoring our Founding Father
Our Homegrown Hero – Dr. Jaime Hernandez
UNC is the first university in Southern Luzon, founded in 1948 by Dr. Jaime Hernandez, an exceptional Bicolano visionary, truly in a class of his own. With the whole University community celebrating the journey of UNC, etched in its heart and history is the indelible name of its illustrious forerunner, founder and first president, Dr. Jaime Hernandez Sr.
History
In February 1948, Don Jaime Hernandez Sr. invited prominent Bicolanos to join him as incorporators of a planned new school. The incorporation papers were signed on May 9, 1948 by Hernandez himself, Jaime Reyes, Jose T. Fuentebella, Edmundo Cea, Atty. Buenaventura Blancaflor, Nicole Tado Sr., Juan F. Trivino, Antonio M. Sison, Manuel Abella, and Domingo Abella, among others. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the incorporators on May 18, 1948.
The school officially started operation on July 1, 1948, as the Nueva Caceres Colleges. The initial courses offered were Liberal Arts, Commerce, Education and high school with a total enrollment of 958. The students of the newly opened school had their classes in the rented Flordeliza Building fronting the public kiosk (now Plaza Quezon) and the Governor Andres Hernandez residence along Burgos Street (now Grand Imperial Plaza).
In the ensuing years, additional courses were opened: elementary (1949), graduate school (1953), law (1951), engineering (1949), nursing (defunct 1955–2005), secretarial (1955) and kindergarten (1993).
In September 1951, the university administration acquired the Rey property and transformed it from a marshland to its present condition. By early 1952 almost half of the site was filled and buildings began to rise. Bishop Pedro P. Santos blessed the new campus and the first two buildings, the original Dato Hall and Alba Hall on July 11, 1952. Other buildings were soon built to address the needs of a growing student population. Under the leadership of university president Dolores H. Sison, there is an ongoing multi-million infrastructure program to further modernize the institution.
On July 30, 2018, Fay Lea Patria M. Lauraya was appointed as the 4th president of the university. According to Alfredo I. Ayala, UNC is fortunate to have Lauraya as the new president. Dr.Lauraya is an accomplished and proven leader who has a track record of engaging with and empowering both staff and students, introducing innovative new programs, and investing in employee development and a merit based promotion system.