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History of La Salle Academy-Iligan
La Salle Academy, Iligan City belongs to the third generation of Lasallian schools in the Philippines. After De La
Salle University (1911) and University of St. La Salle (1952), La Salle Academy (1958) belongs to that set of four schools
that constitute a growth spirit of Lasallian education in the country. This includes La Salle-Greenhills(1959), St. Joseph's
High School (1960) and De La Salle-Lipa (1962).
The presence of La Salle in northern Mindanao came to be with the invitation of Msgr. Patrick Cronin of the Prelature
of Ozamiz to take over St. Columban's Academy in Iligan City. This was the same school that used to be Woodrow Wilson Junior
College of the late forties and early fifties. When the first group of Brothers under Brother Crescentius Richard arrived
in Iligan, the school was located in downtown Iligan, a stone's throw from the Cathedral. Its faculty then included such veteran
educators like Miss Rosario Tsukimata (an affiliated Member of the Brothers), Kagawad Pedro Generalao (founding Principal
of Iligan City High School), Mr. Felicito Rugay (founding Director-Principal of Andres Soriano Memorial School, Luropan, Cebu
and Tranquilino Valderrama Memorial School, Bubunawan, Bukidnon; and the Andres Soriano Jr. Learning Center, Aroroy, Masbate);
and Mr. Carmelito Silva. A growing student population and a need for bigger campus necessitated the purchase of a three-hectare
lot in Pala-o belonging to the estate of Pedro Nunez.
The transfer to the new site in 1960 was accompanied by a change of name to La Salle Academy. Brother Honorius
Alfred Shields the second Director and co-author of the Biology for the Philippine High Schools, supervised the transfer to
the nipa and bamboo structures and then, the construction of the permanent buildings in 1961. It must be mentioned that all
this time La Salle was an exclusive school for boys.
The next development in the school came in 1967 when La Salle opened its doors to Grade 5. It was arranged with
the RVM Sisters that for lower grades boys and girls would study at St. Michael's College grade school. For grade 5, the girls
remained while the boys moved to La Salle. Thus began the nucleus of the La Salle Academy grade school.
A growing school-age population plus the demands of expansion necessitated the admission of girls. Thus, after
a survey, coeds were accepted into grade 5 and 6 as well as first year and second year in 1973. By this time the basic structure
of the school gym had been constructed under Bro. Jose V. Si, FSC, the principal then.
The genesis of the La Salle Parents Foundation, Inc. (LASAPFI) came from this time. It was finally registered with
the Securities and Exchange Commission by 1975 with the late Engr. Manuel Hamoy as its first President and Chairman of the
Board.
The school celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1983. Plans were started to open the kindergarten. The first batch
was accepted in 1985 following a modified Individually Guided Education (IGE). The gym provided the open classrooms for the
children. By 1986 the first batch of kindergarten graduated from Grade School. In 1987, the first phase of the Grade School
Building was constructed and dedicated to St. Brother Miguel. At this time, the new canteen was also constructed. Then, followed
the construction of the second phase of the Grade School Building. In 1989 the library was built to accommodate both the grade
school and high school. By this time the school had breached the 1800 mark.
In 1990 the Administration Building was finished to accommodate the Science Laboratories, the school Chapel, the
HS Faculty Room, the Accounting Office, the office of the Registrar, the Academic Coordinators and the President. In 1998
in celebration of the Centennial of Philippine Independence, the Centennial Amphitheater was constructed. By 2000 the Grade
School Building (housing the Grade 6 classrooms, the GS Library and AVR and the Internet Lab) was finished. School year 2001-2002
saw the GS Ramp sponsored by the Parents Association (LASAPFI).
To accentuate and confirm the excellence of Lasallian education, the high school department received its first
accreditation from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) in 1989 and re-accreditation
followed in 1993 and 1998. The impetus towards development and growth had been sown.
More and more, La Salle had to carve its niche in the education sector of society, finding and asserting its particular
role and affirming its contribution to the development of the human resources of this industrial city.
However, among the Brothers there was a worldwide movement towards the return of the charism of its founder, St.
John Baptist de La Salle. The reach-out programs of the school became institutionalized with the creation of the Community
Development Office in 1993. Then, the Board of Trustees approved the opening of the Night High School to begin operating n
June 1994.
Thru, the stewardship of Bro. Jaime Dalumpines, FSC as its President (1993-99), a property in Agad-agad was purchased
for the school's Recollection program and the commitment to be earth-keepers by developing it into an Ecology Sanctuary. From
this saw the adoption of the nearby Purok Langilanon by forming the Langilanon Farmers Cooperative (LAFAMCO).
School year 1999-2000 saw the beginning of the TVET Department (Technical & Vocational Education Training).
For 2000, the Brothers of the Philippine District bought a property in Binuni, Bacolod, Lanao del Norte and asked the school's
Community Development Office to help in the forming of a cooperative similar to that of LAFAMCO.
To continue the quest for excellence, the Grade School Department had its PAASCU formal survey in 2001; and PAASCU
Re-survey in 2004.
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